Paul Omodei
Encyclopedia
Paul Domenic Omodei Australian politician, was the leader of the Liberal Party
and Leader of the Opposition
in Western Australia
from 24 March 2006 until 17 January 2008.
Omodei was born in Manjimup
, a town in the South West of Western Australia
, and was of Italian ancestry. He attended St Joseph's School in Pemberton
and worked as a potato
farmer and horticulturalist in the area. In 1977, he became a councillor on the Manjimup Shire Council
, and from 1985 until 1989, he served as Shire President.
At the 1989 election
, he won the previously safe Labor
seat of Warren for the Liberal Party
in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
. In 1992, he became the Shadow Minister for Local Government. When the Court
government came to power at the 1993 election
, he became Minister for Local Government—a post he held for both of Court's terms of office—and Water Resources. In 1995, he moved from Water Resources to Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs. In 1996, he won the enlarged seat of Warren-Blackwood
. In 1997, he added the Disability Services portfolio and in 1999 Forest Products.
Following the defeat of the Court government at the 2001 election
, Omodei held various shadow cabinet posts, including Local Government, Emergency Services and Regional Development.
At the 2005 election
, where Labor achieved a decisive victory, Colin Barnett
resigned as leader of the party, and Matt Birney
was elected in Barnett's stead, with Omodei elected deputy leader. He was forced to resign in October 2005 after he was convicted of unlawfully shooting his son during a rabbit cull. His son's thumb was shot after the gun accidentally went off while being loaded. An appeal against the conviction was dismissed. News coverage during the latter part of Birney's time in office centred on an alleged breach of parliamentary disclosure rules and several gaffes. After a botched attempt to sack shadow attorney-general Sue Walker
, a leadership spill was declared on 24 March 2006, which Omodei narrowly won after deputy leader Troy Buswell
voted for him over Birney.
In mid-2007, with increasingly hostile coverage from the state newspaper of record, The West Australian
, and the Liberal Opposition's failure to make ground on any key issue against the Government despite a number of scandals, speculation emerged in the media that Omodei would be replaced as leader by his deputy, Troy Buswell
after the Federal election on 24 November 2007. In December, Newspoll recorded Omodei's preferred premier rating as 13% against premier Alan Carpenter
's 63%—ranking as one of the lowest ever figures for an Opposition leader in Australia.
Although preselected for the winnable second seat for the South West
Legislative Council
region, a State conference on 3 May 2008 lowered him to fourth place, and he subsequently announced his resignation from the Liberal Party. In his announcement, he stated that in his opinion, Buswell was "not a fit and proper person to lead the party". However, he did not make his resignation official until 19 June.
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
and Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)
The Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the Legislative Assembly...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
from 24 March 2006 until 17 January 2008.
Omodei was born in Manjimup
Manjimup, Western Australia
Manjimup is a town in Western Australia, south of the state capital, Perth. The town of Manjimup is a regional centre for the largest shire in the South West of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Manjimup had a population of 4,239.-History:...
, a town in the South West of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, and was of Italian ancestry. He attended St Joseph's School in Pemberton
Pemberton, Western Australia
Pemberton is a town located in the South West region of Western Australia, named after the early settler Pemberton Walcott. It is the home of the karri tree, the largest tree in Western Australia and the third largest hardwood tree in the world...
and worked as a potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
farmer and horticulturalist in the area. In 1977, he became a councillor on the Manjimup Shire Council
Shire of Manjimup
The Shire of Manjimup is a Local Government Area in the South West region of Western Australia, about south of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Manjimup. It has an estimated population of 10,159 .-History:The Shire area was first...
, and from 1985 until 1989, he served as Shire President.
At the 1989 election
Western Australian state election, 1989
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 4 February 1989 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, he won the previously safe 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...
seat of Warren for the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
. In 1992, he became the Shadow Minister for Local Government. When the Court
Richard Court
Richard Fairfax Court AC , was a Western Australian politician, representing the seat of Nedlands in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the Liberal Party of Australia from 1982 to 2001. He served as Premier of Western Australia from 1993 to 2001.Court was born into an old political...
government came to power at the 1993 election
Western Australian state election, 1993
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 6 February 1993 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, he became Minister for Local Government—a post he held for both of Court's terms of office—and Water Resources. In 1995, he moved from Water Resources to Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs. In 1996, he won the enlarged seat of Warren-Blackwood
Electoral district of Warren-Blackwood
Warren-Blackwood was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1950 to 2008.Known as Warren until 1996, the district was located in the south-west of the state and first contested at the 1950 state election...
. In 1997, he added the Disability Services portfolio and in 1999 Forest Products.
Following the defeat of the Court government at the 2001 election
Western Australian state election, 2001
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 10 February 2001 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, Omodei held various shadow cabinet posts, including Local Government, Emergency Services and Regional Development.
At the 2005 election
Western Australian state election, 2005
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 26 February 2005 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, where Labor achieved a decisive victory, Colin Barnett
Colin Barnett
Colin James Barnett , Australian politician, is the leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party, the 29th and current Premier of Western Australia since the 2008 election and served as the Treasurer of Western Australia in 2010. He was sworn into office by Governor Ken Michael on 23 September 2008...
resigned as leader of the party, and Matt Birney
Matt Birney
Matthew John Birney is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2008, serving as Leader of the Opposition from 2005 to 2006....
was elected in Barnett's stead, with Omodei elected deputy leader. He was forced to resign in October 2005 after he was convicted of unlawfully shooting his son during a rabbit cull. His son's thumb was shot after the gun accidentally went off while being loaded. An appeal against the conviction was dismissed. News coverage during the latter part of Birney's time in office centred on an alleged breach of parliamentary disclosure rules and several gaffes. After a botched attempt to sack shadow attorney-general Sue Walker
Sue Walker
Susan Elizabeth Walker is a British-born Australian politician. She had been a Liberal member and then turned to Independent member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from June 2001 to September 2008, representing the electorate of Nedlands.She resigned from the Liberal Party in...
, a leadership spill was declared on 24 March 2006, which Omodei narrowly won after deputy leader Troy Buswell
Troy Buswell
Troy Raymond Buswell is currently the Liberal member for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Vasse, and the Minister for Transport and Minister for Housing. He was Leader of the Opposition for several months in 2008, then served as Treasurer of Western Australia in the Barnett...
voted for him over Birney.
In mid-2007, with increasingly hostile coverage from the state newspaper of record, The West Australian
The West Australian
The West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
, and the Liberal Opposition's failure to make ground on any key issue against the Government despite a number of scandals, speculation emerged in the media that Omodei would be replaced as leader by his deputy, Troy Buswell
Troy Buswell
Troy Raymond Buswell is currently the Liberal member for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Vasse, and the Minister for Transport and Minister for Housing. He was Leader of the Opposition for several months in 2008, then served as Treasurer of Western Australia in the Barnett...
after the Federal election on 24 November 2007. In December, Newspoll recorded Omodei's preferred premier rating as 13% against premier Alan Carpenter
Alan Carpenter
Alan John Carpenter is a former Australian politician. He was the 28th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 2006 to 2008. He took office following the resignation of Dr Geoff Gallop...
's 63%—ranking as one of the lowest ever figures for an Opposition leader in Australia.
Although preselected for the winnable second seat for the South West
Electoral region of South West
The electoral region of South West is a multi-member electoral region of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the South West, Peel and part of the Great Southern regions of the state...
Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
region, a State conference on 3 May 2008 lowered him to fourth place, and he subsequently announced his resignation from the Liberal Party. In his announcement, he stated that in his opinion, Buswell was "not a fit and proper person to lead the party". However, he did not make his resignation official until 19 June.