Rob Stokes
Encyclopedia
Robert "Rob" Gordon Stokes BA
, LLM
MP (born 17 January 1974), an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing Pittwater
for the Liberal Party of Australia
since 2007. He is currently the NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy.
. He attended Shore School and obtained his Higher School Certificate in 1991. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws, a Master of Laws and Doctorate of Philosophy at Macquarie University
, a Diploma of Bible Studies (MTC), and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
Stokes was an associate with the law firm David Begg & Associates in Martin Place, Sydney
. He also worked in a number of other legal firms including one at Mona Vale. He subsequently became a lecturer in the Division of Law at Macquarie University. He became a member of the Young Lawyers Association of New South Wales and was a member of both the Environmental Law and CLE Committees. He became a Presidential Nominee in 2004 and was elected to Executive Council at the 2004 Annual Assembly.
John Brogden, the Member for Pittwater. When Brogden resigned in controversial circumstances, the 2005 by-election
was won by independent
candidate Alex McTaggart
i what many described as a shock result. Less than two years later, Stokes regained the seat for the Liberals at the 2007 general election. He was elected with a swing of 26.9 per cent, and won the seat with 59.4 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis.
After the election, Stokes established his electorate office in Mona Vale. His first policy advisor and press secretary was former ABC and BBC journalist Peter Heaton-Jones
, who left in December 2007 when selected as a Conservative Party candidate in the UK. He has been replaced by Macquarie University graduate Andrew Johnston. The electorate office manager is Jill Dubois, who held the same post under previous Liberal member John Brogden. It is one of several links between the two men; Stokes was Brogden's policy advisor, and the two families are close friends. Stokes paid tribute to John Brogden in his inaugural speech to the NSW Parliament on 31 May 2007.
At the 2011 general election
, Stokes was re-elected with a swing of 21.7 per cent and won the seat with 84.5 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis. Stokes' main competitor was the Greens
Jonathan King. Following the election, Stokes was appointed as NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy in the O'Farrell
–Stoner
Liberal/National
coalition
government.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, LLM
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
MP (born 17 January 1974), an Australian politician, 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 Pittwater
Electoral district of Pittwater
Pittwater is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. Located in Sydney's north-east, it is 175.32 km² in size, and comprises the local government area of Pittwater Council and parts of Warringah Council...
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 2007. He is currently the NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy.
Early life and background
Stokes grew up in Mona ValeMona Vale, New South Wales
Mona Vale is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 28 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Pittwater Council. Mona Vale is also part of the Northern Beaches region.-...
. He attended Shore School and obtained his Higher School Certificate in 1991. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws, a Master of Laws and Doctorate of Philosophy at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, a Diploma of Bible Studies (MTC), and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
Stokes was an associate with the law firm David Begg & Associates in Martin Place, Sydney
Martin Place, Sydney
Martin Place, formerly known as Moore Street, is a pedestrian mall in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Macquarie Bank and other corporations, Martin Place is synonymous with corporate...
. He also worked in a number of other legal firms including one at Mona Vale. He subsequently became a lecturer in the Division of Law at Macquarie University. He became a member of the Young Lawyers Association of New South Wales and was a member of both the Environmental Law and CLE Committees. He became a Presidential Nominee in 2004 and was elected to Executive Council at the 2004 Annual Assembly.
Political career
Stokes was a policy advisor to Liberal Opposition LeaderLeader of the Opposition (New South Wales)
The role of the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in New South Wales is a title held by the leader of the largest minority party in the state lower house, the New South Wales Legislative Assembly...
John Brogden, the Member for Pittwater. When Brogden resigned in controversial circumstances, the 2005 by-election
Pittwater state by-election, 2005
A by-election was staged in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly district of Pittwater on 26 November 2005. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member and former Liberal Party leader John Brogden....
was won by 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...
candidate Alex McTaggart
Alex McTaggart
Alex McTaggart MP, a former Australian politician, was an independent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Pittwater between 2005 and 2007...
i what many described as a shock result. Less than two years later, Stokes regained the seat for the Liberals at the 2007 general election. He was elected with a swing of 26.9 per cent, and won the seat with 59.4 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis.
After the election, Stokes established his electorate office in Mona Vale. His first policy advisor and press secretary was former ABC and BBC journalist Peter Heaton-Jones
Peter Heaton-Jones
Peter Heaton-Jones, , is a British politician and journalist who has held senior positions in the media and politics in both the UK and Australia....
, who left in December 2007 when selected as a Conservative Party candidate in the UK. He has been replaced by Macquarie University graduate Andrew Johnston. The electorate office manager is Jill Dubois, who held the same post under previous Liberal member John Brogden. It is one of several links between the two men; Stokes was Brogden's policy advisor, and the two families are close friends. Stokes paid tribute to John Brogden in his inaugural speech to the NSW Parliament on 31 May 2007.
At the 2011 general election
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...
, Stokes was re-elected with a swing of 21.7 per cent and won the seat with 84.5 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis. Stokes' main competitor was the Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
Jonathan King. Following the election, Stokes was appointed as NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy in the O'Farrell
Barry O'Farrell
Barry Robert O'Farrell MP, is an Australian politician and is the 43rd Premier of New South Wales, Minister for Western Sydney, Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Ku-ring-gai for the Liberal Party since 1999.Born in...
–Stoner
Andrew Stoner
Andrew John Stoner is an Australian politician, Deputy Premier of New South Wales and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the seat of Oxley since the 1999 state election, and the Leader of the New South Wales National Party since 31 March 2003...
Liberal/National
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...
coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
government.