Carlo Lazzarini
Encyclopedia
Carlo Camillo Lazzarini also known as Charlie Lazzarini, was an Australia
n politician affiliated with the Australian Labor Party
. He was elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, where he served for 35 years.
The son of Italian
immigrant Piedro (Peter) Lazzarini and his wife Hannah (Annie) Stubbs, Lazzarini was born at Wombat
, near Young
in New South Wales
. He was educated at the Young convent school and Young Superior Public School, before becoming a tailor's apprentice.
Lazzarini became active in the union movement and the Labor Party, joining the Young Labor League in 1899. He became secretary and president of the league and was campaign secretary for Chris Watson
in the 1898 New South Wales election and the first federal election in 1901. He was also strongly involved in the predominantly Irish
Catholic community, acting as district secretary of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society and attending the founding meeting of the Irish National Association.
After moving to Sydney
, Lazzarini was secretary and president of the Federated Clothing Trades' Union from 1912-17. A member of the moderates faction, he was strongly against conscription
in the First World War, and in 1916 became a founding member of the Industrial Vigilance Committee, which was responsible later that year for the expulsion from the Labor Party of conscription advocates such as prime minister Billy Hughes
and premier William Holman
. On this committee until 1919, he was also a member of the party central executive in 1916 and 1917, and was vice-president of the No Imperial Federation League in 1917.
At the 1917 state election, Lazzarini was elected as member for Marrickville
, defeating Thomas Crawford
, who had left the Labor Party. He was the first member of the New South Wales parliament
with an Italian name, and two years later his brother Hubert Lazzarini
became the first member of the federal parliament
with an Italian name when he won the seat of Werriwa
. In the same year, on 26 April 1919, Carlo married Myra Hurley at St Brigid's church in Marrickville
. They would have one son.
In 1920, the Legislative Assembly was elected from multi-member districts, and Lazzarini was elected as one of the members for Western Suburbs
. He was Labor Party whip in 1920-21, and minister for state industrial enterprises in 1921-22. From 1922 until 1925 he was a member of the Catholic-reformist group and opposed union extremists in favour of majority parliamentary opinion. In 1923, he also served as vice president of the Australian Industrial Christian Fellowship Council.
Appointed to Jack Lang
's first cabinet
as chief secretary in 1925, Lazzarini was one of the Labor parliamentarians who clashed with Lang over proposed regulations in 1926. He was subsequently dropped from the cabinet in May 1927, after also serving two months as acting secretary for mines. The Lang government lost power at the 1927 election, however Lazzarini was re-elected by the reinstated seat of Marrickville. Labor regained government in 1930, only to lose it after controversies of 1932, culminating in the governor withdrawing Lang's commission. Lazzarini maintained his opposition to Lang and his dictatorial style, one of the few in the New South Wales caucus
to openly do so. As a result, he and others were expelled from the party in August 1936, only to be readmitted to the federal unity conference in 1937.
Lazzarini joined the Industrial Labor Party
in 1938, and continued to apply pressure to Lang, who was finally ousted in August 1939. Lazzarini served as an assistant minister in the next Labor government from 1941 until 1944. He was still member for Marrickville, in his 13th term as a member of parliament, when he died of heart disease in Lewisham
in 1952.
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 affiliated with the Australian Labor Party
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...
. He was elected as 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...
, where he served for 35 years.
The son of Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
immigrant Piedro (Peter) Lazzarini and his wife Hannah (Annie) Stubbs, Lazzarini was born at Wombat
Wombat, New South Wales
Wombat is a small township in New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the Olympic Highway, 15 km South-west of Young. It is in the local government area of Harden Shire and in the Federal Government electoral area of Hume...
, near Young
Young, New South Wales
-Demographics:On census night, 7 August 2001, there were 6,821 people counted in Young. There were 238 people who identified as being of Indigenous origin in the 2001 Census...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He was educated at the Young convent school and Young Superior Public School, before becoming a tailor's apprentice.
Lazzarini became active in the union movement and the Labor Party, joining the Young Labor League in 1899. He became secretary and president of the league and was campaign secretary for Chris Watson
Chris Watson
John Christian Watson , commonly known as Chris Watson, Australian politician, was the third Prime Minister of Australia...
in the 1898 New South Wales election and the first federal election in 1901. He was also strongly involved in the predominantly 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...
Catholic community, acting as district secretary of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society and attending the founding meeting of the Irish National Association.
After moving to 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...
, Lazzarini was secretary and president of the Federated Clothing Trades' Union from 1912-17. A member of the moderates faction, he was strongly against conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
in the First World War, and in 1916 became a founding member of the Industrial Vigilance Committee, which was responsible later that year for the expulsion from the Labor Party of conscription advocates such as prime minister Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
and premier William Holman
William Holman
William Arthur Holman was an Australian Labor Party Premier of New South Wales, Australia, who split with the party on the conscription issue in 1916 during World War I, and immediately became Premier of a conservative Nationalist Party Government.-Early life:Holman was born in St Pancras, London,...
. On this committee until 1919, he was also a member of the party central executive in 1916 and 1917, and was vice-president of the No Imperial Federation League in 1917.
At the 1917 state election, Lazzarini was elected as member for Marrickville
Electoral district of Marrickville
Marrickville is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a 13.47 km² urban electorate in Sydney's inner west, centred on the suburb of Marrickville from which it takes its name...
, defeating Thomas Crawford
Thomas Simpson Crawford
Thomas Simpson Crawford QC, was an Australian politician and New South Wales Senior Crown Prosecutor.Born and raised in Bulli, New South Wales, the son of a miner, Crawford left school at age 14 to work first as a clerk in the New South Wales railways department and later as a telegraph operator...
, who had left the Labor Party. He was the first member of the New South Wales parliament
Parliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales, located in Parliament House on Macquarie Street, Sydney, is the main legislative body in the Australian state of New South Wales . It is a bicameral parliament elected by the people of the state in general elections. The parliament shares law making powers with...
with an Italian name, and two years later his brother Hubert Lazzarini
Hubert Lazzarini
Hubert Peter Lazzarini was an Australian politician, holding the division of Werriwa as the Australian Labor Party member for most years from 1919 until his death....
became the first member of the federal parliament
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
with an Italian name when he won the seat of Werriwa
Division of Werriwa
The Division of Werriwa is a Federal Electoral Division for the Australian House of Representatives.The name Werriwa derives from a local Aboriginal name for Lake George, which was located in the division when it was established in 1900. The division was one of the original 75 divisions first...
. In the same year, on 26 April 1919, Carlo married Myra Hurley at St Brigid's church in Marrickville
Marrickville, New South Wales
Marrickville, a suburb of Sydney's Inner West is located 7 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia and is the largest suburb in the Marrickville Council local government area...
. They would have one son.
In 1920, the Legislative Assembly was elected from multi-member districts, and Lazzarini was elected as one of the members for Western Suburbs
Electoral district of Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's inner western suburbs. It was created as a five-member electorate with the introduction of proportional representation in 1920, replacing Ashfield, Dulwich Hill, Leichhardt,...
. He was Labor Party whip in 1920-21, and minister for state industrial enterprises in 1921-22. From 1922 until 1925 he was a member of the Catholic-reformist group and opposed union extremists in favour of majority parliamentary opinion. In 1923, he also served as vice president of the Australian Industrial Christian Fellowship Council.
Appointed to Jack Lang
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
's first cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
as chief secretary in 1925, Lazzarini was one of the Labor parliamentarians who clashed with Lang over proposed regulations in 1926. He was subsequently dropped from the cabinet in May 1927, after also serving two months as acting secretary for mines. The Lang government lost power at the 1927 election, however Lazzarini was re-elected by the reinstated seat of Marrickville. Labor regained government in 1930, only to lose it after controversies of 1932, culminating in the governor withdrawing Lang's commission. Lazzarini maintained his opposition to Lang and his dictatorial style, one of the few in the New South Wales caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
to openly do so. As a result, he and others were expelled from the party in August 1936, only to be readmitted to the federal unity conference in 1937.
Lazzarini joined the Industrial Labor Party
Industrial Labor Party
The Industrial Labor Party or Heffron Labor Party was a political party active in New South Wales, Australia, between 1938 and 1939. It was a splinter group of the Australian Labor Party and was formed by Bob Heffron after he and Carlo Lazzarini attempted to depose the party leader Jack Lang...
in 1938, and continued to apply pressure to Lang, who was finally ousted in August 1939. Lazzarini served as an assistant minister in the next Labor government from 1941 until 1944. He was still member for Marrickville, in his 13th term as a member of parliament, when he died of heart disease in Lewisham
Lewisham, New South Wales
Lewisham is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lewisham is located 8 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council. The postcode is 2049...
in 1952.