Ernie Quinn

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Ernest "Ernie" Quinn (3 June 1926 – 24 July 1992) was an Australian politician, elected as a Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the western Sydney seat of Wentworthville.

[edit] Early life

Quinn was born in Lithgow into a coal mining family and was one of six children. He spent his early working life as a telecommunications technician.

[edit] Parliamentary career

Quinn was elected as member for Wentworthville at the age of 36. He held the seat for 26 years and was elected nine consecutive times in the period from 1962 until his retirement in 1988.^[1] Initially a member of the NSW Right-wing faction of the Labor Party, Quinn defected to the Left in 1978.

Quinn's parliamentary career was distinguished by a stint as Labor's shadow spokesperson for labour and industry as well as involvement in parliamentary committees on electoral funding and liquor trading and his work on the parliamentary superannuation scheme. Much of his parliamentary work was focussed on the needs of his electorate, which at the time of his initial election was an unsewered semi-rural area without one single set of traffic lights. The development and implementation of better infrastructure in the working-class area was the prime focus of Quinn's career. Memorials within the electorate include a plaque commemorating his dedication of Ringrose Public School, and the public reserve named "Ernie Quinn Village Green".^[2]

Quinn died in the Sydney suburb of Kogarah.

[edit] References

Persondata
NAME	Quinn, Ernest Neville
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Quinn, Ernie
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH	3 June 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH	Lithgow, New South Wales
DATE OF DEATH	24 July 1992
PLACE OF DEATH	Kogarah, New South Wales