Tagliaferri first involvement with local government came that same year, in an effort to speak up for the concerns of southern suburbs residents, oppose a highway through Beaconsfield and address parking and retail issues. He was first elected to council in 1983; representing the East Ward, at the time becoming the youngest person ever elected to local government in Western Australia. He was elected mayor in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 — the first mayor to be re-elected since
John Cattalini, who served from 1984 to 1994. Tagliaferri's principal platform in the 2001 mayoral election was reclaiming Fremantle for its residents, strong financial management and an open-door policy. He was elected in by 1000 votes and was successfully re-elected as mayor in 2005, winning 62% of the 8711 votes. In 2003, he was awarded the
Centenary Medal and in 2004 was awarded the Champion for the Year of the Built Environment. He received the Heart Foundation President's Award in 2007 in recognition of work to ensure a smoke-free environment in Fremantle and is patron of The One World Project, as well as being a Mayor for Peace. Prior to the
2007 federal election, Tagliaferri criticised the Labor Party's selection of
Melissa Parke to succeed outgoing member
Carmen Lawrence in the federal division of
Fremantle. Tagliaferri was unhappy with Parke's selection because she came from outside the district and threatened to stand as an
independent against her. He subsequently declined to run, and Parke won the seat easily. The long-running state member for Fremantle,
Jim McGinty, announced his retirement on 3 April 2009. Tagliaferri immediately emerged as the favourite to win Labor preselection in the
Fremantle by-election, and was unanimously preselected by the state administrative committee on 7 April. He was defeated by Greens challenger
Adele Carles on 16 May - the first time a Labor candidate has lost in Fremantle since 1924. He chose not to run for mayor again in the October 2009 elections, after two successful terms, and was succeeded by
Brad Pettitt. He went on to run a hotel in
Manjimup in the south of Western Australia. ==References==