The mayor of one of Sydney’s biggest councils has died on a flight home from China.
Tony Bleasdale, 77, was due home this morning after a tour of the Blacktown City Council’s sister cities in South Korea and China when he suddenly died.
Mr Bleasdale had been a councillor in Blacktown since 1996 before being elected mayor in 2019.
He was awarded a medal of the Order of Australia in 2010 for his extensive charity work and service to Blacktown municipality.
With an estimated 426,000 people, Blacktown is the largest local government area in Sydney.
Mayor of Blacktown City Council, Tony Bleasdale (pictured), has died at the age of 77 during a flight home from China on Friday morning
A hardened member of the Labor Party, Mr Bleasdale joined other local mayors who supported NSW Premier Chris Minns’ efforts to increase housing supply.
The state’s Deputy Premier, Prue Car, took to X to share her shock over the sudden death of a ‘friend and mentor’.
‘Tony was well loved within the Blacktown community, fiercely advocating local residents for over 30 years,’ Ms Car wrote.
‘He was also a great friend and mentor to me, as we worked together in our shared communities for many years.
‘My thoughts and love are with Mayoress Nina Bleasdale and all of their family and loved ones.’
More to come.
