John Aquilina

{{Short description|Australian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = John Aquilina | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|AM}} | image = | caption = | order = 28th | office = Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly | premier = Bob Carr Morris Iemma | term_start = 29 April 2003 | term_end = 7 May 2007 | predecessor = John Murray | successor = Richard Torbay | office1 = Minister for Fair Trading and Minister for Land and Water Conservation | term_start1 = 21 November 2001 | term_end1 = 2 April 2003 | predecessor1 = John Watkins (Fair Trading) Richard Amery (Land and Water Conservation) | successor1 = Reba Meagher (Fair Trading) Craig Knowles (Natural Resources) | office2 = Minister for Education and Training | term_start2 = 4 April 1995 | term_end2 = 21 November 2001 | predecessor2 = Virginia Chadwick (Education, Training and Youth Affairs) | successor2 = John Watkins | office3 = Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth Affairs | term_start3 = 4 April 1995 | term_end3 = 8 April 1999 | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | order4 = Minister for Youth and Community Services and Assistant Minister for Ethnic Affairs | term_start4 = 4 July 1986 | term_end4 = 21 March 1988 | predecessor4 = Peter Anderson | successor4 = Virginia Chadwick (Family and Community Services) Terry Metherell (Education and Youth Affairs) | order5 = Minister for Natural Resources | term_start5 = 6 February 1986 | term_end5 = 4 July 1986 | predecessor5 = Janice Crosio | successor5 = Janice Crosio (Water Resources) Jack Hallam (Forests) | constituency_AM6 = Member for Riverstone | assembly6 = New South Wales Legislative | term_start6 = 25 May 1991 | term_end6 = 26 March 2011 | predecessor6 = Richard Amery | successor6 = Kevin Conolly | constituency_AM7 = Member for Blacktown | assembly7 = New South Wales Legislative | term_start7 = 19 September 1981 | term_end7 = 3 May 1991 | predecessor7 = Gordon Barnier | successor7 = Pam Allan | birth_name = John Joseph Aquilina | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1950|3|12}} | birth_place = Malta | death_date = | death_place = | party = Labor Party | spouse = Anne (dec'd); Ann (m 13 May 2006) | children = Three; Bede and Jeremy (m); Bridget (f) }}

'''John Joseph Aquilina''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} (born 12 March 1950, in Malta), an Australian former politician, is a former member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Blacktown between 1981 and 1991 and the electorate of Riverstone between 1991 and 2011 for the Labor Party.

Between 1986 and 1988 and again between 1995 and 2003, he served in a range of ministerial portfolios including Minister for Natural Resources and Minister for Youth and Community Services in the Wran and Unsworth Labor governments and Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Fair Trading, and Minister for Land and Water Conservation in the Carr Labor government.

From 2003 to 2007, he was Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly, and was Leader of the House from 2007 until his retirement in 2011.

In 2011, Aquilina re-acquired citizenship of Malta<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Australian House Leader given Maltese citizenship |url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/9916/former-australian-house-leader-given-maltese-citizenship |access-date=2026-04-12 |website=MaltaToday.com.mt |language=en}}</ref> and served as Malta's Ambassador for various countries post his retirement from Australian politics.

==Early years and background== In 1956, aged 6 years, Aquilina migrated from Malta to Australia with his parents and younger brother.<ref name="BAresign">{{cite news |title=Election shock: John Aquilina says farewell to Riverstone |work=Blacktown Advocate |location=Australia |date=25 October 2010 |access-date=2010-10-25 |url=http://blacktown-advocate.whereilive.com.au/news/story/election-shock-john-aquilina-says-farewell-to-riverstone/ }}</ref> Studying at the University of Sydney, Aquilina completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education in 1971 and was a member of the University of Sydney Regiment between 1968 and 1970, although did not see active duty. He commenced teaching at Oaklands Central School as a high school teacher, before returning to Sydney. Whilst at university in 1970, Aquilina joined the Blacktown Branch of the Australian Labor Party.<ref name="BAresign"/><ref name="NSWPL">{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=2143 |name=The Hon. John Joseph Aquilina (1950- ) |former=Yes |access-date=27 April 2019}}</ref> In 1974, he became an Australian citizen.<ref name="maiden">{{cite web |author=Aquilina, John |title=Maiden Speech |work=Hansard |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |date=4 November 1981 |access-date=2010-10-25 |url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/LA19811104/$file/471LA004.PDF |archive-date=23 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023161316/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/LA19811104/$file/471LA004.PDF |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1977, Aquilina was elected as an alderman to Blacktown City Council representing the Labor Party up until 1983; and went on to become Mayor of the Council between 1977 and 1981. In 1979, he was appointed a member of the Ethnic Affairs Commission of New South Wales (now the Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural New South Wales)<ref>[https://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/search/display?dbid=auth&id=36587058 ''New South Wales. Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural New South Wales'']. Record ID: 36587058 (Libraries Australia Authorities). National Library of Australia</ref> and at various times has held positions with the State Records Authority (2003–2006); Sydney Grammar School Board of Trustees; appointed a Fellow of the Senate of the University of Sydney; an Honorary Associate of the University of Sydney Graduate School of Government; a member of the advisory board of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music; a Life Member of the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children and a member of Blacktown City Lions Club.<ref name="NSWPL"/>

