Tony Issa
Encyclopedia
Antoine "Tony" Issa OAM MP (born ca. 1955 in Lebanon
), an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing Granville
for the Liberal Party of Australia
since 2011
.
background. The Arabic-speaking Issa has extensive community involvement including:
Elected to Parramatta City Council in 1988, Issa served as an independent
Councillor
until 1998 and then as a Liberal Party Councillor from 1998 to the present. Issa was elected as Deputy Mayor from 2000 to 2001 and became the first Liberal Party Lord Mayor
in New South Wales, serving between 2008 and 2009.
seat of Granville in the Sydney's inner west district
. Running against the incumbent and high profile sitting member and Minister, David Borger
, Issa was elected with a swing of 13.1 per cent and won the seat with 52.7 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
), an Australian politician, is a member of 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...
representing Granville
Electoral district of Granville
Granville is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's West. It is currently represented by Tony Issa of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
for the Liberal Party of Australia
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...
since 2011
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
.
Early years and background
Issa migrated to Australia with his father in 1973, as one of seven children of Lebanese Maronite CatholicLebanese Maronite Order
The Lebanese Maronite Order , is a monastic order among the Levantine Catholic Maronite Church, which from the beginning has been specifically a monastic Church...
background. The Arabic-speaking Issa has extensive community involvement including:
- President, Bkerkacha Charitable Association (1989)
- Treasurer, Granville Multicultural Centre (1984–1987)
- President, Granville Multicultural Centre (1987–1991)
- Board Member, Australian Lebanese Welfare Group (2004–2008)
- School Repersentative, Catholic Diocesan Parramatta Regional Council (ca. 1992)
- Member, Bicentenary Committee (1988)
- Member, Western Sydney Assistant Services Ranking Committee
- Board Member, Western Sydney Regional Organisation of CouncilsWestern Sydney Regional Organisation of CouncilsWestern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils is one of the oldest Regional Organisations of Councils or ROCs in NSW, Australia. It was formed in November 1973 to represent the councils of Western Sydney and to advocate for the people of the region...
(WSROC) - Chairman, Sister City Organisation
- Representative, Finance Complaint Services Board
- Committee Member, Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Sydney
Elected to Parramatta City Council in 1988, Issa served as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Councillor
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
until 1998 and then as a Liberal Party Councillor from 1998 to the present. Issa was elected as Deputy Mayor from 2000 to 2001 and became the first Liberal Party Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
in New South Wales, serving between 2008 and 2009.
State political career
In 2011, Issa contested the normally safe LaborAustralian 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 Granville in the Sydney's inner west district
Inner West (Sydney)
The Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia...
. Running against the incumbent and high profile sitting member and Minister, David Borger
David Borger
David Borger is an Australian politician. He represented the Electoral district of Granville for the Australian Labor Party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2007 until 2011...
, Issa was elected with a swing of 13.1 per cent and won the seat with 52.7 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis.