Karyn Paluzzano
Encyclopedia
Karyn Lesley Paluzzano is a former Australia
n politician
. She was an Australian Labor Party
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 2003 to 2010, representing the electorate of Penrith
.
and Lower Blue Mountains for all her life. She was educated at Glenbrook and Lapstone Primary Schools and Nepean High School
. Paluzzano was awarded a Master of Education by Nepean College of Advanced Education
(now the University of Western Sydney
, Bachelor of Education and Diploma of Teaching (Distinction), Associate Diploma in Medical Radiography.
Paluzzano is married to Robert Paluzzano and with him has three children.
, the University of Technology Sydney, and the University of Western Sydney
. Paluzzano has also worked as a Senior Education Officer Consultant for the NSW Department of School Education. In 1999, Paluzzano was elected to Penrith City Council as a Councillor in the South Ward and was re-elected as a Councillor in .
, Paluzzano won endorsement and then election for the seat of Penrith at the 2003 State election
, after being forced to preferences. Paluzzano was re-elected at the 2007 State election, again on preferences, with a slightly increased majority.
In 2008, Paluzzano was appointed Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Education and Training by Premier Nathan Rees
.
In December 2009, Timothy Horan, an Electorate Officer working for Paluzzano, alleged to the clerk of the Legislative Assembly that Paluzzano had illegally used public money to fund her re-election campaign. At first she denied the accusation at a preliminary Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) hearing on 16 April 2010. At a subsequent ICAC hearing on 5 May, Paluzzano admitted to falsely signing employee pay forms and using her electoral mail allowance for political purposes. The Commission, after completing its inquiry in July 2010, recommended that criminal changes be laid against Paluzzano and three former electorate staffers that engaged in corrupt conduct by falsifying pay forms. ICAC asked the Director of Public Prosecutions
to consider charging Paluzzano over a range of offences, including misconduct in public office, obtaining money for one of her staff members, obtaining a "valuable thing" for herself and misleading corruption investigators.
On 4 May 2010, Paluzzano stepped down as Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Training. She was subsequently suspended from the Labor Party and resigned from Parliament on 7 May 2010 one day after serving seven years as a Member of Parliament, making her eligible for a parliamentary pension. Her resignation triggered a by-election
for the seat of Penrith which was won by the Liberal
candidate Stuart Ayres
, with a swing of approximately 25% from the Labor Party on two-candidate preferred terms.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. She was an 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...
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...
from 2003 to 2010, representing the electorate of Penrith
Electoral district of Penrith
Penrith is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It has been represented by Stuart Ayres of the Liberal Party of Australia since the 2010 by-election...
.
Private life
Paluzzano has lived in PenrithPenrith, New South Wales
Penrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
and Lower Blue Mountains for all her life. She was educated at Glenbrook and Lapstone Primary Schools and Nepean High School
Nepean High School (Emu Plains)
Nepean High School, now named Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School, is a comprehensive public high school in Emu Plains, New South Wales, Australia, named after Sir Evan Nepean of Saltash, England....
. Paluzzano was awarded a Master of Education by Nepean College of Advanced Education
College of Advanced Education
The College of Advanced Education was a class of Australian tertiary education institution that existed from 1967 until the early 1990s. They ranked below universities, but above Colleges of Technical and Further Education which offer trade qualification...
(now the University of Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Bachelor of Education and Diploma of Teaching (Distinction), Associate Diploma in Medical Radiography.
Paluzzano is married to Robert Paluzzano and with him has three children.
Early career
Paluzzano was initially a radiographer and then became a teacher and university lecturer. During 1995 to 2002, Paluzzano was a visiting Lecturer at the Australian Catholic UniversityAustralian Catholic University
Australian Catholic University is a national public university. It has six campuses and offers programs in five faculties throughout Australia.-History:...
, the University of Technology Sydney, and the University of Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. Paluzzano has also worked as a Senior Education Officer Consultant for the NSW Department of School Education. In 1999, Paluzzano was elected to Penrith City Council as a Councillor in the South Ward and was re-elected as a Councillor in .
New South Wales state politics
Following the retirement of Faye Lo Po'Faye Lo Po'
Faye Lo Po is a former Australian politician, serving as member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Penrith between 1993 and 2003.-Political career:...
, Paluzzano won endorsement and then election for the seat of Penrith at the 2003 State election
New South Wales state election, 2003
Elections to the 53rd Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 22 March 2003. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
, after being forced to preferences. Paluzzano was re-elected at the 2007 State election, again on preferences, with a slightly increased majority.
In 2008, Paluzzano was appointed Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Education and Training by Premier Nathan Rees
Nathan Rees
Nathan Rees MP, , an Australian politician, was the 41st Premier of New South Wales and parliamentary leader of the New South Wales division of the Australian Labor Party from September 2008 to December 2009...
.
In December 2009, Timothy Horan, an Electorate Officer working for Paluzzano, alleged to the clerk of the Legislative Assembly that Paluzzano had illegally used public money to fund her re-election campaign. At first she denied the accusation at a preliminary Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) hearing on 16 April 2010. At a subsequent ICAC hearing on 5 May, Paluzzano admitted to falsely signing employee pay forms and using her electoral mail allowance for political purposes. The Commission, after completing its inquiry in July 2010, recommended that criminal changes be laid against Paluzzano and three former electorate staffers that engaged in corrupt conduct by falsifying pay forms. ICAC asked the Director of Public Prosecutions
Director of Public Prosecutions
The Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world...
to consider charging Paluzzano over a range of offences, including misconduct in public office, obtaining money for one of her staff members, obtaining a "valuable thing" for herself and misleading corruption investigators.
On 4 May 2010, Paluzzano stepped down as Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Training. She was subsequently suspended from the Labor Party and resigned from Parliament on 7 May 2010 one day after serving seven years as a Member of Parliament, making her eligible for a parliamentary pension. Her resignation triggered a by-election
Penrith state by-election, 2010
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Penrith on 19 June 2010. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of sitting member and Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Training Karyn Paluzzano, who had lied to an Independent Commission Against...
for the seat of Penrith which was won by the Liberal
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...
candidate Stuart Ayres
Stuart Ayres
Stuart Ayres MP is an Australian politician. He is a Liberal Party of Australia Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since 19 June 2010, representing the electorate of Penrith.-Private life:...
, with a swing of approximately 25% from the Labor Party on two-candidate preferred terms.