Biography for SAWFORD, Rodney WestonMember for Port Adelaide (SA) 1988-2007
Australian Labor Party
Parliamentary service
Elected to the House of Representatives for Port Adelaide, South Australia, at by-election 26.3.1988, vice the Hon. MJ Young (resigned).
Re-elected 1990, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004. Retired prior to general elections 2007.
Committee service
House of Representatives Standing: Publications from 20.4.88 to 19.2.90; Employment, Education and Training from 11.5.89 to 31.8.98; Employment, Education and Workplace Relations from 8.12.98 to 8.10.01; Education and Training from 20.3.02 to 31.8.04; Education and Vocational Training from 2.12.04; Aboriginal Affairs from 16.5.90 to 7.5.92; Privileges from 12.5.93 to 31.8.04 (Chair from 13.5.93 to 29.1.96); Selection from 12.5.93 to 8.10.01; Members' Interests from 26.5.93 to 29.1.96; House from 29.5.96 to 8.10.01 and from 2.12.04.
House of Representatives Select: Print Media from 22.8.91 to 25.3.92.
Joint Statutory: Public Accounts from 31.8.88 to 3.5.89.
Conferences, delegations and visits
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Romania, Greece and UK, November- December 1990.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the USA, June-July 1993.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 93rd IPU Conference, Madrid, and bilateral visits to Egypt and Israel, March-April 1995.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to France and Belgium, June-July 1997.
Study tour, New Zealand, July 2000.
Member, Official Committee Exchange Visit by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Workplace Relations, New Zealand, June 2001.
Parliamentary Adviser, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York, October-December 2004.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to UK, November 2005.
Parliamentary party positions
Government Whip from 12.5.94 to 11.3.96.
Opposition Whip from 20.3.96 to 22.11.01.
Party positions
President, ALP Semaphore North Sub-Branch 1981-82.
President, ALP Semaphore Branch 1983-88.
Chairperson, Port Adelaide ALP Scholarship Trust 1984-88.
Semaphore Campaign Director, State Election 1982.
Port Adelaide Campaign Organiser, Federal Election 1983; Campaign Director 1984.
Delegate, ALP State Council and State Convention (SA).
Junior Vice-President, ALP (SA) 1994-95.
Senior Vice-President, ALP (SA) 1995-96.
President, ALP (SA) 1996-97.
Personal
Born 26.6.1944 at Adelaide, SA.
Married.
Qualifications and occupation before entering federal Parliament
DipT (Primary) (Western Teachers College).
Member, Australian College of Education.
Casual labourer.
Teacher 1964-71.
Consultant 1972-75.
Primary school principal 1976-88.
Publications
3A Investigator Social Studies, Adelaide: Rigby/Longmans, 1970.
3B Investigator Social Studies, Adelaide: Rigby/Longmans, 1971.
Eastern Asia, Adelaide: Rigby/Longmans, 1971.
Electorate
Description: outer metropolitan.
Location: northern Adelaide; it includes the suburbs of Alberton, Beverley, Birkenhead, Cheltenham, Findon, Kilkenny, Largs Bay, Mansfield Park, Mawson Lakes, North Haven, Ottoway, Parafield Gardens, Paralowie, Pennington, Port Adelaide, Queenstown, Rosewater, Salisbury Downs, Seaton, Semaphore, Woodville and West Croydon. It also includes Torrens and Garden Islands.
Area: 253 sq km (approx.).
Electors enrolled: 97 707 (at 9.10.04).
Industries: cement, electricity, flour mills, live sheep export, manufacturing industry, motion pictures, petroleum storage, police academy, salt, sewerage treatment, stevedoring, submarine construction, waste disposal/scrap metal merchants and wool stores.
State electorates: Port Adelaide includes the South Australian House of Assembly electorates of Cheltenham and Port Adelaide, and parts of Colton, Croydon, Enfield, Lee, Ramsey and Taylor.