Ian Brusasco
Ian Brusasco joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in about 1960, representing it as an Alderman on the Brisbane City Council for 14 years. He subsequently guided the ALP Inner Executive in turning around the fortunes of their radio station 4KQ, and management of the ALP's finances. In this interview he speaks about those years and about his continued influence after the 1980 intervention by the National Executive into the affairs on the Queensland Branch of the ALP.
Ian Brusasco
Biography
Ian Brusasco AO is a noted pharmaceutical chemist, company executive, sportsman and philanthropist who has been a member of, and elected representative of, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since the 1960s. He is credited with establishing the sound financial management of the various Labor companies.
Ian Brusasco was born outside Ingham, North Queensland, on 4 October 1928. He attended state and catholic primary schools in Ingham then St Joseph’s College at Nudgee where he played in the Rugby First XV, going on to represent Queensland in that sport. After commencing a medical degree at the University of Queensland he changed to undertake pharmacy, qualifying in 1955 and shortly afterwards establishing the first of a number of pharmacies in Brisbane.
He joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in about 1960 as a member of the Ashgrove Branch. Ian served for 14 years as an Alderman on the Brisbane City Council, first representing the Toombul Ward and later winning the Lutwyche Ward for the ALP. In the early 1980s, at the request of Clem Jones, Ian took an interest in the financial management of the various Labor companies and in particular, the radio station, 4KQ. He established strong financial management which delivered a secure and continuing source of income for the ALP. He is a Life Member of the ALP.
Ian is an inaugural member of the Queensland Academy of Sport, the former Chairman of Australian Soccer Federation, former Chairman of the Olympic Football Taskforce, and was President of Soccer Australia and the Vice President of the Oceania Football Confederation. His services to soccer were recognised on 26 January 1988 when he became a Member of the Order of Australia and he received further recognition in January 2001 when he was presented with a Centenary Medal for his distinguished service to business and commerce in Queensland. In June 2012, Ian was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his distinguished service to the community of Queensland where he held leadership roles in a range of public administration, sporting and charitable organisations in particular Foodbank, which Ian helped establish along with former Brisbane Lord Mayor Clem Jones.
He has been Director or Chairman of many different organisations, just a few of which include: Foodbank (Qld) Ltd, Workcover Queensland, Port of Brisbane, Keep Australia Beautiful Council, Queensland Investment Corporation, Gladstone Port Corporation Ltd, Brisbane Strikers, TAB, and 4KQ.
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