Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC (born 11 October 1926) was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from 1986 to 1991.

Wran was born in the Sydney suburb of Paddington and educated at Nicholson Street Public School, Balmain, Fort St Boys' High and the University of Sydney, where, ironically enough, he was a member of the Liberal Club, and from which he gained a Bachelor of Laws in 1948. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1951, called to the Bar in 1957, and became a Queen's Counsel in 1968.

He began his political career in 1970 when he became a member of the upper house of the Parliament of New South Wales, the Legislative Council. Three years afterwards, he moved to the lower house, the Legislative Assembly, in the seat of Bass Hill, He then challenged Pat Hills for the state leadership of the ALP (which Hills had held since 1968). With support from right-wing powerbroker John Ducker and his left-wing running mate Jack Ferguson. There were two rounds to the leadership vote which resulted in a tie between Hills and Wran in the second ballot. However it was ruled that in the event of a tie in the second ballot, the candidate who won the most votes in the first ballot would be declared the winner. Since Wran won one vote more than Hills in the first ballot, Wran was therefore declared the new leader.

Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is a former Australian politician who served as the 24th Prime Minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996.

Keating was first elected to the House of Representatives at the 1969 election as the Labor member for Blaxland in New South Wales. He came to prominence as the reformist Treasurer of the government of Bob Hawke, which came to power at the 1983 election. In 1991, Keating defeated Hawke for the Labor leadership in a partyroom ballot and became prime minister. He went on to lead Labor to a record fifth consecutive victory at the 1993 election against the Liberal-National coalition led by John Hewson. Many had considered this election unwinnable for Labor due to poor polls for the 10-year-incumbent federal Labor government, and the effects of the early 1990s recession on Australia. Keating Labor lost the subsequent 1996 election to the Liberal/National Coalition led by John Howard.

Keating grew up in Bankstown, a working-class suburb of Sydney. He was one of four children of Matthew Keating, a boilermaker and trade-union representative of Irish Catholic descent, and his wife, Minnie. Keating was educated at Catholic schools; he was the first practising Catholic Labor prime minister since James Scullin left office in 1932. Leaving De La Salle College Bankstown (now LaSalle Catholic College) at 15, Keating decided not to pursue higher education, and worked as a clerk at the Electricity Commission of New South Wales and then as a trade union research assistant. He joined the Labor Party as soon as he was eligible. In 1966, he became president of the ALP’s Youth Council. In the 1960s Keating managed ‘The Ramrods’ rock band.

Anthony Norman Albanese (born 2 March 1963), is an Australian politician who serves as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport in the Second Gillard Ministry. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Grayndler, New South Wales. He has been Leader of the House since 2007.

Albanese was educated at St Mary's Cathedral College, an independent Catholic boys' school in Sydney, and at the University of Sydney, which awarded him a Bachelor's degree in economics.

Albanese was employed by the Commonwealth Bank before entering politics.

Albanese was research officer to the Minister for Local Government and Administrative Services, Tom Uren, (1985–89), Assistant General Secretary of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party (1989–95), and senior policy adviser to the Premier of New South Wales, Bob Carr (1995–96).

Following his entry in to parliament in 1996, Albanese was promoted to the Opposition Shadow Ministry in 1998. He was Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage in 2004–05. In June 2005 he became Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage, Shadow Minister for Water, and Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House. In December 2006 he was appointed Shadow Minister for Water and Infrastructure.

Luke Aquinas Foley (born 1970), an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 10 June 2010 representing the Australian Labor Party. Foley is the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, the Shadow Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, the Shadow Minister for Water, and the Shadow Minister for Energy.

Foley is the twin child of John and Helen Griffen-Foley. He graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Arts. Commencing working life as a telemarketer for the Guide Dog Association of NSW, Foley became NSW President of the National Union of Students, and then worked in the office of Labor Senator Bruce Childs. Between 1996 and 2000 he was a union organiser with the NSW branch of the Australian Services Union and became Secretary of that branch between 2000 and 2003. A member of Labor's left faction, prior to his appointment to the Legislative Council, Foley was the Assistant General Secretary of the New South Wales Labor Party.

Matthew James "Matt" Thistlethwaite (born 6 September 1972) is an Australian politician and member of the Australian Labor Party. He was elected to the Australian Senate representing New South Wales at the 2010 federal election. He is set to take office from July 2011.

Matt Thistlethwaite has extensive experience representing workers, as a lawyer and trade union official, in a range of industries including transport, power, manufacturing, agriculture, public sector, health and horse racing.

Matt Thistlethwaite is a former director of the State Transit Authority of NSW, and the NSW Manufacturing Council. He was a member of the Racing Industry Participants Advisory Council, and an Executive Member of the NSW Jockeys Association.

Matt Thistlethwaite has been an active surf lifesaver for 26 years and served four years as President of Maroubra Surf Lifesaving Club. He was also the President of Maroubra PCYC from 1999–2004, awarded by PCYC NSW for his dedicated services in 2005.

Recently, Matt Thistlethwaite has been working as a Senior Consultant with law firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques. His tertiary qualifications are: Diploma of Law, graduated 2001; Bachelor of Economics (UNSW).