Aquilina married Anne Michelle Sutcliffe in 1977, and together they had two sons and one daughter. Following the death of Anne Sutcliffe in 2003, he remarried Ann Elizabeth Moran in 2006.<ref name="BAresign"/>

==New South Wales political career== Elected as Member for Blacktown in 1981, Aquilina held a number of junior portfolios including chair of various committees before being appointed Minister for Natural Resources in the Wran government in 1986. In that same year, following the retirement of Wran and Unsworth becoming Premier, Aquilina was appointed Minister for Youth and Community Services and Assistant Minister for Ethnic Affairs. He held these portfolios up until the 1988 state election when Labor lost government to the Greiner-Murray Liberal-National coalition.<ref name="NSWPL"/>

In opposition, Aquilina held the shadow portfolios of Education and Training, Youth and Ethnic Affairs.

In 1990, following an electoral redistribution, a new electorate of Mount Druitt was created. Richard Amery moved to contest this new safe Labor seat. Aquilina decided to contest Amery's old seat of Riverstone; and Pam Allan contest Aquilina's old seat of Blacktown. Aquilina was successful at the 1991 state election and has subsequently defended the seat at the 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007 elections.

Following the election of the Carr Labor government in 1995, Aquilina was appointed Minister for Education and Training (a position he held for over six years) and also Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth Affairs (over four years). In 2001, he was appointed Minister for Land and Water Conservation and Minister for Fair Trading. Aquilina held both these position until the retirement of John Murray, when he assumed the position of Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 2003.

After the 2007 state election, there was considerable political pressure for the appointment of an independent Speaker. Aquilina stood aside in favour of independent Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iemma's surprise: an independent Speaker | work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 March 2007 |access-date=2010-10-25 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/iemmas-surprise-an-independent-speaker/2007/03/28/1174761571370.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 }}</ref>

In 2007, he became Leader of the House. On 25 October 2010, Aquilina announced that he would not be contesting the next state election.<ref name="BAresign"/><ref>{{cite news |author=Nicholls, Sean |title=John Aquilina to stand down in March |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 October 2010 |access-date=2010-10-25 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/john-aquilina-to-stand-down-in-march-20101025-1708p.html?autostart=1}}</ref>

=== Position on LGBT Rights ===

In 1982 John Aquilina wrote in the ''Daily Mirror'' that it was his electorate's and his personal view that homosexuality should not be decriminalised in New South Wales and he would vote against it in any case, contrary to the position of his party. Gay rights activists Garry Wotherspoon and Fabian LoSchiavo confronted him with a petition with 132 against his stance, which was shown on ABC's ''Four Corners'' programme.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfIqQ8eGntM ABC TV 'Four Corners' (1982) "Sydney, Golden City of the Gays"]. Uploaded 10 November 2011. YouTube</ref><ref>Tatham, Harriet. (22 October 2021). [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-22/bondi-rise-memorial-honours-gay-hate-crime-victims-70s-to-90s/100559240 ''Bondi Rise memorial honours victims of Sydney gay hate crimes during 1970s to 1990s'']. ‘’ABC News (Australia)’’.</ref> Nevertheless, on May 22, 1984, Aquilina voted along party lines for the Neville Wran private member's bill that decriminalised same-sex relationships.<ref>[https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/hp/housepaper/28262/10-VAP-Corrected.pdf ''VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY - FIRST SESSION OF THE FORTY-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT'']. Section 113: Votes. 22 May 1984. NSW Parliament.</ref> Two years after the 1995 New South Wales state election, as Minister for Education, Aquilina abruptly shelved implementation of LGBT+ school reforms that had been initiated by his Liberal Party predecessor, Virginia Chadwick, despite their having been developed in consultation with the New South Wales Department of Education, the Board of Studies, the New South Wales Parents and Citizens Association, the New South Wales Police Force gay liaison service, the New South Wales Anti-discrimination Board and the Gay and Lesbian Teachers and Students Association.<ref>Passey, David (16 May 1997). 'Aquilina forbids school trial of pro-gay program'. Page 6. ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (Australia)</ref> In 2003 however, while Speaker of the House, Aquilina voted in favour of equalising the Age of Consent, regardless of gender or sexual orientation<ref>[https://api.parliament.nsw.gov.au/api/hansard/search/daily/pdf/HANSARD-1323879322-61615 CRIMES AMENDMENT (SEXUAL OFFENCES) BILL]. Hansard - 21 May 2003. NSW Parliament</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Gay age of consent bill passed|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-05-27/gay-age-of-consent-bill-passed/1860576|access-date=12 November 2023|newspaper=ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|date=27 May 2003|archive-date=5 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105223919/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-05-27/gay-age-of-consent-bill-passed/1860576|url-status=live}}</ref> and in 2010 he voted in favour of the Relationships Register Bill, also along party lines.<ref>[https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1323879322-77065/link/38 RELATIONSHIPS REGISTER BILL 2010 - Agreement in Principle]. 23 April 2010. NSW Parliament.</ref>

