Born in Platì, Italy, as a child Zappia moved with his family to Pooraka, where he attended primary school and Enfield High School. From 1969 he worked for ANZ Bank. From 1976 to 1980, Zappia was employed as a research officer to Senator Jim Cavanagh. Zappia was Mayor of the City of Salisbury from 1997 to 2007 and a Councillor from 1977.[2][3][4][5][6]
Zappia has run three fitness centres. Zappia has also won ten National Championships in powerlifting.[7]
From Makin's creation ahead of the 1984 election, the seat was always marginal and held by the party of government, often typical of mortgage belt seats. However, Zappia defeated Liberal candidate Bob Day at the 2007 election with a 57.7 percent two-party vote from an 8.6-point two-party swing as Labor won government, the largest two-party vote and swing of any party in Makin's history at the time, and was also the first time a Makin candidate won a majority of the primary vote. At the 2010 election, Zappia technically made it a safe Labor seat with a 62.2 percent two-party vote, again becoming the largest of any party in Makin's history. Zappia held the seat at the 2013 election with a reduced 55.1 percent two-party vote even as Labor lost government, albeit still the largest two-party vote, aside from 2010 and 2007, of any party in Makin's history. No longer a bellwether for the first time, Zappia became the first opposition member in the seat's history.
