Nick Lalich
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Nickola "Nick" Lalich (22 May 1945 – 26 March 2025) was an Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the
New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House ...
from October 2008 until 26 March 2023, representing the electorate of
Cabramatta Cabramatta, also abbreviated as Cabra, is a suburb in South Western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Cabramatta is located south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local gove ...
. He also served as mayor of Fairfield from 2004 until March 2012.


Early life and career

Lalich was born in the
Kingdom of Egypt The Kingdom of Egypt () was the legal form of the Egyptian state during the latter period of the Muhammad Ali dynasty's reign, from the United Kingdom's recognition of Egyptian independence in 1922 until the abolition of the monarchy of Eg ...
to refugee parents who had fled the war in
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
. His family migrated to Australia when he was three and spent time in resettlement camps at
Uranquinty Uranquinty is a small town approximately south of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Wagga Wagga, in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The population of the town, often referred to as "Quinty", is 909. Uranquinty was used as the ...
and Bonegilla. They eventually settled in the
Bonnyrigg Bonnyrigg is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, which is southeast of Edinburgh city centre, between the Rivers North and South Esk. The town had a population of 14,663 in the 2001 census which rose to 15,677 in the 2011 census, both figures b ...
area, where Lalich's father worked for the Postmaster-General's Department and ran a farm. Lalich remained in the Bonnyrigg area, where he worked as an electrician for Prospect Electricity before his election to the
City of Fairfield The Fairfield City Council is a Local government in Australia, local government area in the Greater Western Sydney, west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The council was first incorporated as the "Municipal District of Smit ...
council as a Labor candidate in 1987. 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.


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. 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. He faced a strong challenge in the usually safe seat due to an unpopular government and a strong Liberal candidate in
Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...
journalist
Dai Le Dai Trang Le (, ; born 1 April 1968) is a Vietnamese-born Australian politician concurrently serving as the federal member for Fowler, councillor for Fairfield/Cabravale Ward at City of Fairfield, and deputy mayor at Fairfield City Council. ...
, but withstood a 20-point swing against Labor to hold the seat for the party. 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. He also vowed to continue as Fairfield mayor in addition to his parliamentary responsibilities.


March 2011 election

Lalich was able to retain the seat of Cabramatta for the ALP at the March 2011 election against
Dai Le Dai Trang Le (, ; born 1 April 1968) is a Vietnamese-born Australian politician concurrently serving as the federal member for Fowler, councillor for Fairfield/Cabravale Ward at City of Fairfield, and deputy mayor at Fairfield City Council. ...
, who failed previously at the 2008
by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...
. Controversy arose when leaflets were distributed during the campaign, stating Le supported her colleague Chris Spence, the Liberal candidate for The Entrance and former leader of Pauline Hanson One Nation. Both sides campaigned heavily in the local area, with the Liberal Party taking an unprecedented interest in Cabramatta. 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 The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...
legislation preventing state parliamentarians serving on local councils. This allowed Frank Carbone to become mayor of Fairfield City on 21 March 2012. On 24 December 2022, Lalich announced that he would be retiring at the 2023 state election.


Death

Lalich died following a battle with throat cancer on 26 March 2025, at the age of 79.‘Great Australian story’: Refugee turned politician dies
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lalich, Nick 1945 births 2025 deaths Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Yugoslav emigrants to Australia Yugoslav refugees Egyptian emigrants to Australia Australian people of Serbian descent Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales Mayors of Fairfield, New South Wales 21st-century Australian politicians