John Aquilina

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John Joseph Aquilina is an Australian politician and member of the Australian Labor Party, elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1981 as member for Blacktown. He has represented the seat of Riverstone since 1991. After the election of the Labor Party to government in 1995, he was a member of the front bench and held portfolios including Education and Training. After being shifted to the Ministries of Land and Water Conservation, and Fair Trading, he was appointed Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 2003, until 2007 when he was made Leader of the House. He is also of Maltese heritage.

[edit] Controversy

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 the sue the Government. ^[1] Aquilina was later the subject of an ICAC investigation that explored possible false statements to the media and political interference in police procedures.^[2] 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.