Terry Alan Metherell (born 9 January 1947) is an Australian former politician who represented the Electoral district of Davidson in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1981 to 1992.
When the Liberal Party won the 1988 election, Premier Nick Greiner appointed him Minister for Education and Youth Affairs, a portfolio he held until 1990.
[2] Upon his election, Metherell was immediately promoted to the front bench, becoming Shadow Minister for Transport and Roads under opposition leader John Dowd.
He held this post from 29 October 1981 to 15 May 1986, when he was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Education and Youth Affairs under the new leader, Nick Greiner.
Prior to its assent on 1 June 1990, school education in New South Wales had been provided under a law developed 110 years earlier by Henry Parkes and William Wilkins in their "Public Instruction Act 1880 (NSW)".
[citation needed] Between 6 June 1991 and 2 October 1991 Metherell was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, with special responsibility for urban affairs, and was named as a Member of the University of Sydney Senate (1991–1992).
[7] Metherell had expressed his interest in one of the Directorships at the new Environmental Protection Authority to neighbouring Liberal member for Wakehurst, Brad Hazzard.
[8] The bill was a crucial factor in triggering the decision by the Minister for Environment, Iim Moore, to announce in April 1992 a public exhibition and submission process for a National Parks and Wildlife Service assessment report for twenty three nominated wilderness areas.
Despite the Bill being shelved following Metherell's resignation from Parliament, the wilderness assessment reports were eventually published, allowing for extensive protection of bushland areas.
Metherell accepted the offer and resigned from Parliament, effectively engineering a vacancy in a seat that was very likely to revert to the Liberals at a by-election.