Family background
Verity Firth grew up in Glebe. She is a niece of Meredith Burgmann, MLC and Speaker.
Occupation & interests
Verity Firth has a law degree and has worked as a solicitor with Slater and Gordon, a labour law firm. Until 2001 she was a staffer for MP Anthony Albanese. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party, was branch secretary of the Glebe branch, and worked as the Sussex Street’s Campaign Co-ordinator. She has been a Board member of the Law and Justice Foundation. Firth is a prolific writer on the Australian Labor Party and Labour history and published Power and Protest: Movements for Change in Australian Society in 1993.
Community activity
Verity Firth has been a board member of Aidwatch, an organisation that monitors Australia’s role in assisting developing countries.
Parliamentary service
Verity Firth served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of NSW from March 2007 to November 2011 as the member for Balmain.
She was the Minister for Women from 2007 to 2009. In 2009 she became the Minister for Education and Training.
Local government service
Verity Firth was elected to the City of Sydney Council in March 2004 and served until September 2008. In 2004 she was a member of the Finance Properties and Tenders Committee and was Deputy Chairperson of the Community Services, Small Business and Tourism Committee. From 2005 until 2008 Verity Firth was a member of the Cultural and Community Care and Services Committee, the Planning, Development and Tourism Committee, the Environment and Heritage Committee and the Planning Development and Transport Committee. During her time on Council she advocated strong local environment and planning controls and greater Council involvement in the provision of community services and childcare.
References
City of Sydney Archives: Aldermen’s Files