Chris Holstein
Encyclopedia
Christopher David "Chris" Holstein MP, an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing Gosford
for the Liberal Party of Australia
since 2011
.
. His family has small businesses in the area and he became involved in local politics following flooding in the Narara Valley
area in 1989. Elected to Gosford City Council in 1991 initially as an independent
Councillor
, Holstein then later served as Mayor
between 2002 and 2010, and during some of his time on Council, he represented the Liberal Party.
Holstein is married with five children and lives in the Narara Valley on the New South Wales Central Coast.
, he ran as an independent candidate for Peats
(now abolished) against Labor
sitting member Marie Andrews
. Holstein was excluded on the final distribution of preferences in favour of the Liberal candidate, and the seat was retained by Andrews. In 2007, he ran as the Liberal candidate for Gosford, again against Labor's Andrews. Holstein gained 45.1 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis and the seat was retained by Andrews.
Holstein was successful on the third occasion of running against Andrews at the 2011 State election, again in Gosford, he achieved a swing of 15.4 percent and won the seat with 61.9 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis. Holstein was part of a team labeled by the media as the 'Awesome Foursome' who won all four Central Coast seats for the Liberals at the 2011 State election.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
representing Gosford
Electoral district of Gosford
Gosford is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Chris Holstein of the Liberal Party. The former district of Gosford was renamed Terrigal for the 2007 state election...
for the Liberal Party of Australia
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...
since 2011
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
.
Early years and background
Holstein has lived on the Central Coast since he was eight years of age, attending Gosford High SchoolGosford High School
Gosford High School is a public, co-educational, academically selective high school located in Gosford, New South Wales, Australia with 1080 students from years 7 to 12....
. His family has small businesses in the area and he became involved in local politics following flooding in the Narara Valley
Narara, New South Wales
Narara is a suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, located north of Gosford's central business district. It is part of the City of Gosford local government area....
area in 1989. Elected to Gosford City Council in 1991 initially as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Councillor
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
, Holstein then later served as Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
between 2002 and 2010, and during some of his time on Council, he represented the Liberal Party.
Holstein is married with five children and lives in the Narara Valley on the New South Wales Central Coast.
State political career
Holstein sought political office on several occasions prior to achieving success in 2011. In 2003New South Wales state election, 2003
Elections to the 53rd Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 22 March 2003. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
, he ran as an independent candidate for Peats
Electoral district of Peats
Peats was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1973 to 2007. It was replaced by Gosford for the 2007 state election.-Members:-Election results:...
(now abolished) against Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
sitting member Marie Andrews
Marie Andrews
Marie Therese Andrews , an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Peats for the Australian Labor Party between 1995 and 2007 and then the electorate of Gosford since 2007.Prior to entering politics, Andrews was a private...
. Holstein was excluded on the final distribution of preferences in favour of the Liberal candidate, and the seat was retained by Andrews. In 2007, he ran as the Liberal candidate for Gosford, again against Labor's Andrews. Holstein gained 45.1 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis and the seat was retained by Andrews.
Holstein was successful on the third occasion of running against Andrews at the 2011 State election, again in Gosford, he achieved a swing of 15.4 percent and won the seat with 61.9 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis. Holstein was part of a team labeled by the media as the 'Awesome Foursome' who won all four Central Coast seats for the Liberals at the 2011 State election.