1897 Federal conventions, and was appointed a member of the constitutional committee. He was asked to join more than one ministry, but had to decline as it was impossible for him to add to the work he was already doing. He was also of the opinion that, as a newspaper editor, he would no longer be able to speak with the same freedom if he were in office. He advocated women's suffrage, and Western Australia was one of the early jurisdictions to give women the vote. He also strongly supported Forrest in his development policy, in the building of the pipe line to the goldfields, and the making of Fremantle harbour. He was interesting himself very much in the Perth public library, museums, and national gallery of which he became president, and also in the proposed university. He was a prominent member of the Church of England, holding the offices of registrar of the Diocese of Perth and chancellor of St George's Cathedral. He declined a knighthood in 1902 but accepted it in 1911, and two years later was created KCMG. The University of Western Australia opened in 1913 with Sir John as its first chancellor, and he gave it its first substantial private contribution when he endowed the chair of agriculture. Hackett's partner, Charles Harper, died in 1912, and Hackett acquired full ownership of the West Australian for £88,000. Hackett suffered from Parkinsonism and his health began to fail in 1915. He took a trip to the eastern states which appeared to have benefited him; however he died suddenly on 19 February 1916 of a heart condition and was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery. Family On 3 August 1905, Hackett married the 18-year-old Deborah Vernon Brockman (1887–1965). He confided in his political ally Walter James, "This is in the strictest sense a 'marriage de convenance' ". The couple had four daughters, and a son also called John. John (1910–1997) also became Sir John Hackett, a popular and distinguished General in the British Army. After she was widowed, Lady Hackett remarried to become Lady Moulden, and finally – after an honorary doctorate and a further widowhood – married Basil Buller Murphy to become Dr. Deborah Buller Murphy. A daughter Patricia Hackett (1908–1963) followed her father into the legal profession, and is today remembered for the Patricia Hackett Prize awarded by the University of Western Australia and endowed in her memory in