Robert Leslie Brown
Encyclopedia
Robert Leslie Brown is an Australia
n politician. He has been a Shooters and Fishers Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
since May 2006, when he filled a casual vacancy sparked by the retirement of long-time party leader John Tingle
. Brown, formerly the party's chairman, is one of only two Shooters and Fishers Party members currently represented in an Australian parliament.
Brown was born into a working-class family in the Sydney
suburb of Leichhardt
. He was raised and attended school in the Ryde district, where he took an interest in hunting
. He left school in 1966 at the age of 15 to take an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard, rising to become plant superintendent. Brown left the dockyard in 1978 to take up a management position with a subsidiary of Lend Lease, and remained with the group when it was sold to James Hardie Industries in 1985. He was also involved in a partnership operating a game fishing charter business in Fiji
from the 1970s until 1982. He is married with two sons.
Having taken an interest in hunting from an early age, Brown joined the Shooters Party
soon after its creation. He was elected to the state committee in 1994, and served in that role until his election as party chairman in 2005. Brown also became involved with a number of shooting lobby groups, serving as state president of the Australian Deer Association
from 1995 to 1998 and becoming a life member of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia
. In his most recent role as chairman of the party, he was heavily involved in lobbying for the passage of the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002
, which saw a reduction in restrictions placed upon hunting of feral animals. His role as chairman meant that he emerged as a leading contender to enter parliament when long-serving MLC and party leader John Tingle
announced his intention to retire in late 2005.
Brown was duly confirmed by the party's state conference, and when Tingle formally resigned in May 2006, Brown was appointed to the resulting casual vacancy in the Legislative Council.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He has been a Shooters and Fishers Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
since May 2006, when he filled a casual vacancy sparked by the retirement of long-time party leader John Tingle
John Tingle
John Saxon Tingle is a former Australian politician. Born in Edgecliff, New South Wales, he was a broadcaster and news editor at Deniliquin from 1949 to 1951 before becoming a journalist for the ABC from 1951 to 1968. During that time he was Supervisor of ABCTV News and Chief of Staff of the ABC...
. Brown, formerly the party's chairman, is one of only two Shooters and Fishers Party members currently represented in an Australian parliament.
Brown was born into a working-class family in the 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...
suburb of Leichhardt
Leichhardt, New South Wales
Leichhardt is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Leichhardt is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt...
. He was raised and attended school in the Ryde district, where he took an interest in hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. He left school in 1966 at the age of 15 to take an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard, rising to become plant superintendent. Brown left the dockyard in 1978 to take up a management position with a subsidiary of Lend Lease, and remained with the group when it was sold to James Hardie Industries in 1985. He was also involved in a partnership operating a game fishing charter business in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
from the 1970s until 1982. He is married with two sons.
Having taken an interest in hunting from an early age, Brown joined the Shooters Party
Shooters Party
The Shooters and Fishers Party, formerly known as the Shooters Party, is an Australian state political party. It is registered for state elections in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia...
soon after its creation. He was elected to the state committee in 1994, and served in that role until his election as party chairman in 2005. Brown also became involved with a number of shooting lobby groups, serving as state president of the Australian Deer Association
Australian Deer Association
The Australian Deer Association is a national hunting and deer conservation organisation. It was set up in 1969 to promote wild deer herds and recreational deer hunting...
from 1995 to 1998 and becoming a life member of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia
Sporting Shooters Association of Australia
The Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia was established in 1948 to promote shooting sports and protect firearm owners' interests. The SSAA currently has over 120,000 members, making it the largest body representing licensed firearm owners in Australia, and covers all aspects of shooting...
. In his most recent role as chairman of the party, he was heavily involved in lobbying for the passage of the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002
Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002
The Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002 is an act to manage and regulate the hunting of game in New South Wales in Australia.The Act established the Game Council New South Wales.-External links:* at the New South Wales Government...
, which saw a reduction in restrictions placed upon hunting of feral animals. His role as chairman meant that he emerged as a leading contender to enter parliament when long-serving MLC and party leader John Tingle
John Tingle
John Saxon Tingle is a former Australian politician. Born in Edgecliff, New South Wales, he was a broadcaster and news editor at Deniliquin from 1949 to 1951 before becoming a journalist for the ABC from 1951 to 1968. During that time he was Supervisor of ABCTV News and Chief of Staff of the ABC...
announced his intention to retire in late 2005.
Brown was duly confirmed by the party's state conference, and when Tingle formally resigned in May 2006, Brown was appointed to the resulting casual vacancy in the Legislative Council.