Frank Ernest Sartor is an Australian Labor Party (ALP) politician currently serving as Member for Rockdale in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Sartor was Minister for Planning, Redfern Waterloo and the Arts in the Iemma Government. He was previously the longest-serving Lord Mayor of Sydney, having held the post for nearly 12 years from September 1991 to March 2003.
Early life
Frank Sartor was born in Yenda near Griffith, New South Wales. [1] His migrant parents named him Francesco Ernest Sartor, but he decided life would be easier if he called himself Frank. [2] He attended St Therese's (Catholic) Primary School, Yenda, followed by Griffith High School. [3] His mother died of melanoma when Sartor was 16.[4]
He attended the University of Sydney, residing at St John's College and graduating with a degree in chemical engineering, and a later qualification in accounting. From 1976-1983 he was employed as a chemical engineer and in management roles by Colgate-Palmolive and oil company Total Australia Ltd.[1]
Local government
Sartor served on the Council of the City of Sydney from 1984 to 2003, and was Lord Mayor of Sydney for almost 12 years, from September 1991 to March 2003.[5] During his time on the council he served as Vice-President of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Chairman of the Sydney Festival, Chairman of the Central Sydney Planning Committee, and Board Member of the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.
During his tenure as Lord Mayor, allegations in relation to sexual harassment were raised in the New South Wales Legislative Council by a Liberal Party politician, the Hon J. P. Hannaford.[6] Mr Hannaford subsequently failed to provide any evidence to support his allegations, and was in turn investigated by the NSW Parliament for abuse of Parliamentary privilege. [7]
State politics
In 2003 the NSW Labor Party installed Sartor as its candidate in the safe Labor seat of Rockdale, using a rule designed for affirmative action. Sartor was elected Member for Rockdale on 22 March 2003.[2][5] and was subsequently sworn in as Minister for Energy and Water Utilities, Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) and Minister for Science and Medical Research.
Anti-cancer reforms
As Assistant Health Minister, Sartor was responsible for the formation of the Cancer Institute NSW in 2003 and the introduction of smoking bans in NSW pubs and clubs in 2004, reforms he would later describe as among his proudest achievements.[8] He became known for his blunt and often crude language, but also his drive to improve cancer survival rates.[4] However his smoking bans drew vehement criticism from publicans who argued they would harm profitability, and from anti-cancer groups which said they did not go far enough.[9]
Water Utilities
As Minister for Water Utilities, Sartor introduced a number of sweeping changes to the water supply system, and championed water conservation, in Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. Sartor's changes in water and energy included: oversighting the introduction of an energy and water sustainability index for new homes; implementing a government energy and water savings fund to support innovative ideas to reduce water and energy consumption; encouraging the uptake of water conservation rebates, household devices and rainwater tanks; and requiring all local councils in the Sydney metropolitan area to develop water savings plans. Sartor also oversaw the development of water infrastructure projects - including large recycling projects in Sydney. He also released the Metropolitan Water Plan which first envisaged the potential for a desalination plant to supplement Sydney's water supplies.
Redfern Waterloo
In 2005 Premier Bob Carr appointed Sartor as the first Minister for Redfern Waterloo overseeing the Redfern Waterloo Authority and exercising planning powers over an area of inner western Sydney.[10] In this role he invoked the ire of the Redfern indigenous population with his rejection of a plan by the Aboriginal Housing Company to redevelop "The Block" and for suggesting on Koori Radio that the Company's chairman, Mick Mundine should "Get off your backside ... and bring your black arse in here to talk about it." Sartor later apologised for this remark.[11] The creation of the Redfern Waterloo portfolio was greeted with some cynicism given the long history of similar attepts to rejuvenate the area. Despite this, the Authority was able to deliver urban renewal projects for a number of derelict sites including the former Redfern Public School and a substantial redevelopment of the Australian technology Park to incorporate headquarters for the Sydney television station Channel Seven.
Minister for Planning
Upon the appointment of Morris Iemma as Premier in late 2005, Sartor relinquished the Energy and Water portfolios and was sworn in as Minister for Planning. His administration was marked by a series of planning reforms to reduce the concurrence and consultation processes required for major developments in NSW. In a column in the Sydney Morning Herald, journalist and former City of Sydney Councillor Elizabeth Farrelly was scathing of Sartor for his support for advertising billboards along NSW roadways, his approval of the Anvil Hill Coal Mine, and for his moves to reduce the planning powers of local government. [12]
Sartor was re-elected as Member for Rockdale at the 2007 State election with a slightly reduced majority,[13][14] and was sworn in as Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo and Minister for the Arts.
In 2008 the NSW Greens demanded a Royal Commission into alleged links between Sartor's planning approvals and Labor Party donations by major developers. [15] Sartor denied his planning decisions had been influenced by developer donations and threatened legal action against media outlets which repeated the claims.[16]
On 7th September 2008 Frank Sartor was defeated in a ballot for ministerial positions and returned to the backbench.[17]
References
- ^ a b "City of Sydney Archives". City of Sydney. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
- ^ a b "Sydney's Lord Mayor joins ALP". ABC News 'AM' program (2002-11-02). Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
- ^ "Italy Down Under - Profile: Frank Sartor". Italy Down Under magazine. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
- ^ a b "The end of pub smoking in Australia: a tribute to Frank Sartor". Centre for Policy Development (June 2004). Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ a b "The Hon. Frank Ernest Sartor, MP". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved on 2007-02-25.
- ^ New South Wales Legislative Council Hansard
- ^ Report of Parliamentary Ethics Committee, NSW Legislative Council
- ^ Smith, Alexandra (2008-09-08). "'There were a lot of tears. I told the Premier it's a mistake'", The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Ltd. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ Dempster, Quentin (2006-03-17). "Smoke Screen", Stateline, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ REDFERN-WATERLOO AUTHORITY BILL
- ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- ^ "Should Sartor have his cake? No, no and no". Sydney Morning Herald (2007-07-04). Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
- ^ "State Electoral District - Rockdale Results 2003". State Electoral Office of NSW (2003). Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ "2007 State Election Results: State Electoral District of Rockdale". State Electoral Office of NSW (2007). Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ Benns, Matthew (2008-04-06). "The developer donations the Greens say the minister must explain", The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Ltd. Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
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