NSW Labor

Premier of NSW

Morris Iemma resigned as Premier on Friday September 5th 2008. He served 17 years in public office and is thanked for his hard work for the State of NSW.

Morris Iemma was born on the 21st July 1961 in Sydney, the child of Calabrian immigrants Giuseppe and Maria Iemma. Joining the Australian Labor Party at the age of 16, he gained an economics degree from Sydney University and a law degree from the University of Technology, Sydney.

In 1991, Morris Iemma was elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly as Member for Hurstville. When the seat was abolished in 1999, Morris was preselected to stand for the redistributed seat of Lakemba, which gained areas which had previously been in Hurstville. Also in 1999, Morris Iemma was elevated to the NSW Ministry, as Minister for Public Works and Services, and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship. In 2001 the position of Minister for Sport and Recreation was also made his, and he held the three portfolios simultaneously until 2003. In a reshuffle in 2003 Morris Iemma was made Minister for Health.

Morris Iemma was chosen by the Labor Parliamentary caucus to succeed Premier Bob Carr when he retired from public office in 2005. Leading a rejuvenated Government, Labor won the 2007 NSW State election handily, with 52 seats.