===Controversy=== In March 2010, it was reported that Aquilina's 25–year old son, Jeremy, was charged with five counts of sexual assault and one count of indecency on a 22–year old woman in a park in St Clair in western Sydney.<ref>{{cite news |author=Hall, Louise |title=Aquilina's son charged with sexual assault |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=11 March 2010 |access-date=2011-07-08 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/aquilinas-son-charged-with-sexual-assault-20100311-q0cz.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/29/2858748.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100401082758/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/29/2858748.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 April 2010 |title=MP's son assaulted woman in park, court hears |date=29 March 2010 |access-date=2011-07-08 |work=ABC News |location=Australia }}</ref>

On 10 April 2001 John Aquilina raised the issue in parliament of a foiled plot by a high school student to replicate the Columbine High School Massacre. He alleged that the student's diary contained plans to kill fellow students and teachers. His staff embellished the story, telling reporters the student had access to a gun. On this, the Police Commissioner contradicted Aquilina's version of events, and the boy's family subsequently threatened to sue the Government.<ref>{{cite news |author=Peacock, Matt |title=John Aquilina under the gun |work=AM |location=Australia |format=transcript |date=20 April 2001 |access-date=2010-10-25 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s280105.htm}}</ref>

Aquilina was later the subject of an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation that explored possible false statements to the media and political interference in police procedures.<ref>{{cite web |title=Report on an investigation into matters arising from a Ministerial Statement to the Legislative Assembly on 10 April 2001 |publisher=Independent Commission Against Corruption |date=20 April 2001 |access-date=2010-10-25 |url=http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/documents/doc_download/3392-report-on-an-investigation-into-matters-arising-from-a-ministerial-statement-to-the-legislative-assembly-on-10-april-2001-10-aug-2001 |archive-date=14 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110314232650/http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/documents/doc_download/3392-report-on-an-investigation-into-matters-arising-from-a-ministerial-statement-to-the-legislative-assembly-on-10-april-2001-10-aug-2001 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The investigation concluded in August 2001 and found no evidence of corrupt conduct. However, Aquilina relinquished the Education and Training portfolio in late 2001 and was shifted to the Ministries of Land and Water Conservation, and Fair Trading.

===Railway overpass=== Riverstone is one of the few suburbs left in the Sydney region with a level crossing with old-fashioned boom gates. On 28 February 2008, Aquilina made a private members statement, reaffirming the Labor Party's commitment to build a railbridge overpass at the current level crossing at Garfield Road East, Riverstone. There has been much scepticism whether the bridge will be built, particularly from the conservative side of politics, as Aqulina concludes in his speech ''"... by stating emphatically once again that the Government will go ahead with the elimination of the level crossing and the construction of the overpass despite the claims by the Member for Hawkesbury"''<ref>{{cite web|author=Aquilina, John |title=Private Members Statements: Riverstone Railway Level Crossing |work=Hansard |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |date=28 February 2008 |access-date=2010-10-25 |url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20080228036 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110329081712/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20080228036 |archive-date=29 March 2011 }}</ref> As at {{date}}, the railway overpass is yet to be constructed with planning still under way.<ref>{{cite web|author=Minister for Transport and Roads |title=Riverstone Rail Overpass |work=Hansard |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |date=16 June 2010 |access-date=2010-12-04 |url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/la/qala.nsf/ad22cc96ba50555dca257051007aa5c8/b002dd104273f0dcca257721002edeae?OpenDocument |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023162359/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/la/qala.nsf/ad22cc96ba50555dca257051007aa5c8/b002dd104273f0dcca257721002edeae?OpenDocument |archive-date=23 October 2012 }}</ref>

