Mick Michael

{{Short description|Australian politician (1922–2016)}} {{for|the British philatelist|Mick Michael (philatelist)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Mick Michael | honorific_suffix = OAM | order = | office = Lord Mayor of Perth | term_start = 1982 | term_end = 1988 | predecessor = Fred Chaney, Sr. | successor = Chas Hopkins | birth_date = 19 September 1922 | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|5|6|1922|9|19|df=yes}} | birth_name = Michael Agapitos Michael | citizenship = Australian | branch = RAAF | service_years = 1942–1946 | rank = Corporal }}

'''Michael Agapitos Michael''' (22 September 1922{{snd}}6 May 2016) was an Australian local government politician. He was Lord Mayor of the City of Perth in the 1980s. He died aged 93 on 6 May 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-west-australian/20160706/281814283185694|title=|via=PressReader|access-date=2018-03-23}}</ref>

==Early life== He was born in Perth, Western Australia to Jack Michael and Ourania Zempilas, Greek immigrants.<ref name=West01/> His father was a World War I veteran, having served in the Australian Army before becoming a fruit barrow owner and later a grocery shop.<ref name="West01">{{Cite news|last=Cornish|first=Patrick|date=6 July 2016|title=Batsman for cultures|page=83|work=West Australian}}</ref> He attended Highgate Primary School and later Perth Boys' but left to work in the family business when he was fourteen.<ref name=West01/> One of his brothers is Ken Michael, ex-Governor of Western Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=inHerit - State Heritage Office|url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/279ddcc2-f0c6-4bdd-abad-2e3fe55278f3|access-date=2021-02-23|website=inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au}}</ref>

In 1940, Michael enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force, serving until 1946.<ref name="wwiiroll">{{cite web | url=http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?ServiceId=R&VeteranId=868891 | title=Michael, Michael | publisher=Commonwealth of Australia | work=World War Two Nominal Roll | accessdate=23 October 2012 | archive-date=3 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225905/http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?ServiceId=R&VeteranId=868891 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=MICHAEL Michael Agapitos (Mick) OAM|url=https://highgate-rsl.org.au/hall-of-honour/michael-michael-agapitos-17979/|access-date=2021-02-23|website=Highgate RSL|language=en-AU}}</ref> He was a member of 77 Squadron, and was posted to Darwin and saw the Japanese air-raids.<ref name=West01/> He was trained in the RAAF as an electrical fitter.<ref name=West01/>

==Business career== He owned M.A. Michael Pty Ltd, supplying electrical equipment to businesses in Western Australia and Victoria.<ref name=West01/>

==Political career== He became a councilor in 1967 with the Perth City council.<ref name=West01/> Michael became Lord Mayor of Perth between 1982 and 1988.<ref name="perth-greece">{{cite web | url=http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/sistercity/sc_greece2.html | title=Sister Cities: Megisti - Greece | publisher=City of Perth | accessdate=23 October 2012 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20090519075100/http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/sistercity/sc_greece2.html | archivedate=19 May 2009 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Marriage== He was married twice, first to Shirley Smith in 1946 but ended in divorce in 1951 but produced a son.<ref name=West01/> He remarried Adel Wallace in 1958 having a further three sons.<ref name=West01/>

==Honours== Michael was award the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1982 for services to local government.<ref name=honour1>{{cite web | url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/882576 | title=MICHAEL, Michael Agapitos - OAM | publisher=Australian Government | work=It's an Honour | accessdate=23 October 2012}}</ref><ref name=honour2>{{cite web | url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1118779 | title=MICHAEL, Michael Agapitos - Centenary Medal| publisher=Australian Government | work=It's an Honour | accessdate=23 October 2012}}</ref> Other honours included being made a Freeman of the City of London and the City of Perth.<ref name=West01/>

The Mick Michael Reserve, on the corner of Vincent and Charles Streets in West Perth is named after him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vincent.wa.gov.au/Your_Council/Parks_Facilities/Facilities_List/Mick_Michael_Reserve|title=Mick Michael Reserve|publisher=City of Vincent|accessdate=1 March 2014}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Michael, Mick}} Category:1922 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Australian people of Greek descent Category:Mayors and lord mayors of Perth, Western Australia Category:Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II