When he was elected to Parliament in 2008 at a byelection he decided to keep his job as mayor and collect both salaries.

His parliamentary salary is $130,540 a year, his annual electoral allowance is $39,950, his logistical support allowance is $31,380 and he has a mail-out allowance of $65,384. Total pay and allowances: $267,254.

As mayor he receives $53,980, plus $20,320 as a councillor. He enjoys the full-time use of a council-supplied Ford sedan, and ratepayers pick up the tab for his petrol, registration, insurance and servicing. Total council remuneration: $74,300.

To sum up, as MP and mayor Lalich receives a total of $341,554 a year, which is more than the salary of Prime Minister Julia Gillard ($335,580).

The 65-year-old former electrician entered Parliament after the abrupt resignation of Reba Meagher, the permanently suntanned former health minister. She held Cabramatta with a 29 per cent majority even though she lived in the breezy comfort of the beachside suburb of Coogee. The anti-''Grim Reba'' backlash was so great that Lalich suffered a 22.7 per cent swing against him but still squeezed home.

He may not be so lucky in March, when he again faces the conscientious Liberal candidate Dai Le, a former ABC journalist. Her victory would end Labor's hold on Cabramatta since it was carved out of Fairfield in 1981.

As the local Labor powerbroker, Lalich had a role in recruiting Mekong Club founder Phuong Ngo to the NSW ALP. He wrote to then Labor general secretary John Della Bosca: ''I believe the membership of the party would be greatly enhanced by the presence of Mr Ngo.''

Unfortunately, Ngo's enhancing gifts did not extend to Cabramatta Labor MP John Newman. He was gunned down in the driveway of his home in September 1994 in Australia's first political assassination and Ngo was charged with his murder.

Lalich made headlines when he visited Ngo while he was on remand behind bars, and voted with the Labor group to continue to pay Ngo's council allowance before his trial. Ngo is now serving life in Goulburn jail's Supermax section.

Team Keneally - packed with colourful characters.