Rick Mazza

Ricky John Mazza (born 17 February 1961) is an Australian former politician who was a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 2013 to 2021, representing Agricultural Region. He is a member of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party,^[a] and was the first member of the party to be elected to parliament in Western Australia.

Rick Mazza
Member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia
In office 22 May 2013 – 21 May 2021 Serving with Aldridge, Brown, Chown, Ellis, West
Constituency	Agricultural Region
Personal details
Born	(1961-02-17) 17 February 1961 (age 63) Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia
Political party	Shooters, Fishers and Farmers[a]
Website	rickmazza.com.au

Mazza was born in Bunbury, Western Australia, to Carol and Gino Mazza.^[2] His father was born in southern Italy, while his mother was a fifth-generation Australian. Mazza spent most of his childhood in Bunbury, also living for periods in Harvey and Northam. After completing an apprenticeship, he spent several years in the mining industry in the South West, working on heavy machinery. At the age of 21, with the money he earned, Mazza was able to open a small service station. However, he sold the service station after two years to enter the real estate industry. He remained in real estate until 2006, when he and his wife retired to a farm in Rocky Gully.^[3] Mazza was elected to parliament at the 2013 state election, as one of six members for Agricultural Region.^[4] He is a member of various standing committees, and from May 2015 to May 2016 chaired a select committee into the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), which concluded that the organisation required both more funding and greater oversight of its operations.^[5]

Notes

1. The party was known as the Shooters and Fishers Party until April 2016, when it changed its name to match the name of the national party.^[1]

References

1. Rueben Hale, "Agriculture in shooters’ party sights", The West Australian, 18 March 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
2. Ricky (Rick) John Mazza – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
3. Inaugural Speech: Hon Rick Mazza, MLC (Member for Agricultural Region), Hansard, Parliament of Western Australia, 11 June 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
4. Hon. Ricky (Rick) John Mazza MLC, Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
5. John Flint, "RSPCA inquiry: Animal welfare charity should get more funding but greater oversight needed", PerthNow, 19 May 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.