Peter Tagliaferri
Encyclopedia
Peter Tagliaferri is an Australia
n politician. He is a former Mayor of the City of Fremantle
, a position he held for eight and a half years.
Osvaldo died of leukemia in 1983 when Tagliaferri was a 23-year-old, leaving him with the responsibility of family, mortgage and the family business (Interfoods, an icon on Fremantle’s Cappuccino Strip for more than 35 years).
Tagliaferri was born in East Fremantle
, and educated at Lady of Fatima in Palmyra
, St Brendan's in Beaconsfield
and in 1977 graduated from Christian Brothers College, Fremantle. His background is retailing, manufacturing and farming in York
.
He was first elected to council in 1983; representing the East Ward, at the time becoming the youngest person ever elected to local government in Western Australia. He was elected mayor in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 — the first Mayor to be re-elected since John Cattalini, who served from 1984-1994.
Tagliaferri’s principal platform in the 2001 mayoral election was reclaiming Fremantle for its residents, strong financial management and an open-door policy. He was elected in by 1000 votes and was successfully re-elected as Mayor in 2005, winning 62% of the 8711 votes.
He believes his biggest challenge upon becoming Mayor was taking a budget in deficit and turning it around so it now delivers a surplus each year. Tagliaferri’s focus for his second term has been on stability, integrity and credibility and providing leadership on numerous important issues that affect Fremantle.
In 2003, he was awarded the Centenary Medal
and in 2004 was awarded the Champion for the Year of the Built Environment. He received the Heart Foundation President’s Award in 2007 in recognition of work to ensure a smoke-free environment in Fremantle and is patron of The One World Project, as well as being a Mayor for Peace.
Prior to the 2007 federal election, Tagliaferri criticised the Labor Party's selection of Melissa Parke
to succeed outgoing member Carmen Lawrence
in the federal division of Fremantle
. Tagliaferri was unhappy with Parke's selection because she came from outside the district and threated to stand as an independent
against her. He subsequently declined to run, and Parke won the seat easily.
The long-running state member for Fremantle, Jim McGinty
, announced his retirement on April 3, 2009. Tagliaferri immediately emerged as the favourite to win Labor preselection in the Fremantle by-election
, and was unanimously preselected by the state administrative committee on April 7. He was defeated by Greens challenger Adele Carles
on May 16 - the first time a Labor candidate has lost in Fremantle since 1924. He chose not to run for Mayor again in the October 2009 elections, after two successful terms, and was succeeded by Brad Pettit.
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. He is a former Mayor of the City of Fremantle
City of Fremantle
The City of Fremantle is a Local Government Area in South Metropolitan Perth. The City covers an area of , and lies about southwest of the Perth central business district.-History:...
, a position he held for eight and a half years.
Background
His grandfather migrated to Australia in 1932 and, after working in the mines for seven years, Tagliaferri’s father Osvaldo also migrated. Peter Tagliaferri is the second oldest of four children after Maria, followed by younger siblings Lucy and Gino.Osvaldo died of leukemia in 1983 when Tagliaferri was a 23-year-old, leaving him with the responsibility of family, mortgage and the family business (Interfoods, an icon on Fremantle’s Cappuccino Strip for more than 35 years).
Tagliaferri was born in East Fremantle
East Fremantle, Western Australia
The Town of East Fremantle is a Local Government Area in the southern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located immediately northeast of the port city of Fremantle and about southwest of Perth's central business district...
, and educated at Lady of Fatima in Palmyra
Palmyra, Western Australia
Palmyra is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Melville.It was the home of Catherine Helen Spence, the first Australian woman to become a political candidate after standing for the Federal Convention in Adelaide....
, St Brendan's in Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield, Western Australia
Beaconsfield is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Fremantle. Named after a property known as ‘Beaconsfield’ located in the area in the1880s, the name was officially adopted from the post office on 1 August 1894....
and in 1977 graduated from Christian Brothers College, Fremantle. His background is retailing, manufacturing and farming in York
York, Western Australia
York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97 km east of Perth in the Avon Valley near Northam, and is the seat of the Shire of York...
.
Career
His first involvement with local government came that same year, in an effort to speak up for the concerns of southern suburbs residents, oppose a highway through Beaconsfield and address parking and retail issues.He was first elected to council in 1983; representing the East Ward, at the time becoming the youngest person ever elected to local government in Western Australia. He was elected mayor in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 — the first Mayor to be re-elected since John Cattalini, who served from 1984-1994.
Tagliaferri’s principal platform in the 2001 mayoral election was reclaiming Fremantle for its residents, strong financial management and an open-door policy. He was elected in by 1000 votes and was successfully re-elected as Mayor in 2005, winning 62% of the 8711 votes.
He believes his biggest challenge upon becoming Mayor was taking a budget in deficit and turning it around so it now delivers a surplus each year. Tagliaferri’s focus for his second term has been on stability, integrity and credibility and providing leadership on numerous important issues that affect Fremantle.
In 2003, he was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
and in 2004 was awarded the Champion for the Year of the Built Environment. He received the Heart Foundation President’s Award in 2007 in recognition of work to ensure a smoke-free environment in Fremantle and is patron of The One World Project, as well as being a Mayor for Peace.
Prior to the 2007 federal election, Tagliaferri criticised the Labor Party's selection of Melissa Parke
Melissa Parke
Melissa Parke is an Australian Labor parliamentarian representing the Division of Fremantle, Western Australia, in the Australian House of Representatives. She was elected to office in November 2007 and re-elected in August 2010...
to succeed outgoing member Carmen Lawrence
Carmen Lawrence
Carmen Mary Lawrence is a retired Australian politician; a former Premier of Western Australia and the first woman to become Premier of a State of the Commonwealth of Australia....
in the federal division of Fremantle
Division of Fremantle
The Division of Fremantle is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia.The division was created at Federation in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
. Tagliaferri was unhappy with Parke's selection because she came from outside the district and threated to stand 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...
against her. He subsequently declined to run, and Parke won the seat easily.
The long-running state member for Fremantle, Jim McGinty
Jim McGinty
James Andrew McGinty is an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1990 to 2009, representing the district of Fremantle. He was Labor Party leader and Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1996...
, announced his retirement on April 3, 2009. Tagliaferri immediately emerged as the favourite to win Labor preselection in the Fremantle by-election
Fremantle state by-election, 2009
A by-election was held in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly district of Fremantle on 16 May 2009. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member Jim McGinty.The Labor Party was defending a seat that they had held continuously since 1924...
, and was unanimously preselected by the state administrative committee on April 7. He was defeated by Greens challenger Adele Carles
Adele Carles
Adele Simone Carles is an Australian politician. She has been a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since May 2009, representing the electorate of Fremantle. Initially elected as a Greens WA member, she resigned from the party on 6 May 2010 to sit as an independent...
on May 16 - the first time a Labor candidate has lost in Fremantle since 1924. He chose not to run for Mayor again in the October 2009 elections, after two successful terms, and was succeeded by Brad Pettit.