DescriptionThis interview consists of four audio recordings and transcripts. Janice Crosio was interviewed on 3 December 2001 at the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Shirley Kingsford McLeod. Interview SummaryJanice Ann Gustard was born on 3 January 1939 in Granville, the last of four children to Janet Renneberg and Harry Gustard, a boilermaker and a tailoress. Both parents were born in Australia with English, Irish, Scottish, German and Norwegian heritage.
She was educated at Holy Trinity School at Granville and Strathfield Girls’ High School. Janice's main interest was dancing and while at the Rivoli dance hall she first met her husband-to-be, Ivo Crosio. They would marry in 1957 at the Catholic Church at Auburn.
Her first job was at the Commonwealth Bank in Sydney and after becoming engaged to Ivo she went to work in the office at Ducon Condensors at Villawood.
Ivo, who was an only child, was of Italian heritage and his parents ran a mixed business in Smithfield at the intersection of The Horsley Drive and what is now Cumberland Highway. His mother was from the well known musical family the Toppanos.
Janice and Ivo had their first child at the end of the first year of our marriage and another two, who were twins, followed in fairly quick succession. In 1957 they purchased the shop from Ivo’s parents and conducted their own business which they built up to be not only a ‘corner store’ but a very fast delicatessen. They lived above the shop until it was demolished in December 1983 to make way for the Cumberland Highway.
It was during this time that Janice joined the Marconi Club at Bossley Park where she ended up on the Women’s Committee. It was a busy life being on the Committee, running the shop and caring for three young children.
The war in Vietnam caused Janice to become interested in politics as there were issues with which she did not agree and consequently she joined the local branch of the Labor Party. Janice was elected to Council in 1971 and became Deputy Mayor the following year. Within a very short time she had been elected first female Mayor, whilst still working in the shop and caring for her children.
In September 1981 she was elected to the NSW State Parliament as Member for Fairfield and subsequently became the first woman Minister in NSW Government. Her first portfolio was in Natural Resources, a very wide area which included Water, Forestry, Lands, Valuer General’s Department and every zoo, park and cemetery trust in NSW. After two years she moved to her choice ministry of Local Government .
In 1989 pressure was exerted to move to Federal Government when Bob Hawke, the then Prime Minister, personally rang her. Janice won the Federal seat of Prospect when Dick Klugman retired. Her positions within Federal Parliament rose from Parliamentary Secretary to Chief Opposition Whip when the Liberal Coalition came to power.
