The Honourable
Amanda Fazio
President of the New South Wales Legislative Council
In office
24 November 2009 – 3 May 2011
Preceded byPeter Primrose
Succeeded byDon Harwin
Deputy President and Chair of Committees
In office
30 April 2003 – 24 November 2009
Preceded byTony Kelly
Succeeded byKayee Griffin
Member of Legislative Council of New South Wales
In office
30 August 2000 – 6 March 2015
Personal details
Born (1954-08-23) 23 August 1954 (age 69)
New South Wales
Political partyLabor 2000–2015

Amanda Ruth Fazio (born 23 August 1954) is an Australian politician; she was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council representing the Labor Party from 2000 to 2015. Fazio was President of the Legislative Council from 24 November 2009 to 3 May 2011, and was opposition whip in the Council from 3 May 2011 to 6 March 2015.[1]

Early years and background

Fazio was born to Vince and Ruth Fazio, and grew up in Cabramatta, Nowra and Taree. Educated at Taree Primary School and Cabramatta West Primary School, she later attended Cabramatta High School and then attended the MLC School at Burwood before becoming a Commonwealth public servant. Fazio joined the Australian Labor Party in February 1977 at the Enfield branch and worked for Australian federal politicians Leo McLeay and Stephen Martin.[1]

Political career

Fazio was preselected to fill the vacancy in the Legislative Council in July 2000 caused by the resignation of Jeff Shaw,[2] and was appointed a Member of the Council on 30 August 2000. She was re-elected at the 2007 state election from the seventh place on the Labor Party ticket.[3]

Between 2003 and 2009, Fazio served as Deputy President and Chair of Committees and on a number of Council committees before being elected as President of the Legislative Council on 24 November 2009.[1]

On 20 October 2010, Fazio was suspended from the Labor Party when she crossed the floor to vote with the NSW Greens on a bill dealing with the distribution of X-rated pornography.[4][5][6] Her suspension was lifted in late March 2011.

Fazio retired from the Legislative Council at the 2015 election.

References

  1. ^ a b c "The Hon Amanda Ruth Fazio (1954- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Fazio preselected as expected to fill upper house vacancy". AAP General News. 7 July 2000.
  3. ^ "2007 LC Party Group Endorsement Result" (PDF). 2007 Legislative Council Results. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 12 April 2007. p. 6. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  4. ^ "NSW Labor MP suspended for crossing floor". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  5. ^ Bennett, Adam (20 October 2010). "Fazio suspended over censorship vote". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. AAP. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Labor MP Amanda Fazio suspended from party over porn vote". The Australian. News Limited. AAP. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2011.

 

New South Wales Legislative Council Preceded byTony Kelly Deputy President and Chair of Committees 2003–2009 Succeeded byKayee Griffin Preceded byPeter Primrose President 2009–2011 Succeeded byDon Harwin
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