Ernest Charles O'Dea
Encyclopedia
Ernest Charles O'Dea was an Australian trade union official, Labor Party
politician, Lord Mayor of Sydney and Member of the New South Wales Parliament.
Born in Armidale
in 1889 and moving to Sydney with his family as a child, he entered the retail trade and moved rapidly through the trade union ranks whilst in his twenties. He served as a Sydney Municipal Council Alderman for two periods (1924–1927 and 1930–1965) and was elected Lord Mayor of Sydney in 1948 for four years. He served two twelve year terms in the New South Wales Legislative Council
between 1942 and 1967. He was also a member of Sydney County Council
between 1935 and 1959 and its Chairman from 1958 to 1959.
O'Dea was an advocate of compulsory unionism and equal pay, and was an opponent of Saturday retail trading and late-night shopping, all major issues in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a vehement anti-communist and fought against communist influence in trade unions and other industrial organisations.
O'Dea died in 1976 at St George Hospital
in Sydney, after suffering a cerebral aneurysm in 1966. He was survived by a son from his first marriage and a son and stepdaughter of his second marriage. He is remembered by O'Dea Avenue in Zetland
and O'Dea Park in Camperdown
.
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...
politician, Lord Mayor of Sydney and Member of the New South Wales Parliament.
Born in Armidale
Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...
in 1889 and moving to Sydney with his family as a child, he entered the retail trade and moved rapidly through the trade union ranks whilst in his twenties. He served as a Sydney Municipal Council Alderman for two periods (1924–1927 and 1930–1965) and was elected Lord Mayor of Sydney in 1948 for four years. He served two twelve year terms in 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...
between 1942 and 1967. He was also a member of Sydney County Council
Sydney County Council
The Sydney County Council was the authority responsible for electricity supplies in Sydney, Australia. The entity was created in 1936, and was elected and controlled by the municipal councils of Sydney. Between 1936 and 1952, it was responsible for electricity generation and distribution...
between 1935 and 1959 and its Chairman from 1958 to 1959.
O'Dea was an advocate of compulsory unionism and equal pay, and was an opponent of Saturday retail trading and late-night shopping, all major issues in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a vehement anti-communist and fought against communist influence in trade unions and other industrial organisations.
O'Dea died in 1976 at St George Hospital
St George Hospital, Sydney
The St George Hospital and Community Health Service is a tertiary referral hospital located in Kogarah, a southern suburb of Sydney, NSW, Australia...
in Sydney, after suffering a cerebral aneurysm in 1966. He was survived by a son from his first marriage and a son and stepdaughter of his second marriage. He is remembered by O'Dea Avenue in Zetland
Zetland, New South Wales
Zetland is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Zetland is located 4 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney....
and O'Dea Park in Camperdown
Camperdown, New South Wales
Camperdown is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Camperdown is located 4 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Inner West region...
.