Ian William West (born 3 August 1951) is an Australian politician and former Labor Party member of the

New South Wales Legislative Council The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...

, serving from 2000 until his retirement in 2011. Ian West was born on 3 August 1951 to parents Bill and Rita, one of three siblings. Raised in the Western Suburbs of Sydney, he attended Bass High School. Ian West attended University of Technology Sydney to study law. He obtained a distinction in Advanced Industrial Law, but ultimately did not complete his degree. He joined the Chester Hill branch of the Labor Party in 1968. He became an organizer for the NSW

Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union The Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union (F.M.W.U.), commonly known as the 'Missos', was an Australian trade union which existed between 1915 and 1992. It represented an extremely diverse and disparate range of occupations, but its core support ...

in 1976. He was elected NSW Assistant Secretary of the

Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union United Voice was a large Australian trade union, with over 130,000 members. United Voice members worked in a wide range of occupations including hospitality, childcare, teachers' aides, aged care, property services (cleaning, security, maintenan ...

in 1981 and held that role until 2000. In 1991 he became a member of the New South Wales Administrative Committee, and remained a member until 2001. Ian West was touted for nomination to the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1998 when he faced a party pre-selection battle for the vacancy caused by the departure of

Ann Symonds Elizabeth Ann Symonds (; ''née'' Burley; 12 July 1939 – 15 November 2018) was an Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1982 to 1998. Biography Born in Murwillumbah, Ann Burley trained ...

. Ian West was not successful at that pre-selection. Ian West did later enter the New South Wales Parliament following his nomination to the casual vacancy in the Legislative Council caused by the resignation of

Andy Manson Andrew Bruce Manson (23 March 1936 – 22 December 2009) is a former Australian politician and orator. Born in Scotland, he was on national service for three months before two years in the Reserves. A carpenter, he was active in the trade u ...

. West was sworn into Parliament in a joint sitting on 1 November 2000.Two new MPs sworn into parliament. Jane Wardell. Telegraph. 1 November 2000 He first faced election in the 2003 New South Wales general election, where he was pre-selected as number fourth on the Labor Party ticket. He was elected with the eighth highest quota. In Parliament Ian West was the Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Issues and is also a general member of the Stay Safe Committee and General Purpose Standing Committee 3. He was Deputy Government Whip from 28 March 2003 to 2 March 2007. He was a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety between 5 May 2003 and 2 March 2007, and also the Standing Committee on Social Issues from 21 May 2003 to 2 March 2007. He was the Legislative Council Representative on the

Macquarie University Macquarie University ( ) is a public research university based in Sydney, Australia, in the suburb of Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of S ...

Council from 7 May 2003 to 31 December 2005.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Ian Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council Living people 1951 births Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales 21st-century Australian politicians