13 Facts About Paul Papalia

Paul Papalia CSC was born on 12 July 1962 and is an Australian politician.

Paul Papalia has been a Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since February 2007.

Paul Papalia was born in Bunbury, Western Australia and grew up in the nearby small town of Burekup.

Paul Papalia served in the Royal Australian Navy for 26 years before entering politics, working as a navy diver and rising to the rank of lieutenant commander.

Paul Papalia specialised in explosives retrieval and escape and rescue.

Paul Papalia completed Special Air Service Regiment selection and reinforcement training in 1988.

Paul Papalia then served in 3 SASR Squadron in 1989 and 1 SASR Squadron in 1990 before returning to the Navy in 1991.

Paul Papalia later returned to Iraq during the Iraq War, serving as executive officer in an Australian mine-clearing team.

Paul Papalia left the navy in 2004, and operated a small business renovating houses up until the time of his election to parliament.

Paul Papalia went on to easily win the by-election, receiving a small swing in his favour in a seat that the government had feared they might lose.

In March 2017, Paul Papalia was appointed as a Minister in the new McGowan Government, with the portfolios for Tourism, Racing and Gaming, Small Business, Defence Issues, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.

Paul Papalia was awarded the Order of the Star of Italy on the 2nd of December 2021.

Paul Papalia is one of four Labor MPs in state parliament that is not factionally aligned as of 2025.