Background
Gadiel was born in Cessnock, New South Wales and attended public schools, including Cessnock High School.
Gadiel was born in Cessnock, New South Wales and attended public schools, including Cessnock High School.
She studied arts and law at university before becoming involved in the trade union movement, serving as an organiser with the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia and as an industrial officer with the Australian Workers" Union.
During her term in Parliament, Gadiel was Deputy Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in the Kristina Keneally Labor Government. On 8 December 2010, Gadiel announced that she will not contest the 2011 state election. She was subsequently employed as a senior policy adviser to then-Police Minister Michael Costa.
In late 2002, Gabrielle Harrison, the Member for Parramatta, announced she would retire from parliament at the upcoming 2003 state election.
Harrison conceded that she had lost support among her branch members. lieutenant was reported that,
Gadiel was preselected to take her place after a bitter internal contest against Parramatta Lord Mayor David Borger.
In 2007, Borger went on to be elected as the Member for Granville. With Borger not contesting the election, Gadiel had a relatively clear run, as the protest vote split between an independent and the Green candidate.
While many commentators predicted a larger swing considering the amount of adverse press coverage, it nevertheless caused a small swing to the Liberal Party in what was otherwise a landslide victory for Labor.
Gadiel was re-elected at the 2007 state election and, in December 2010, announced her deicsion to not seek re-election at the 2011 state election, citing family reasons. Gadiel was the 19th NSW Labor member to stand aside at the March 2011 state election. Since leaving politics, Gadiel has been the Chief Executive Officer of Community Services at Parramatta Mission.
Right-wing party bosses want to replace former sports minister Gabrielle Harrison in Parramatta with Tanya Gadiel, a member of the staff of Police Minister Michael Costa.