Joe Rossi (politician)

Joseph Peter Rossi (born 22 May 1948) is an Australian politician and former Liberal MP for the seat of Lee in the South Australian House of Assembly. He won the seat at the 1993 election before losing it at the 1997 election.[1]

Rossi's election was unexpected as the seat is normally safe Labor, with Lee becoming the Liberal government's most marginal seat on a 1.1 percent margin. He held controversial views such as sterilising unmarried mothers after the third child, and introducing a modern version of poor houses for welfare recipients. At one stage Rossi was ejected from parliament for consuming a meat pie in the chamber.[2][3]

Rossi ran as an independent in Lee at the 2010 election, receiving a vote of 2.2 percent (455 votes).

  1. ^ "Joseph (Joe) Peter Rossi". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Poll Bludger: Lee - 2006 election". Archived from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  3. ^ "The unluckiest politician in Australia". Crikey. Archived from the original on 26 October 2001.