== Diplomatic career ==

* November 2013 to December 2015, Malta's High Commissioner to India, Bangladesh and Ambassador to Nepal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=H.E. Hon John Aquilina UOM, AM, BA, DipEd, Hon DLitt |url=https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/h-e-hon-john-aquilina-uom-am-ba-diped-hon-dlitt/28/334/537 |access-date=27 October 2015 |website=LinkedIn}}{{dead link|date=April 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> * December 2015 to 2023, Malta's Ambassador to China.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Ambassador |url=https://foreignandeu.gov.mt/en/Embassies/ME_Beijing/Pages/The-Ambassador.aspx |access-date=2020-09-18 |website=foreignandeu.gov.mt |language=en}}</ref> * May 2022 to present, Malta's Ambassador to Brazil.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-11 |title=Malta opens embassy in Brazil |url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/malta-opens-embassy-in-brazil.954184 |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=Times of Malta |language=en-gb}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/LA19811104/$file/471LA004.PDF Maiden Speech in NSW Legisilative Assembly (p. 26)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023161316/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/LA19811104/$file/471LA004.PDF |date=23 October 2012 }}

{{s-start}} {{s-new|post}} {{s-ttl|title=Ambassador of Malta to Brazil|years=2022–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-new|post}} {{s-ttl|title=Ambassador of Malta to Chile|years=2024–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-bef|before=Clifford Borg-Marks}} {{s-ttl|title=Ambassador of Malta to China|years=2015–2022}} {{s-aft|after=John Busuttil}} {{s-par|au-nsw}} {{s-bef|before=Richard Face}} {{s-ttl|title=Father of the Parliament|years=2003–2011|alongside=Ian Armstrong (2003-2007)}} {{s-aft|after=Richard Amery}} {{s-civ}} {{s-bef | before= Peter Shinnick }} {{s-ttl | title= Mayor of Blacktown | years = 1977–1981 }} {{s-aft | after= James Lynch }} {{s-par|au-nsw-la}} {{s-bef|before=Richard Face}} {{s-ttl|title=Father of the Assembly|years=2003–2011|alongside=Ian Armstrong (2003-2007)}} {{s-aft|after=Richard Amery}} |- {{succession box | title=Member for Blacktown | before=Gordon Barnier | after=Pam Allan | years=1981–1991}} {{s-bef | before=Richard Amery }} {{s-ttl | title=Member for Riverstone | years=1991–2011}} {{s-aft | after=Kevin Conolly}} {{s-bef | before=John Murray }} {{s-ttl | title= Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly |years=2003–2007}} {{s-aft | after=Richard Torbay}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef |rows=2|before= Janice Crosio}} {{s-ttl |rows=2|title= Minister for Natural Resources| years = 1986 }} {{s-aft|after= Janice Crosio|as= Minister for Water Resources }} {{s-aft|after= Jack Hallam|as= Minister for Forests }} {{s-bef |rows=2|before= Peter Anderson }} {{s-ttl |rows=2|title= Minister for Youth and Community Services | years = 1986–1988 }} {{s-aft | after=Virginia Chadwick | as=Minister for Family and Community Services}} {{s-aft | after=Terry Metherell|as= Minister for Education and Youth Affairs}} {{s-bef |before= Virginia Chadwick|as= Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs}} {{s-ttl |title= Minister for Education and Training | years = 1995–2001 }} {{s-aft|after= John Watkins }} {{s-bef |before= Richard Amery}} {{s-ttl |title= Minister for Land and Water Conservation | years = 2001–2003 }} {{s-aft|after= Craig Knowles|as= Minister for Natural Resources }} {{s-bef |before= John Watkins}} {{s-ttl |title= Minister for Fair Trading | years = 2001–2003 }} {{s-aft|after= Reba Meagher }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aquilina, John}} Category:1950 births Category:20th-century Australian politicians Category:21st-century Australian politicians Category:Ambassadors of Malta to Brazil Category:Ambassadors of Malta to China Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales Category:High commissioners of Malta to India Category:Living people Category:Maltese emigrants to Australia Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:Ministers for better regulation and fair trading Category:Ministers for education (New South Wales) Category:Ministers for families and communities Category:Ministers for the environment (New South Wales) Category:Recipients of the National Order of Merit (Malta) Category:Schoolteachers from New South Wales Category:Speakers of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Category:Shire presidents and mayors of Blacktown Category:University of Sydney alumni