George Paciullo
Encyclopedia
George Paciullo, OAM (born 20 February 1934) is a former Australia
n politician. He was the Labor
member for Liverpool
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1971 to 1989, and served as a minister from 1984 to 1988.
Paciullo was born in Sydney
to market gardener Sisto Paciullo and his wife Immocalata, who had come to Australia from Calabria
during the Great Depression
. He attended public schools at Liverpool
and Homebush
, and was employed as a survey draftsmen with the New South Wales Soil Conservation Service upon his graduation in 1951. He underwent national service
in 1952 and subsequently served in the Citizen Military Forces for three years. In 1958, he joined the Australian Labor Party
, and the following year was elected to Liverpool City Council. On 3 November 1964, he married Janette, with whom he had a son. He continued as both a draftsman and a councillor until 1971.
In 1971, the member for the local state seat of Liverpool
, Jack Mannix
, retired, and Paciullo was preselected as the replacement Labor candidate. He was elected easily, and was never troubled in his own electorate. In 1973 he became Shadow Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, holding this position again 1976–83. When Labor won government in 1983 he was appointed Minister for Roads, moving to Industry and Small Business from February to April 1984 and then to Consumer Affairs and Aboriginal Affairs. In 1986 he was shifted to Police and Emergency Services
. After Labor lost government to the Coalition
in 1988, Paciullo was considered as a candidate for party leader
but retired when Bob Carr
was elected; the by-election held to replace him was acrimonious as the former member for Penrith
, Peter Anderson
, was imposed on the electorate after a protracted preselection dispute between the Left's Paul Lynch
and the Right's Mark Latham
.
Following his retirement, Paciullo returned to local politics, serving again on Liverpool City Council as Mayor from 1994 to 2003. On 14 June 1999 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
, and on 21 November 2003 was awarded the Centenary Medal
. He was appointed to the Board of the NRMA
in 2000. On 26 May 2002 he was made a life member of the Labor Party.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was the Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member for Liverpool
Electoral district of Liverpool
Liverpool is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's West. It is currently represented by Paul Lynch of the Australian Labor Party....
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1971 to 1989, and served as a minister from 1984 to 1988.
Paciullo was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to market gardener Sisto Paciullo and his wife Immocalata, who had come to Australia from Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. He attended public schools at Liverpool
Liverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
and Homebush
Homebush, New South Wales
Homebush is an inner western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Homebush is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield. Homebush West and Homebush Bay are separate suburbs...
, and was employed as a survey draftsmen with the New South Wales Soil Conservation Service upon his graduation in 1951. He underwent national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in 1952 and subsequently served in the Citizen Military Forces for three years. In 1958, he joined the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, and the following year was elected to Liverpool City Council. On 3 November 1964, he married Janette, with whom he had a son. He continued as both a draftsman and a councillor until 1971.
In 1971, the member for the local state seat of Liverpool
Electoral district of Liverpool
Liverpool is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's West. It is currently represented by Paul Lynch of the Australian Labor Party....
, Jack Mannix
Jack Mannix
The Hon. Norman John Mannix was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1952 until 1971...
, retired, and Paciullo was preselected as the replacement Labor candidate. He was elected easily, and was never troubled in his own electorate. In 1973 he became Shadow Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, holding this position again 1976–83. When Labor won government in 1983 he was appointed Minister for Roads, moving to Industry and Small Business from February to April 1984 and then to Consumer Affairs and Aboriginal Affairs. In 1986 he was shifted to Police and Emergency Services
Minister for Police and Emergency Services (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Police and Emergency Services has responsibilities which includes bus and ferry policy, contracting and regulation, rail policy, fares and concessions, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation...
. After Labor lost government to the Coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
in 1988, Paciullo was considered as a candidate for party leader
Leader of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales
The leader of the ALP in the New South Wales Parliament is elected from and by the members of the party caucus, comprising all party members in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. When the Labor party forms a government the leader is the Premier and when the party is in opposition...
but retired when Bob Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
was elected; the by-election held to replace him was acrimonious as the former member for Penrith
Electoral district of Penrith
Penrith is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It has been represented by Stuart Ayres of the Liberal Party of Australia since the 2010 by-election...
, Peter Anderson
Peter Anderson (politician)
Peter Thomas Anderson , a former Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Nepean between 1978 and 1981, Penrith between 1981 and 1988, and Liverpool between 1989 and 1995 for the Australian Labor Party...
, was imposed on the electorate after a protracted preselection dispute between the Left's Paul Lynch
Paul Lynch (politician)
Paul Gerard Lynch MP, an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Liverpool since 1995 for the Australian Labor Party.-Early career and background:...
and the Right's Mark Latham
Mark Latham
Mark William Latham , an author and former Australian politician, was leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005....
.
Following his retirement, Paciullo returned to local politics, serving again on Liverpool City Council as Mayor from 1994 to 2003. On 14 June 1999 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, and on 21 November 2003 was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
. He was appointed to the Board of the NRMA
NRMA
NRMA refers to either of two historically related Australian companies:*The National Roads and Motorists' Association, known as NRMA Motoring and Services, is a member-owned mutual organisation offering , motoring advice and other services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital...
in 2000. On 26 May 2002 he was made a life member of the Labor Party.