HON CON SCIACCA AO

Hon Con Sciacca AO

Director

Con was a member of the Australian Parliament for 15 years - first elected in 1987. He served as Parliamentary Secretary for Social Security to Ministers Graham Richardson, Neil Blewett, and Peter Baldwin under Prime Minister Bob Hawke. Con also served as Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Bob McMullan in the Arts and Administrative Services portfolio under Prime Minister Paul Keating.

In 1994, Con was elevated to Ministry and served as Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister assisting the Treasurer for Superannuation. He was the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs with Opposition Leader Kim Beazley from 1998-2001.

For more than 40 years, Con has been a prominent Labor Party leader and political identity starting at the age of 21 as the President of the Queensland Young Labor movement. His outstanding political career saw many highlights.

He conducted the Australia Remembers program to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the end of World War II. Con was elected as World Secretary of the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians against Corruption, an international network of parliamentarians based in Canada, established to fight corruption and promote integrity, particularly in developing countries.

In recognition of his service to the veteran community, Con has been conferred life memberships of the Returned Services League, the RAAF Association of Australia and the Naval Association of Australia. One of very few that hold all three service life memberships, he remains active with veterans affairs as a foundation director of the Gallipoli Research Foundation and as patron and honorary solicitor to a number of veteran and community organisations.

Con is the founding and managing partner of Sciacca’s Lawyers and Consultants, established almost four decades ago.

His lifetime involvement in politics, business and the law, has provided him with invaluable experience in dealing with the peculiarities of governments at all levels and the relationship between government and the law. A qualified solicitor, he currently provides advice on government relations and corporate strategy to a number of major companies involved in areas such as biofuels, property development and construction, infrastructure development, shipping and childcare.

He is a foundation fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Con was awarded an Officer in the Order of Australia in the 2006 Australia Day celebrations for his contribution to both the community and specifically the veteran community and cancer research.

Con has also been honoured by the Italian Government holding the title of Grande Ufficiale (Grand Officer) of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (one of Italy’s highest honours), and by the Finnish Government having been awarded the title Commander in the Order of the Lion of the Finish Republic.