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Nick Lalich
MP
Nick Lalich MP
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly; for Cabramatta
	In office; 18 October 2008 – 25 March 2023
Preceded by	Reba Meagher
Succeeded by	Tri Vo
Majority	12.8%
Mayor of Fairfield
	In office; September 2002 – 21 March 2012
Preceded by	Anwar Khoshaba OAM
Succeeded by	Frank Carbone
Personal details
Born	Nickola Lalich; 1945 (age 79–80); El Shatt, Egypt
Political party	Labor Party

Nickola "Nick" Lalich (born 1945) is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since October 2008, representing the electorate of Cabramatta. He also served as mayor of Fairfield from 2004 until March 2012.

Early life and career

Lalich was born in Egypt to refugee parents who had fled the war in Yugoslavia. His family migrated to Australia when he was three, and spent time in resettlement camps at Uranquinty and Bonegilla. They eventually settled in the Bonnyrigg area, where Lalich's father worked for the Department of the Postmaster-General and ran a farm.^[1]

Lalich remained in the Bonnyrigg area, where he worked as an electrician for Prospect Electricity before his election to the City of Fairfield council as a Labor candidate in 1987.^[1]^[2] He was elected by his colleagues as mayor in 1993–1994, and was a candidate for preselection for the seat of Cabramatta in 1994, losing to Reba Meagher. Lalich remained on council, was again elected mayor by his colleagues in 2002, and ran and won as the first popularly elected mayor of Fairfield in 2004. He was easily re-elected as mayor in late 2008, only weeks before his election to parliament in October 2008.^[3]

Election to parliament

In September 2008, Reba Meagher, the embattled state Health Minister, resigned from politics after it became clear that she would likely be dumped from Cabinet in a forthcoming ministerial reshuffle.^[3] This resulted in a by-election for her seat, and Lalich, who had lost a preselection vote to her in 1994, was immediately touted as her replacement, duly winning preselection.^[4] He faced a strong challenge in the usually safe seat due to an unpopular government and a strong Liberal candidate in Australian Broadcasting Corporation journalist Dai Le, but withstood a 20-point swing against Labor to hold the seat for the party.^[3] Lalich was sworn in as a member of the Legislative Assembly on 18 October, and appointed to the Public Bodies Review Committee on 30 October.^[5] He also vowed to continue as Fairfield mayor in addition to his parliamentary responsibilities.^[6]

March 2011 election

Lalich was able to retain the seat of Cabramatta for the ALP at the March 2011 election against Dai Le, who failed previously at the 2008 by-election. Controversy arose when leaflets were distributed during the campaign, stating Le supported her Liberal colleague Chris Spence, the Liberal candidate for The Entrance and former leader of Pauline Hanson One Nation.^[7] Both sides campaigned heavily in the local area, with the Liberal Party taking an unprecedented interest in Cabramatta.^[8]

In early 2012, Lalich announced his intention to step down as Mayor of the City of Fairfield to focus his efforts on being MP for Cabramatta this decision was made owing to changes in NSW Government legislation preventing state parliamentarians serving on local councils. This allowed for Frank Carbone to become mayor of Fairfield City on 21 March 2012.^[9]

On 24 December 2022, Lalich announced that he will be retiring at the 2023 state election.^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b "Interviews: Nick Lalich". Fairfield Library Oral History Project. 2003. Archived from the original on 28 July 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
^ "Profile: Nick Lalich". Taipei City Healthy Cities Conference. 2005. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c "2008 NSW by-elections: Cabramatta". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
^ "Mayor to stand for Meagher's state MP seat". Fairfield Advance. 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
^ "Mr (Nick) Nickola LALICH, MP". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
^ "Lalich splits the jobs". Fairfield Advance. 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2008.
^ "Dirt flies amid petty politics". SMH.com.au. 23 March 2011.
^ "Le concedes but tells Lalich to keep promises". Fairfield Advance. Archived from the original on 10 April 2011.
^ Lee, Sally (6 March 2012). "Lalich is into his last fortnight as mayor". Fairfield City Champion. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
^ "Nick Lalich, MP for #Cabramatta, has announced he will be retiring at the next State election!". Twitter. Retrieved 28 December 2022.

Civic offices
Preceded by	Mayor of Fairfield 1993–1994	Succeeded by
Preceded by Anwar Khoshaba	Mayor of Fairfield 2002–2012	Succeeded by Frank Carbone
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Reba Meagher	Member for Cabramatta 2008–2023	Succeeded by Tri Vo