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Thursday, January 09, 2020

RIP Phil O’Neill: The Spy Catcher

Phil was helpful to others even when he sometimes needed help himself. As a regular user of the parliamentary library at the NSW bear pit he was known to all staffer as someone who was funny. He loved a good joke and he could tell a good joke, and he would laugh at good jokes. . . While characters like Bob Carr were snobby, Phil was the meek and humble man who inherited the hearts of many staffers even at the National Party ...

 It is not possible to wrap your arms around friends who leave. But it is possible to wrap our hearts around those rare memories (Richard Amery paid a thoughtful tribute to Phil back in 2014)

 In this Parliament former member Phil O'Neill has been a good support to me—Roger Price calls him "the spy catcher"—and I thank him for his close friendship, support and loyalty over so long a time”
~Richard Amery



Phillip Joseph O'Neill (born 6 June 1941) is a former Australian politician. He was the Labormember for Burwood in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1978 to 1984.
O'Neill was born in Darlinghurst to Sidney Lessor O'Neill and Isabel Emily Cassel. He was educated at Catholic schools in Enfield and Ashfield, becoming a clerk. In 1962 he joined the Labor Party. He was an administrative officer with the New South Wales Public Transport Commission, and an executive member of the Australian Transport Officers' Federation. In 1969 he was elected to Burwood Council, serving until 1974 and again from 1977 to 1980. He was President of the Enfield branch of the ALP from 1971 to 1981. He married Janice Parnell on 29 March 1981.[1]
In 1978 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for Burwood, defeating sitting Liberal MP John Jackett. He held the seat in 1981 but was defeated by Paul Zammit in 1984.[2] Following his defeat he returned to local politics, serving again on Burwood Council from 1987 to 2000.

The funeral is held next week on Wednesday 15 January 2020 at St Joseph church Enfield at 10.30

THIS IS A BAD YEAR TO LOSE MATES:  Dad Has Passed Away (Plus Blog Changes).