Paul Landa
Encyclopedia
David Paul Landa, QC
(29 May 194124 November 1984) was an Australia
n politician. He was a Labor
member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
from 1973 to 1984, and the member for Peats
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
in 1984. He was a government minister from 1976 to 1984.
Landa was born in St Peters
in Sydney
to Maurice and Fay Landa, who were of Irish
/Polish
descent and had migrated from Belfast
. He was educated at Kogarah
High School and Sydney Boys' High School before studying for a Bachelor of Laws
at the University of Sydney
. He became a solicitor in 1964 and was admitted to the bar in 1974. On 17 December 1968, he married Annika. He was Jewish.
In 1973, Landa was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council
as a Labor member. He became Minister for Industrial Relations in 1976, although later that year he was moved to the Planning Ministry and became Vice-President of the Executive Council. In that year he also became the Government's Leader in the Upper House. He became Education Minister in 1980, Energy Minister in 1981 and Attorney General
in 1983. In 1984, he transferred to the lower house, winning the seat of Peats
.
He was generally seen as an outstanding politician who was probably destined for the party leadership, but later that year he died at Vaucluse
, while playing tennis
. It is believed he suffered a heart attack. He was 43.
Since 2004, the David Paul Landa Memorial Scholarship for Pianists has been awarded to a piano finalist in the Symphony Australia
Young Performers Awards. The scholarship provides the winner with concert engagements with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
and Musica Viva Australia
, and a cash prize to enable overseas study.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(29 May 194124 November 1984) was an Australia
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 a 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 of the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
from 1973 to 1984, and the member for Peats
Electoral district of Peats
Peats was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1973 to 2007. It was replaced by Gosford for the 2007 state election.-Members:-Election results:...
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...
in 1984. He was a government minister from 1976 to 1984.
Landa was born in St Peters
St Peters, New South Wales
St Peters is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. St Peters is located 7 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council.-History:...
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 Maurice and Fay Landa, who were of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
/Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
descent and had migrated from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. He was educated at Kogarah
Kogarah, New South Wales
Kogarah is a suburb of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kogarah is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is considered to be the centre of the St George area...
High School and Sydney Boys' High School before studying for a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He became a solicitor in 1964 and was admitted to the bar in 1974. On 17 December 1968, he married Annika. He was Jewish.
In 1973, Landa was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
as a Labor member. He became Minister for Industrial Relations in 1976, although later that year he was moved to the Planning Ministry and became Vice-President of the Executive Council. In that year he also became the Government's Leader in the Upper House. He became Education Minister in 1980, Energy Minister in 1981 and Attorney General
Attorney General of New South Wales
The Attorney General of New South Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General of New South Wales and Crown Solicitor, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government...
in 1983. In 1984, he transferred to the lower house, winning the seat of Peats
Electoral district of Peats
Peats was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1973 to 2007. It was replaced by Gosford for the 2007 state election.-Members:-Election results:...
.
He was generally seen as an outstanding politician who was probably destined for the party leadership, but later that year he died at Vaucluse
Vaucluse, New South Wales
Vaucluse is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Vaucluse is located north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Council and the Municipality of Woollahra....
, while playing tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
. It is believed he suffered a heart attack. He was 43.
Legacy
There is a public foreshore park in Pearl Beach (Gosford City, NSW), called "Landa Reserve", dedicated to Paul Landa's service.Since 2004, the David Paul Landa Memorial Scholarship for Pianists has been awarded to a piano finalist in the Symphony Australia
Symphony Australia
- Symphony Services International :Formerly Symphony Services Australia Limited , Symphony Services International has been orchestrating excellence for many years....
Young Performers Awards. The scholarship provides the winner with concert engagements with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
and Musica Viva Australia
Musica Viva Australia
Musica Viva Australia is the oldest independent performing arts organisation in Australia and the world's largest entrepreneur of chamber music. It was formed in 1945 in Sydney by violist Richard Goldner...
, and a cash prize to enable overseas study.