Simon Hickey (politician)

He was born at Botobolar near Mudgee to agricultural labourer Patrick Hickey, an Irish-American, and Mary, née Swift.

Hickey received a primary education but at the age of thirteen left school to work as a drayman's assistant, eventually being apprenticed to a Mudgee saddler in 1893.

[1] In 1912 he entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for Alexandria on the death of his father-in-law; he moved to the multi-member seat of Botany in 1920.

The 1920 election was evenly divided with Labor only able to govern due to Nationalist Daniel Levy controversially accepting re-election as speaker.

Hickey resigned as speaker, replaced by Levy which enabled Labor to regain government.