Leo Boyce McLeay (born 4 October 1945) is a former Australian politician who served as a Labor Party member of the House of Representatives from June 1979 to October 2004. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives 1989–93. During 1992 he was unsuccessfully censured by John Hewson, at the time Opposition Leader, with a motion of no confidence; Hewson accused McLeay of political bias.
Early life
McLeay was born on 4 October 1945 in Marrickville, New South Wales. He was the older of two children born to Joan Ann and Ronald Boyce McLeay. His father was a council worker and worked on the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
McLeay attended De La Salle College, Marrickville. He left school before obtaining a leaving certificate and began working as a post office telegram boy. In 1962 he joined the Postmaster-General's Department as a telephone technician, receiving further training at North Sydney Technical College. He was a member of the Postal Telecommunication Technicians' Association and the Federated Clerks' Union. In 1993, the Division of Phillip was due to be abolished, and its sitting member Jeannette McHugh had become a minister and was entitled to a seat. Therefore, McHugh transferred to Grayndler, forcing McLeay to transfer to Division of Watson which he held until 2004.
McLeay was Chair of Committees and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives 1986–89, and Speaker of the House 1989–93. He resigned as Speaker following accusations that he had made a false compensation claim of $65,000 following a bicycle accident. McLeay was subsequently Chief Government Whip 1993–96 and Chief Opposition Whip 1996–2001. He was also the New South Wales director of the Enhance Group.
Personal life
Leo has three sons - Mark, Paul and Marten. Paul McLeay was the Member for Heathcote in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2003 until his defeat at the 2011 state election.