People Australia

Tony Luchetti, n.d.

Anthony Sylvester (Tony) Luchetti (1904-1984) brickworker, mine-worker, Labor member of House of Representatives 

Birth: 27 May 1904 at Lowther, New South Wales, son of Alexander Luchetti (1863-1922), coal and shale miner and unionist, and Edith Maud, née Hutchison (1879-1962). Marriage: 24 June 1939 at St Patrick’s Church, Lithgow, to Beatrice May Titus, teacher. They had two sons and one daughter. Death: 11 July 1984 at Lithgow, New South Wales. Religion: Catholic. 

• Grandson of Alexander/Alessandro Luchetti/Lochetti and Sarah Jennings, illiterate immigrants from, respectively, Ancona, Italy, and Shrule, Mayo, Ireland.
• Educated at Newnes Public & Catholic schools and in Lithgow NSW. Left school at 15, working in petrol tinning, as boilermaker's mate and blacksmith's striker. 1916 assisted father in campaign against conscription.
• 1923 president Brick, Tile & Pottery Union; delegate to Lithgow Eight Hour Committee. Joined Lithgow Branch Australian Labor Party in 1923. In late 1920 earned reputation as boxer and rugby league player.
• Returning officer Western District of Miners' Federation. President, Six Hour and Labour Day Committee. Member NSW Executive ALP 1929-31, president in 1929. Delegate to Federal Conference in 1930. Campaign director for Ben Chifley.
• During Depression supported Jack Lang, opposing Federal Labor. Unsuccessfully contested Macquarie 1931, 1934, 1937. Secretary Hartley and Macquarie assemblies ALP 13 years; president Lithgow Branch 1933-1939.
• At outbreak of war in Pacific declared medically unfit for active service; during war was chief warden Lithgow Municipality.
• Alderman Lithgow City Council 11 years (1941-1952) and mayor in 1942 & 1950. Member executive of Local Government Association NSW for seven years, country vice-president for three years.
• Member Lithgow District Hospital Committee 15 years; senior vice-president for three years.
• Worked in insurance, estate and travel agencies and journalism. Member of Clerks Union.
• Elected member of the House of Representatives for Macquarie in 1951, following Chifley's death, and retained seat until retirement in 1975. Temporary chairman of committees; member joint committee on public accounts 1960-61 and library committee.
• Member Labor parliamentary executive 1961-71. Life member ALP NSW branch in 1979, nominated by Lithgow branch ALP, P. Anderson and R. J. Clough.
• Owner of cattle run near Wallerawang, NSW.

Sources
Joan Rydon (ed), A biographical register of the Commonwealth Parliament 1901-1972 (Canberra, 1975); Radical, August 1984; A.L.P. Year Book / Australia Labor Party. New South Wales Branch 1973.