About Mick Veitch
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Michael (Mick) Veitch is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Mick has been a member of the Legislative Council since 24 March 2007, being the 54th New South Wales Parliament. He served as the Deputy Government Whip in the Legislative Council from 2007 -2009, the Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Industries and Rural Affairs from 2009 to March 2011 and is currently serving as the Shadow Minister for Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services and Regional and Rural Affairs. Mick is the 201st member of the ALP to be elected to the NSW Legislative Council and the 677th person to sit in the NSW Legislative Council since 1856.
Mick was born at Gundagai to parents Bob and Val in 1962. He is the oldest of five children. His father Bob was one of eleven children, and his mother Val was also one of ten children. He attended Adelong Central School in his primary school years. His secondary studies were performed at Tumut High School.
Leaving high school, he worked as a shearer for seven years and with NSW State Rail where he worked as a railway porter and an electric train guard. He finished his time with the railways as an Assistant Station Master at Rydalmere and then Toongabbie railway stations. He completed further studies at TAFE.
Following his time as a shearer and railway worker Mick worked for fifteen years in the disability employment sector starting out as a Training Officer with Young Working Alternatives Group Inc. Mick served as the Executive Officer of Wiradjuri Country Community Development Group Limited (a community based not for profit involved in the disability employment sector and other community based programmes) for ten years. At the time of his election to the NSW Legislative Council Mick was the General Manager (Growth and Strategy) with Job Centre Australia Limited (a not for profit organisation).
Mick served on the NSW executive of the Association of Competitive Employment (ACE) for six years. ACE is the peak body for disability employment network providers in NSW and Australia. Mick was Chair of the NSW Executive for four years, served on the National Executive for four years and served for a short time as the National Chair. Mick also served on the Commonwealth Minister for Employments CEO Working Group during his time with ACE.
Mick joined the Labor Party in March 1989. He has served extensive periods, as the Secretary of the Young Branch, Burrinjuck and Lachlan SEC’s and the Hume FEC. Mick has also been a Delegate to the NSW Branch Annual State Conference and the NSW Country Conference since 1993. Mick has also been a delegate to the ALP National Conference. Mick served eleven years on the Country Labor Policy Committee and four years on the NSW Annual Conference Agenda Committee.
He was elected as an independent Shire Councillor for Young Shire Council in September 1995 and was re-elected in 1999 and 2004 serving a total twelve years in local government. Mick served one term as the Deputy Mayor, ten years as the Chair of the Access Advisory Committee and extended periods as Chair of the Environmental Initiatives Committee and the Community Recognition Committee. Mick was also Chair of the South West Regional Library for four years.
Mick represented the NSW Shires Association on the Lachlan Unregulated Water Management Committee for three years.
In 1998 Mick ran as the Australian Labor Party candidate for the Federal seat of Hume. The seat is a Liberal safe seat. He was unsuccessful in that campaign.
Mick also served for eight years with the Southern Area Health Service Board including four years as the Deputy Chair and eight years as the Chair of the Internal Audit Committee.
He was elected on 24 March 2007 to the New South Wales Legislative Council with the nineteenth highest quota. He is currently a member of the Standing Committee on State Development and Privileges Commitment. Mick has also served on the Standing Committee on Social Issues. Mick has also served on the Select Committee into Political Donations and Funding and Select Committee on Recreational Fishing, and Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.
Mick is married to Adrienne and has four children, and two granddaughters. He and his wife have been foster parents for fifteen years fostering more than thirty children in that time.
Mick spends his spare time with his family as much as possible, following his beloved Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, watching cricket, reading books and gardening. Mick is a very proud father to all of his children and takes a great deal of pride in all of their achievements – those very special moments!