Gerry Bates
Encyclopedia
Gerard Maxwell "Gerry" Bates (born 13 September 1950) is an Australian environmental lawyer and academic, and former politician.
, England
in 1950. He studied at the University of Birmingham
where he qualified for a Bachelor of Laws
(LLB)(Hons) and a PhD
.
Bates went on to become a tutor at the University of Birmingham and a senior lecturer at Birmingham Polytechnic.
He later emigrated to Australia, and was a lecturer in environmental law at the University of Tasmania
until Bob Brown
convinced him to run for parliament as a Green Independent in 1986 Tasmanian state election
.
for Franklin
as an Independent Green
. At the 1989 election, three other Greens were elected in addition to Brown and Bates (Lance Armstrong
, Di Hollister
and Christine Milne
). The Greens held the balance of power, and agreed to give support to the Labor Party to form a minority government
when they signed the Labor–Green Accord. In 1992, the five Independent Greens in the House formed the Tasmanian Greens
.
Bates resigned from the House of Assembly on 4 May 1995 to contest Queensborough in the Legislative Council
, but was unsuccessful.
, the law faculty of the University of Sydney
. He is also an adjunct professor at the Australian Centre for Environmental Law (ACEL), part of the Australian National University
.
Bates has been a member of the Board of the Environment Protection Authority of NSW since 1996, a member of the State of the Environment Advisory Council since 2004, and a Director of Kimbriki Environmental Enterprises, a regional waste recovery centre and landfill on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, since 2006.
Bates is author of Environmental Law in Australia, Corporate Liability for Pollution" and "Pollution Law in Australia. He is also Editor of the Environment and Planning Law Journal.
Bates received a special award from the National Environmental Law Association in 1994 for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Law.
Early life and education
Bates was born in LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1950. He studied at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
where he qualified for a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(LLB)(Hons) and a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
.
Bates went on to become a tutor at the University of Birmingham and a senior lecturer at Birmingham Polytechnic.
He later emigrated to Australia, and was a lecturer in environmental law at the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
until Bob Brown
Bob Brown
Robert James Brown is an Australian senator, the inaugural Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens and was the first openly gay member of the Parliament of Australia...
convinced him to run for parliament as a Green Independent in 1986 Tasmanian state election
Tasmanian state election, 1986
Elections for the Tasmanian House of Assembly were held on the 8 February 1986. The incumbent Liberal government headed by Robin Gray hoped to secure a second term in office.Prior to the election the Liberals held 18 of the 35 seats in parliament...
.
Political career
In 1986, he was elected to the Tasmanian House of AssemblyTasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
for Franklin
Division of Franklin (state)
The Electoral Division of Franklin is one of the five electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir John Franklin, the arctic explorer who was Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1837-43...
as an Independent Green
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...
. At the 1989 election, three other Greens were elected in addition to Brown and Bates (Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong (politician)
Reverend Lance John Edward Armstrong is a former Australian politician. Born in Perth, Western Australia, he was active in Tasmania...
, Di Hollister
Di Hollister
Dianne Lesley "Di" Hollister is a former Australian politician.Born in Devonport, Tasmania, she started her career as a teacher....
and Christine Milne
Christine Milne
Christine Anne Milne is an Australian Senator and deputy leader of the Australian Greens.Christine Milne first came to public attention for her role in opposing the building of the Wesley Vale pulp mill near Bass Strait in North Western Tasmania on the basis of its allegedly harmful environmental...
). The Greens held the balance of power, and agreed to give support to the Labor Party to form a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
when they signed the Labor–Green Accord. In 1992, the five Independent Greens in the House formed the Tasmanian Greens
Tasmanian Greens
The Tasmanian Greens are a political party in Australia which developed from numerous environmental campaigns in Tasmania, including the flooding of Lake Pedder and the Franklin Dam campaign...
.
Bates resigned from the House of Assembly on 4 May 1995 to contest Queensborough in the Legislative Council
Tasmanian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the House of Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart...
, but was unsuccessful.
Academic career
Bates is an adjunct professor at the Sydney Law SchoolSydney Law School
Sydney Law School is the law faculty of the University of Sydney and is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions of legal education in Australia and the Asia Pacific. Located in the main Camperdown campus of the University, with some operations at the St...
, the law faculty of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He is also an adjunct professor at the Australian Centre for Environmental Law (ACEL), part of the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
.
Bates has been a member of the Board of the Environment Protection Authority of NSW since 1996, a member of the State of the Environment Advisory Council since 2004, and a Director of Kimbriki Environmental Enterprises, a regional waste recovery centre and landfill on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, since 2006.
Bates is author of Environmental Law in Australia, Corporate Liability for Pollution" and "Pollution Law in Australia. He is also Editor of the Environment and Planning Law Journal.
Bates received a special award from the National Environmental Law Association in 1994 for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Law.