Janice Crosio

The Honourable Janice Crosio AM MBE
Member of the Australian Parliament for Prospect
In office 24 March 1990 – 31 August 2004
Preceded by	Dick Klugman
Succeeded by	Chris Bowen
NSW Minister for Local Government
In office 6 February 1986 – 25 March 1988
Premier	Neville Wran Barrie Unsworth
Preceded by	Peter Anderson
Succeeded by	David Hay
Personal details
Born	Janice Ann Gustard (1939-01-03) 3 January 1939 Granville, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	NSW Labor
Spouse	Ivo Crosio
Occupation	Local councillor

Janice Ann Crosio AM, MBE (née Gustard; born 3 January 1939) is an Australian politician from the Labor Party. She was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, and became the first woman Cabinet minister in New South Wales. Later she was a member of the Australian House of Representatives, and a Parliamentary Secretary.

Early life

Crosio was born in the Sydney suburb of Granville and educated at Strathfield Girls High School. In 1957, she married Ivo Crosio and they have one son and twin daughters. She was an alderman of Fairfield City Council in suburban Sydney from 1971 to 1980 and Mayor from 1974 to 1975 and 1977 to 1980.

State politics

Crosio was the first woman elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in thirty years, representing Fairfield from 1981 to 1988 and Smithfield from 1988 to 1990. She was the first woman Cabinet minister in New South Wales: Minister for Natural Resources from 1984 to 1986, Minister for Local Government from 1986 to 1988 and Minister for Water Resources from 1986 to 1988.

Federal politics

Crosio represented the Division of Prospect, in New South Wales, from 1990 to 2004. She was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Arts and Administrative Services in 1993, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment, Sport and Territories 1993–94 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Security 1994–96. Crosio was Chief Opposition Whip 2001–04. She retired at the 2004 election.

Honours

Crosio was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to local government and the community in 1978. She was made Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1980 for services to the Italian Community. In 2006 she was made a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia in recognition of her service to the Parliaments of the Australian Commonwealth and of New South Wales, her service to her municipality and also for her pioneering of women's participation in politics.