Tony Issa


Antoine "Tony" Issa OAM, an Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Granville for the Liberal Party from 2011 till the 2015 when he lost the seat to Labor's Julia Finn.

Early years and background

Issa migrated to Australia with his father in 1973, as one of seven children of Lebanese Maronite Catholic background. The Arabic-speaking Issa has extensive community involvement including:
Elected to Parramatta City Council in 1988, Issa served as an independent councillor until 1998 and then as a Liberal Party Councillor from 1998 to the present.
Issa was elected as deputy mayor from 2000 to 2001 and became the first Liberal Party lord mayor in New South Wales, serving between 2008 and 2009.

State political career

In 1994, he contested unsuccessfully as an independent in the Parramatta by-election.
In 2011, Issa contested the normally safe Labor seat of Granville in the Sydney's inner west district. Running against the incumbent and high-profile sitting member and Minister, David Borger.
Issa was elected with a swing of 13.1 points and won the seat with 52.7 per cent of the two-party vote.

Honours

Issa was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1995 for service to local government and to the Lebanese community.
Tony was awarded the Order of Local Government for 20+ years service as a Councillor on Parramatta City Council