John FaheyPrint Page 
John Joseph Fahey AC (1945 – 2020) was an Australian politician who served as Premier of New South Wales from 1992 to 1995 and as the federal Minister for Finance from 1996 to 2001. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1984 to 1996 and the federal House of Representatives from 1996 to 2001. Fahey also served as president of the World Anti-Doping Agency and later became chancellor of the Australian Catholic University.
Fahey was appointed as the fourth chancellor of the Australian Catholic University in Sydney for a five-year term from 4 September 2014. He was appointed to a second five-year term in May 2019, but died in September 2020.
John Fahey’s love of the chapel on ACU’s North Sydney Campus will inspire a memorial plaque and a portrait, honouring the memory of the late Chancellor and his contributions to the university community.
ACU honoured the memory of the late Hon John Fahey AC, GCSG with the unveiling of the ACU Chancellor’s portrait on 2 December at North Sydney Campus.
In addition, the ACU Senate determined that a memorial brass plaque should be installed in the chapel at North Sydney in John’s memory. The chapel will also be renamed ‘John Fahey Memorial Chapel of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom’ in honour of his love of this space, where he often prayed.
John sadly passed away in September 2020 after a battle with leukaemia. His favourite chapel provided ongoing inspiration for the artist who created his portrait.
The commissioned painting was undertaken by renowned artist Shen Jiawei, who is highly regarded for his portraiture and historical works. Due to the Chancellor’s ill health, Shen was unable to paint the portrait in situ. Instead, Shen worked from his impressions from an earlier meeting with the Chancellor as well as from photographs. The initial sketches and composition of the artwork were applied to a prepared canvas in the artist’s studio.
The final portrait was painted posthumously in the small garden in front of the stained-glass windows of the campus chapel, with the artist working from photographs.
“This striking work accurately portrays the late Chancellor’s distinction and compassion, while ensuring his important legacy and connection with ACU,” ACU Art Curator Caroline Field said.
ACU, North Sydney, 11 December 2020.
Location
| Address: | Edward Street, Chapel, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney , 2060 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.837581 Long: 151.203399 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Art |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Education |
| Artist: | Shen Jiawei |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Wednesday 2nd December, 2020 |
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