Paul Toole
Encyclopedia
Paul Toole, an Australian politician, is the independent
Mayor
of Bathurst Regional Council
(BRC) since 2007, having previously served as a Councillor
on BRC from 2005, and before that, serving as a Councillor on the now defunct Evans Shire Council from 1995–2005. Toole is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, representing Bathurst for the National Party of Australia
since 26 March 2011
.
, in the central west
of New South Wales. Toole's father was a thrice-unsucessful candidate for state and federal political office, representing the National Party at the 1984
and 1995
state elections for Bathurst and the 1996 federal election, for Calare
. Paul Toole's grandfather, Jack Toole, was an unsucessful Liberal
candidate at 1956 state election
, also for Bathurst.
Toole began teaching at Assumption Primary School in Bathurst in 1995.
On 30 October 2010, Toole was the sole nominee that sought and gained endorsement by the National Party as the candidate for the state seat of Bathurst. At the March 2011 elections, Toole was elected and recorded a swing of 36.3% in the tradionally Labor seat, winning 74.8% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis. Toole's main competitor was Labor
candidate, Dale Turner; and his election followed the retirement of Labor member, Gerard Martin
.
Following his election to state political office, Toole announced his decision to immediately retire from teaching and step down as Mayor in September 2011. He stated that he will remain on Council until the 2012 local government elections.
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...
Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Bathurst Regional Council
Bathurst Regional Council
Bathurst Regional Council administers the Bathurst Region Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately 200 km west of Sydney and has a population of 37,001 . It is on the Great Western Highway, Mid-Western Highway, Mitchell Highway and the Main Western railway...
(BRC) since 2007, having previously served as a 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...
on BRC from 2005, and before that, serving as a Councillor on the now defunct Evans Shire Council from 1995–2005. Toole is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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 Bathurst for the National Party of Australia
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
since 26 March 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
Toole is one of nine children raised by Trevor and Eileen Toole, of Peel, a village outside BathurstBathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, in the central west
Central West, New South Wales
The Central West region refers to the area west of the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. It has an area of 63,262 square kilometers....
of New South Wales. Toole's father was a thrice-unsucessful candidate for state and federal political office, representing the National Party at the 1984
New South Wales state election, 1984
Elections were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 24 March 1984. The Labor government led by Neville Wran won a fourth term in office, although with a reduced margin and a 7% swing against it....
and 1995
New South Wales state election, 1995
Elections to the 51st Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 25 March 1995. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The minority Liberal Party of Australia-led Coalition government of Premier John Fahey was defeated by...
state elections for Bathurst and the 1996 federal election, for Calare
Division of Calare
The Division of Calare is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was first contested at the 1906 election and is named for the local Aboriginal name for the Lachlan River, which runs through the western part of the division...
. Paul Toole's grandfather, Jack Toole, was an unsucessful Liberal
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...
candidate at 1956 state election
New South Wales state election, 1956
The 1956 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1956. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution...
, also for Bathurst.
Toole began teaching at Assumption Primary School in Bathurst in 1995.
Political career
In the same year, Toole was elected a concillor to Evans Shire Council. Evans was amalgamated with Bathurst to create the Bathurst Regional Council in 2005. He was elected to the new Council that year, filling the post of Deputy Mayor, becoming Mayor in 2007.On 30 October 2010, Toole was the sole nominee that sought and gained endorsement by the National Party as the candidate for the state seat of Bathurst. At the March 2011 elections, Toole was elected and recorded a swing of 36.3% in the tradionally Labor seat, winning 74.8% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis. Toole's main competitor was 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...
candidate, Dale Turner; and his election followed the retirement of Labor member, Gerard Martin
Gerard Martin
Gerard Francis Martin MP , a former Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Bathurst between 1999 and 2011 for the Australian Labor Party....
.
Following his election to state political office, Toole announced his decision to immediately retire from teaching and step down as Mayor in September 2011. He stated that he will remain on Council until the 2012 local government elections.