Meet John Robertson – practical, principled, down-to-earth and determined.
If there's one thing you should know about our State's alternative Premier – he's the man who defeated WorkChoices.
As Secretary of Unions NSW, John led the successful Your Rights at Work campaign in NSW against the Howard Government's industrial relations laws. For months, John campaigned across NSW on a bus.
He met Australians from all walks of life - visiting cities, regional towns and workplaces that would give him a hearing.
Restoring balance to the industrial relations system will always be one of John's proudest achievements – and proof of how he intends to stand up for regular people as Premier.
John left school at 16 and completed an apprenticeship as an electrical fitter mechanic.
He worked on building sites across Sydney – even wiring up State Parliament in his early twenties – before playing a leadership role in the trade union movement.
In October 2008 John was appointed to the Legislative Council where he served as a Minister in the former Labor Government. In March 2011, he was elected Member for Blacktown and the Leader of the NSW Opposition.
Over the years, John has taken principled stands on issue after issue – protecting workers' compensation, opposing electricity privatisation and advocating for marriage equality and refugee rights.
John is active in the community. He has served on the Heritage Council and as a Director of Workcover NSW, Energy Australia, the Parramatta Stadium Trust and broadcaster 2KY.
He is patron of the Prospect Heritage Society, a member of Alzheimers NSW and a White Ribbon Ambassador.
John and his wife Julie have three children: Brianna, Aidan and Kass. They live in Blacktown and have proudly called Western Sydney home for more than 20 years.