Brendan Smyth (politician)
Encyclopedia
Brendan Michael Smyth (born 27 July 1959) is a Liberal Party of Australia
politician
. From 2002 to 2006 he was the Leader of the Opposition
in the Australian Capital Territory
. He retains his shadow previous portfolios of Health, Ageing, Business and Tourism at present. He represents the electorate of Brindabella
.
Smyth was born in Sydney
, but moved to Canberra
in May 1969. He worked at the National Library of Australia
until 25 March 1995, when he ran for the Liberal Party in a by-election
for the federal House of Representatives
seat of Canberra
. Normally a safe Labor seat, its previous member Ros Kelly
had left under a cloud, having been forced to resign her ministry a year earlier over the sports rorts affair
, and Smyth received a 16.1% swing to claim the seat. At the Australian federal election on 2 March 1996, Smyth contested the new federal House of Representatives seat of Namadgi
but was defeated by Annette Ellis
in what proved to be the only gain by Labor in that election.
He subsequently shifted to territory politics, winning election to the Legislative Assembly in the 1998 election
representing the Tuggeranong-based multimember electorate of Brindabella
.
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. From 2002 to 2006 he was the Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Australian Capital Territory)
The Leader of the Opposition of the Australian Capital Territory is an official role usually occupied by the leader of the second largest party or coalition in the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly...
in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
. He retains his shadow previous portfolios of Health, Ageing, Business and Tourism at present. He represents the electorate of Brindabella
Brindabella
Brindabella may refer to:* Brindabella Airlines* Brindabella Business Park, part of Canberra International Airport* Brindabella College in O'Conner, Australian Capital Territory* Brindabella electorate* The Brindabella Ranges* Brindabella National Park...
.
Smyth was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, but moved to Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
in May 1969. He worked at the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
until 25 March 1995, when he ran for the Liberal Party in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for the federal House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of Canberra
Division of Canberra
The Division of Canberra is an Australian Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory. The division was created in 1974 from the southern half of the old Division of Australian Capital Territory...
. Normally a safe Labor seat, its previous member Ros Kelly
Ros Kelly
Ros Kelly AO was a member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Division of Canberra from 18 October 1980 to 30 January 1995. She was a minister in the governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating....
had left under a cloud, having been forced to resign her ministry a year earlier over the sports rorts affair
Sports rorts affair
The "sports rorts" affair was the name by which Australian media and political commentators came to refer to events during the second Keating ministry in late 1993 and early 1994, where the then Sports Minister, Ros Kelly, was unable to appropriately explain the distribution of federal sporting...
, and Smyth received a 16.1% swing to claim the seat. At the Australian federal election on 2 March 1996, Smyth contested the new federal House of Representatives seat of Namadgi
Division of Namadgi
The Division of Namadgi was an Australian Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory. It was located in the southern suburbs of Canberra, and included the suburbs of Conder, Kambah, Mawson and Tuggeranong....
but was defeated by Annette Ellis
Annette Ellis
Annette Louise Ellis , Australian politician, was a Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 to August 2010, representing the Division of Namadgi 1996–98 and the Division of Canberra from 1998 to 2010.In the 1996 federal election she contested Namadgi against...
in what proved to be the only gain by Labor in that election.
He subsequently shifted to territory politics, winning election to the Legislative Assembly in the 1998 election
Australian Capital Territory general election, 1998
Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 21 February 1998. The incumbent Liberal Party, led by Kate Carnell, was challenged by the Labor Party, led by Wayne Berry. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
representing the Tuggeranong-based multimember electorate of Brindabella
Brindabella electorate
The Brindabella electorate is one of the three electorates for the unicameral 17-member Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. It has five seats, and is the largest of the electorates in geographic area.-History:...
.