Robert Furolo

Robert Furolo
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Lakemba
In office 18 October 2008 – 6 March 2015
Preceded by	Morris Iemma
Succeeded by	Jihad Dib
Personal details
Born	Robert Anthony Furolo 27 July 1969 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Australian Labor Party

Robert Anthony Furolo (born 27 July 1969) is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2008 to 2015, representing the electorate of Lakemba.

Furolo was born in Sydney, and grew up in its outer western suburbs. He worked in the transport industry after leaving school, working as a McDonalds manager for a period, before returning to university to study economics and industrial relations. He was appointed as an advisor to his local MLA, member for Hurstville and future Premier Morris Iemma in 1994. He worked for Iemma for nine years, remaining on his staff after his appointment as a minister in 1999, before leaving to work as a public relations consultant in 2003.^[1][2]

Furolo was elected to the City of Canterbury council in 1999, and served a stint as its deputy mayor before standing for mayor in the 2004 election. He won that election, and was re-elected in 2008, recording one of the few swings to the Labor Party in an election where the party faced widespread losses across the state.^[3]

One week before his re-election as mayor, on 5 September 2008, Iemma resigned as Premier, resulting in widespread speculation that he would resign as the member for Lakemba. After delaying an announcement for two weeks, Iemma announced on 19 September that he would indeed retire; a move reportedly attributed to his efforts to see Furolo, his preferred choice, endorsed as his successor.^[4] Furolo subsequently won Labor preselection for what had been Labor's safest seat in the state, and easily won the seat, polling more than 58% of the primary vote, despite a 15-point swing against Labor.^[5] He was sworn in as a member of the Legislative Assembly on 18 October, and as a member of the Legislative Review Committee on 30 October.^[6]

In October 2010, Furolo borrowed a Lamborghini (reportedly valued at $400,000) from local businessmen, "the Kazzi brothers", for the purposes of a "joyride". Furolo slightly damaged the vehicle but was unhurt. No other vehicles were involved in the accident and no one was hurt.^[7]

References

1. "Mayor Robert Furolo". City of Canterbury. 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
2. "Furolo tipped to replace Iemma". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
3. "2008 New South Wales by-elections: Lakemba". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
4. "Bob, the builders friend, set for seat". Sydney Morning Herald. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
5. "2008 New South Wales by-elections: Lakemba". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
6. "Robert Anthony Furolo, MP". Parliament of New South Wales. 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2008.
7. Sydney Morning Herald: The MP, the Lamborghini, the tow truck and the gutter