Hugh McDermott

In his inaugural Speech, McDermott spoke about his admiration for the example of Jesuits and religious members who stood up and were counted to help the vulnerable and fight oppression – especially their political opposition to fascism in Europe in the 1930s and 40s.

Short's success in winning the FIA ballot in 1951 against enormous vote rigging and violence led to the beginning of the end of the communist dominated unions and the emergence of social democrats retaking control of the Australian Labour Movement and ALP.

Every fortnight for many years Short and McDermott would meet for lunch and discuss politics.

During these discussions, McDermott realised that his vocation was to fight for working people by being a member of the Labor movement.

McDermott wanted to see people have equality at work and to return safely to their families after work and to live their lives in peace and respect.

McDermott worked part-time for the FIA at their Newcastle Office, involving 4.00 am gate meetings at the BHP steelworks and learning union organising skills.

Under the Australian Council of Trade Unions' amalgamation program, the FIA amalgamated with the Australasian Society Engineers and in turn, the Australian Workers Union (AWU).

During this time McDermott met the newly elected joint Secretary of the NSW Branch of the amalgamated AWU, Russ Collison.

Collison became McDermott's role model, mentor, confident and, as a labour leader, McDermott's greatest personal influence.

Paul Joseph Hugh McDermott (born 15 June 1968) is an Australian politician who was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the State Member for Prospect for the Labor Party at the 2015 New South Wales state election.

Prior to entering Parliament he had a career as an international lawyer and university academic.

Since 2023 he has served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General in the government of Chris Minns.

Hugh McDermott was born in Sydney but grew up in Central and Southern Queensland.

He attended a number of primary schools in his childhood before attending and graduating from Miami State High School.

After leaving school McDermott worked blue collar or semi-skilled jobs including as a jackeroo in central Queensland and north-western NSW, a barman in the Whitsundays, and an office clerk in Brisbane.

He moved to Armidale, NSW, at 19, to attend The University of New England and studied for a BA in Politics and Economic History.

He became active in student politics, being elected as President of the UNE Students Association and Representative Council in 1989.

He continued his study part-time while working full-time and moved to Sydney, where he became involved with the trade union movement and the Australian Labor Party.

McDermott joined the Australian Defence Force (Army General Reserve) as a soldier, before being promoted as a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO).

He was at one time selected to attend the Army's Officer Cadet Training Program (Sydney University Regiment/Royal Military College Duntroon) and received a Probationary Commission (Reserve Forces – Infantry).

McDermott's military service included serving as a Forward Observer Signalman with 41 Battery, 5/11 Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery; an M113A1 Armoured Vehicle Driver and crew commander with A Squadron, 12/16 Hunter River Lancers, Royal Australian Armoured Corps; and as an NCO and Officer Cadet with the Sydney University Regiment, Royal Australian Infantry Corps.

He also spent periods of time posted to full-time duty with the Australian Regular Army.

McDermott was awarded the Australian Defence Medal (ADM) for his military service.

McDermott states that he holds a strong belief in Catholic social teachings.

He admires those who do not simply talk about their beliefs, but put those beliefs into pragmatic action and help their community.

As such he considered joining the priesthood.

Upon moving to Sydney in 1992 McDermott took up a position with the Catholic Industrial Office within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.

It was there where he met John Ducker, who had a profound effect on the path of his career and life.

Ducker, Chairman of the Catholic Industrial Affairs Committee, was a former NSW Labour Council Secretary and Minister in the Wran Labor Government.

He believed that to be a Catholic, and to believe in Catholic social teachings, one must put that belief into action.

Ducker introduced McDermott to Laurie Short, who became his role model as a great Labour leader.

Short was the former National Secretary of the Federated Ironworkers Association of Australia (FIA).

Short led the fight against Stalinist-communist factions that had infiltrated the trade union movement and the Australia Labor Party.

McDermott joined the AWU NSW Branch, based at Granville in Western Sydney, as a full-time State Organiser in 1994.

He organised labour at manufacturing sites at Western Sydney, civil construction and workshops on the railways, amongst others.

He was later elected to the AWU State Executive and appointed NSW Metal Mining Co-ordinator.

While working full-time with the AWU, McDermott studied law at night at The University of Sydney and University of Technology Sydney, completing a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Master of Labour Law and Relations.

McDermott's Masters Supervisor was Sydney Law School Dean, Professor Ron McCallum AO and McDermott's College of Law Supervisor was Justice Conrad Staff.

McDermott was admitted as a solicitor in NSW in 1999 and as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of Australia in 2000.

He continued to act for the AWU in mediations, arbitrations and civil prosecutions across industry sectors including defence, mining, energy, public services, construction, rail, engineering and manufacturing.