Local Member of Parliament Tony Piccolo today celebrated thirty five continuous years in public office and service to the community.
Mr Piccolo, 56, was first elected to public office on 3 October 1981, when he was elected as the councillor for Evanston Ward, on the (then) District Council of Munno Para. At the time, Mr Piccolo, 21, was the youngest member to be elected to that Council, with the next youngest councillor 15 years his senior. Mr Piccolo recalls his early days in public office as challenging, as he faced a steep learning curve. Mr Piccolo said his thirst to learn is as strong today as it was thirty five years ago. “One thing I have learnt in public office is that communities and people change continuously so there is always something new to learn,’ said Mr Piccolo. Mr Piccolo has always seen holding public office as both a huge responsibility and privilege as it is an honour bestowed by the community.
“By electing you to represent them, people a trusting you to do the right thing by the community; to use your knowledge to make the area better for all. It’s not a responsibility I have accepted lightly and I hope I have not disappointed,” he said.
Mr Piccolo was re-elected to the Munno Para Council in 1983, and in 1985 with the changes to Council boundaries, stood for the position of alderman with the Town of Gawler. Mr Piccolo was successful in 1985, and was re-elected as an alderman in 1987, 1989 and 1991. Following the abolition of the position of alderman, Mr Piccolo ran for the position of councillor for his home area; he was elected as councillor for Reid Ward in 1993 and re-elected in 1995 and 1997. In 1989 Mr Piccolo was elected as Deputy Mayor of the Town, a position he held almost continuously until he was elected Mayor in 2000. Mr Piccolo was re-elected Mayor in 2003, a position he held until he was elected to State Parliament in March 2006. Mr Piccolo spent a total of 24 and half years in local government and in March this year celebrated his ten year anniversary in State Parliament. Mr Piccolo said that he was as enthusiastic about serving his local community today as he was when he first set foot in the chambers of the District Council of Munno Para thirty five years ago. “The only drawback of holding a public office is that you are always on duty and the demands on your time,” said Mr Piccolo.
“While changing longstanding policies is the biggest challenge, often the most satisfying work is resolving a small issue which is important to a person.”
Italian born, Mr Piccolo arrived in Australia in March 1963 with his parents Raffaele and Maria and older sister Antoinietta, settling in Kudla, where he still lives today. Mr Piccolo couldn’t speak a word of English when he started his schooling at Evanston PriMary but that didn’t hold him back. He undertook his secondary education at Gawler High. He later completed a degree in Economics at Adelaide University. While working at the Australian Taxation Office, Mr Piccolo completed a Master’s Degree in Education Management, majoring in Human Resources, part-time, which helped him gain the position of Business Manager at Trinity College in 2000. He remained in this role until 2006 when he entered State Parliament. Asked whether he had any regrets, Mr Piccolo said the “impact public office has had on my family has always been in my thoughts.”
“There are always things you could have done differently with the benefit of hindsight but I know deep down that I have always done my best with the knowledge and resources I had at the time,” said Mr Piccolo.
As a member of parliament Mr Piccolo has held a number of positions including, Deputy Speaker, and a Minister for three years in various portfolios.
“As an immigrant to this country, life has been challenging, but also very rewarding, and I have been very fortunate to be able to serve a wonderful community who have supported me throughout my public life.”