Bruce MacCarthy
Encyclopedia
Bruce Edward MacCarthy is a former Australia
n politician. He was the Liberal Party
member for Strathfield
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1996 to 1999.
MacCarthy was born in Denistone
, a suburb of Sydney
, to parents Thornton and Constance. He attended Homebush
Boys' High School, graduating in 1965. He attended the University of Sydney
from 1966 to 1968, where he received a Bachelor of Science
(Pure Mathematics
), and joined the Liberal Party
on 14 March 1967. On 8 August 1974 he married Leanne Gaye Hilder at Concord
, with whom he had three daughters. He received a Bachelor of Economics (Public Finance) in 1976 from the University of New England
, and worked as a public sector manager. His most prominent position was as Manager of Public Affairs for the Electricity Association of New South Wales, 1988–95.
In 1996, the Liberal MP for the local state seat of Strathfield
, Paul Zammit
, resigned to contest the Australian House of Representatives
. MacCarthy was selected as the Liberal candidate for the resulting by-election, which he won with little difficulty. In 1999, however, Strathfield was redistributed and took in large parts of Ashfield
, a Labor
seat. Although the margin was still notionally Liberal, MacCarthy was resoundingly defeated by Ashfield Labor MP Paul Whelan
.
After his defeat, MacCarthy worked as a part time member of the New South Wales Election Funding Authority until 2003. In 2006 he was appointed a senior member of the Migration Review Tribunal.
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 was the Liberal Party
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...
member for Strathfield
Electoral district of Strathfield
Strathfield is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was first created in 1988, and derives its name from the suburb of the same name. Strathfield is an urban electorate, covering 17.94 km² and taking in the suburbs of Strathfield,...
in 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...
from 1996 to 1999.
MacCarthy was born in Denistone
Denistone, New South Wales
Denistone is a suburb in the Northern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Denistone is located 16 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Ryde...
, a suburb of 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...
, to parents Thornton and Constance. He attended Homebush
Homebush, New South Wales
Homebush is an inner western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Homebush is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield. Homebush West and Homebush Bay are separate suburbs...
Boys' High School, graduating in 1965. He attended 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...
from 1966 to 1968, where he received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
(Pure Mathematics
Pure mathematics
Broadly speaking, pure mathematics is mathematics which studies entirely abstract concepts. From the eighteenth century onwards, this was a recognized category of mathematical activity, sometimes characterized as speculative mathematics, and at variance with the trend towards meeting the needs of...
), and joined the Liberal Party
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...
on 14 March 1967. On 8 August 1974 he married Leanne Gaye Hilder at Concord
Concord, New South Wales
Concord is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay....
, with whom he had three daughters. He received a Bachelor of Economics (Public Finance) in 1976 from the University of New England
University of New England (Australia)
The University of New England is an Australian public university with approximately 18,000 higher education students. Its original and main campus is located in the city of Armidale in northern New South Wales....
, and worked as a public sector manager. His most prominent position was as Manager of Public Affairs for the Electricity Association of New South Wales, 1988–95.
In 1996, the Liberal MP for the local state seat of Strathfield
Electoral district of Strathfield
Strathfield is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was first created in 1988, and derives its name from the suburb of the same name. Strathfield is an urban electorate, covering 17.94 km² and taking in the suburbs of Strathfield,...
, Paul Zammit
Paul Zammit
Paul Zammit is a former Australian Liberal politician.Zammit was born in Alexandria, Egypt. He was first the state member for Burwood from 1984 to 1988; then, after Burwood was abolished, he became state member for Strathfield from 1988 to 1996...
, resigned to contest the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
. MacCarthy was selected as the Liberal candidate for the resulting by-election, which he won with little difficulty. In 1999, however, Strathfield was redistributed and took in large parts of Ashfield
Electoral district of Ashfield
Ashfield was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, first created in 1894 with the abolition of multi-member electoral districts from part of Canterbury, and named after the Sydney suburb of Ashfield. It was abolished in 1920, with the...
, a 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...
seat. Although the margin was still notionally Liberal, MacCarthy was resoundingly defeated by Ashfield Labor MP Paul Whelan
Paul Whelan
The Hon. Paul Francis Patrick Whelan is the former New South Wales State Police minister.-Early years and background:...
.
After his defeat, MacCarthy worked as a part time member of the New South Wales Election Funding Authority until 2003. In 2006 he was appointed a senior member of the Migration Review Tribunal.