Steve Wettenhall
Encyclopedia
Stephen Peter Arthur "Steve" Wettenhall (born 15 February 1963) is the Australian Labor Party
MP for the Queensland
state electorate of Barron River
. He was first elected in the 2006 Queensland state election.
, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Laws at Monash University
where he was politically active on campus and was elected by the student body as Chair of the Monash Association of Students. He established his own legal firm in Cairns
in 1993. For the next 13 years he specialised in criminal defence advocacy. His firm expanded and accepted instructions in a wide variety of matters including criminal injuries compensation and discrimination and employment cases. He also continued to represent indigenous clients in Cape York and was retained periodically by Aboriginal legal services in the Torres Strait
, Gulf of Carpentaria
, Mount Isa and Cairns to represent their clients. He takes a very strong and active interest in environment and conservation issues and has served two terms as President of the Cairns & Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC).
He is also a member of the Regional Queensland Council reporting to the Minister for Communities. In this role he is an ex-officio member of the FNQ Regional Disability Council, a ministerial advisory body, and also chairs the FNQ Ministerial Regional Community Forums.
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...
MP for the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
state electorate of Barron River
Electoral district of Barron River
-External links:*...
. He was first elected in the 2006 Queensland state election.
Politics
Born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Laws at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
where he was politically active on campus and was elected by the student body as Chair of the Monash Association of Students. He established his own legal firm in Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
in 1993. For the next 13 years he specialised in criminal defence advocacy. His firm expanded and accepted instructions in a wide variety of matters including criminal injuries compensation and discrimination and employment cases. He also continued to represent indigenous clients in Cape York and was retained periodically by Aboriginal legal services in the Torres Strait
Torres Strait
The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland...
, Gulf of Carpentaria
Gulf of Carpentaria
The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the Arafura Sea...
, Mount Isa and Cairns to represent their clients. He takes a very strong and active interest in environment and conservation issues and has served two terms as President of the Cairns & Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC).
State committee service
Wettenhall is a member of the panel of temporary Speakers and a member of the Legal, Constitutional and Administrative Review Committee (LCARC) and a member of the Investigation into Altruistic Surrogacy Select Committee (SURROGACY). He also sits on the Parliamentary Caucus Committees for:- Attorney General/Justice
- Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation
- Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
- Main Roads and Local Government
- Mines and Energy
He is also a member of the Regional Queensland Council reporting to the Minister for Communities. In this role he is an ex-officio member of the FNQ Regional Disability Council, a ministerial advisory body, and also chairs the FNQ Ministerial Regional Community Forums.