David Borger awarded OAM for local and state government service
David Borger has fought the good fight for the west since he was first elected as a Parramatta councillor in 1995. Now he’s been recognised for his services to local and state governments.
David Borger has been one of the biggest champions for western Sydney since he became the youngest person to hold the office of Parramatta Lord Mayor two decades ago.
Mr Borger was aged just 30 when he was elevated to the city’s leading role in 1999, where he served until he became the Granville State MP in 2007.
A Year 10 school dropout who made good, the 49-year-old was the Minister for Western Sydney and Minister for Roads as well as Assistant Minister for Transport before Labor suffered a crushing defeat at the 2011 State Election.
“This was a great opportunity and honour for me to be a minister in the State Government,” Mr Borger, who lives in North Parramatta, said.
“But it was a tough time for the Labor Party … a bit like the last days of the Roman Empire.”
Today, the Western Sydney Business Chamber executive director has been recognised for his services to local government and the NSW parliament in being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
He praised his family’s role in helping him deliver the best for the west.
“I’ve got a great family,” Mr Borger said of wife Giselle, who he married in 1997, and daughters Grace, 18, and Zoe, 13.
“You can’t do the sorts of jobs that I’ve done without such wonderful family support.”
One of the proudest achievements of Mr Borger’s public life is seeing how his vision for remodelling Parramatta city centre is coming to fruition.
“I do swell with pride in how Parramatta has finally made the big league now,” the former urban planner said.
“It’s an overnight success that has taken 30 years of hard work.
“And we need to keep reinforcing it’s a city, not just a collection of suburbs. It should deliver the jobs, the entertainment, night-life, the transport and arts for the people of western Sydney.
“We have such a bright future — and I’m so happy to play my part in making it happen.”
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