Kevin Richard Rozzoli

Kevin Richard Rozzoli AM (born 13 September 1939) is a former New South Wales politician, lawyer and watchmaker and jeweller. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1973 until 2003, representing the electorate of Hawkesbury and serving as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and Deputy Opposition Leader from 1981 to 1983 and as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1988 to 1995, during the Greiner and John Fahey governments.

Early years and career Born in Sydney on 13 September 1939, Rozzoli was the second son of Frank Rozzoli, a watchmaker and jeweller, and Kathleen Butt. The family moved to the Hawkesbury region in 1940, and his father purchased a jewellers at 161 Windsor Road, Richmond in 1946. After gaining his initial education at Richmond High School, Rozzoli gained his Watchmaking trade certificate in 1960 and worked in the family business, "Rozzoli’s Jewellers", from 1956 until 1972. After his father's death in 1975, his brother Ron Rozzoli (b. 1936) took over the business, which he operated until his retirement in 1995. Speaking to the Hawkesbury Gazette in 2003, Rozzoli said he believed himself descended from "an old aristocratic Italian family" through Fariola, and was reported to be writing a book about his ancestor. Rozzoli soon became involved in the local branches of the Liberal Party of Australia, serving as Secretary of the Richmond Branch from 1972 to 1973 and as Secretary of the Hawkesbury State Electoral Council from 1972 to 1973. The seat had gradually become more marginal over the years and Rozzoli went on to narrowly defeat the Labor candidate Peter Dunn by a two-party-preferred margin of 52 to 47 percent. However, he picked up a large swing in the state election a year later, and would be re-elected a further eight times in this seat. He was only seriously threatened once, in the 1978 "Wranslide," but even then won 55 percent on the first count, enough to retain the seat outright.

Serving as a shadow minister while the Liberal Party was in opposition during the 1980s, Rozzoli was elected deputy leader of the party and Deputy Opposition Leader in 1981, serving under leader John Dowd. However, with the departure of Dowd from the leadership on 15 March 1983 Rozzoli was defeated in his position of Deputy Leader by Rosemary Foot 7 votes to 6. While serving as an MP, Rozzoli undertook law studies through the Barristers Admission Board, being awarded a Diploma of Law in 1985 and was called to the bar in New South Wales in July 1985. The independent member for South Coast, John Hatton, was also glowing in his admiration: "I have been in this House for 18 years and I have seen Speakers come and go. Mr Rozzoli is the fairest and most impartial Speaker I have seen in this House."

In 1999, the University of Western Sydney awarded him with a Doctorate of Letters (D.Litt.) recognising his services to the university. On 1 January 2001, Rozzoli, as a serving Member of Parliament, was awarded the Centenary Medal. His brother Ron was also awarded the medal for his service to the Richmond School of Arts. Rozzoli attempted to recontest his seat for a tenth time at the 2003 election, but amidst a period of intra-party factional conflict, was defeated for Liberal preselection by former Hornsby mayor Steven Pringle. The animosity created by defeating Rozzoli after thirty years was later touted as a factor in Pringle's own loss of preselection to Ray Williams after only one term; at the time, Rozzoli stated "what comes around, goes around".

Later life After leaving politics, Rozzoli served as national president of the Australasian Study of Parliament Group and as the Chair of the National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales. Rozzoli also serves as a Director of the NSW Law & Justice Foundation, a Director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and as an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Government at the University of Sydney. In 2005, the City of Hawkesbury decided to honour Rozzoli and his brother Ron by naming a new function room within the 'Deerubbin Centre' incorporating the Hawkesbury City Library, Museum and Art Gallery as the "Rozzoli Room". In the 2008 Australia Day Honours Rozzoli was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM): "For service to the New South Wales Parliament, and to the community of the Greater Western Sydney area through a range of environmental protection, health and welfare, and educational organisations."

In July 2015, following the significant public criticism of the conduct of the Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop, including her decision to include the cost of helicopter flights to attend a part fundraiser within her parliamentary entitlements, Rozzoli was interviewed for his views as a former speaker. In addition to criticising the decision over the flights, Rozzoli noted that Bishop had failed to grasp "the true essence" of her role as Speaker: "She is seen as a politically-biased speaker, which is what I don’t like about it. Before I went into the Speaker’s job, I made a very careful study of the role. I read everything I could possibly find. I tried to immerse myself in the subject so that what I absorbed was its ethos. I don’t think Bronwyn’s done that and I don’t think she understands the first thing about it."