Diane Beamer
Encyclopedia
Diane Beamer (born 15 July 1960) is a former Australian politician. She was a member of the New South Wales
Legislative Assembly
between 1995–2011 representing the electorates of Badgerys Creek
(1995–1999) and Mulgoa
(1999–2011) for the Australian Labor Party
.
(BA). She is married to Sydney journalist David Humphries and has 6 children (Lauren Calliope, Alex, Julia, Michael, Georgia and Madeleine) from a previous marriage to Senator Steve Hutchins
.
Beamer is a member of the Board of Ripples Aquatic Centre and a Parliamentary Patron of the Spokeswomen Program.
Beamer was elected a Councillor
of Penrith City Council
1989-95, was Deputy Mayor from 1992 to 1993 and Mayor from 1993 to 1994.
in 1991, but was elected to it in 1995. Following Badgerys Creek's abolition, she was elected as Member for Mulgoa
in 1999, which she has held to date. In April 2003, she became Minister Assisting the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning (Planning Administration), Minister for Juvenile Justice and Minister for Western Sydney.
She was an electoral officer for the Hon. John Brown, whilst he was Minister for Sport and Tourism from 1985 to 1989.
approved a development application for a shopping centre at Orange Grove, in Warwick Farm
, just north of central Liverpool
, consisting primarily of factory outlets in an area zoned
under its Local Environment Plan (LEP) for industrial uses, in which retailing was generally forbidden, except for a limited range of "bulky goods" or goods produced on the premises. The Westfield Group successfully overturned the approval in court, as being contrary to the Council's LEP, and the court ordered the closure of the centre's retail activities in January 2004, with a deadline ultimately extended to 30 June 2004.
On 16 June 2004, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources
, advised Beamer, as Minister Assisting the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning (Planning Administration), to approve a variation of the LEP which would have retrospectively validated the planning approval for the shopping centre. This recommendation was contradicted by the Department's head, Jennifer Westacott, on 25 June 2004. Ms Beamer's Chief of Staff, Michael Meagher, later told the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC),"…what we had was something I'd never seen before. It was highly unusual, and it was, I suppose confusing in a way too." After further discussions with Ms Westacott, Beamer declined to approve the proposed variation on the grounds that the shopping centre tended to undermine the viability of the Liverpool
shopping centre, on 8 July 2004. The owners of the Orange Grove centre subsequently claimed that this decision was corrupt, leading to an investigation by ICAC, which made no findings of corruption against any person.
became Premier in August 2005, Beamer became Minister for Fair Trading and Minister assisting the Minister for Commerce, while continuing to be Minister for Western Sydney. She left the ministry following the 2007 election and chose not to recontest the 2011 election
.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. 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...
between 1995–2011 representing the electorates of Badgerys Creek
Electoral district of Badgerys Creek
Badgerys Creek was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1991 to 1999, which included the suburb of Badgerys Creek. It replaced Minchinbury.-Members for Badgerys Creek:-Election results:...
(1995–1999) and Mulgoa
Electoral district of Mulgoa
Mulgoa is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by Tanya Davies of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for Mulgoa:-Election results:...
(1999–2011) for the Australian Labor Party
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...
.
Early life and background
Beamer joined Labor in 1975. She graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor 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...
(BA). She is married to Sydney journalist David Humphries and has 6 children (Lauren Calliope, Alex, Julia, Michael, Georgia and Madeleine) from a previous marriage to Senator Steve Hutchins
Steve Hutchins
Stephen Patrick Hutchins , Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales since October 1998, representing the Australian Labor Party.Hutchins was born in Sydney...
.
Beamer is a member of the Board of Ripples Aquatic Centre and a Parliamentary Patron of the Spokeswomen Program.
Beamer was elected a Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
of Penrith City Council
City of Penrith
The City of Penrith is a Local Government Area in Sydney, located about west of Sydney's central business district.- History :The Municipality of Penrith was incorporated on 12 May 1871 under the Municipalities Act 1858. On 3 March 1890, St Marys was separately incorporated, and on 26 July 1893...
1989-95, was Deputy Mayor from 1992 to 1993 and Mayor from 1993 to 1994.
New South Wales parliamentary career
Beamer ran unsuccessfully for the seat of Badgerys CreekElectoral district of Badgerys Creek
Badgerys Creek was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1991 to 1999, which included the suburb of Badgerys Creek. It replaced Minchinbury.-Members for Badgerys Creek:-Election results:...
in 1991, but was elected to it in 1995. Following Badgerys Creek's abolition, she was elected as Member for Mulgoa
Electoral district of Mulgoa
Mulgoa is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by Tanya Davies of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for Mulgoa:-Election results:...
in 1999, which she has held to date. In April 2003, she became Minister Assisting the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning (Planning Administration), Minister for Juvenile Justice and Minister for Western Sydney.
She was an electoral officer for the Hon. John Brown, whilst he was Minister for Sport and Tourism from 1985 to 1989.
Orange Grove Affair
In 2003, an officer of Liverpool City CouncilCity of Liverpool, New South Wales
The City of Liverpool is a Local Government Area to the southwest of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:It is one of the oldest urban settlements in Australia, founded in 1810 as an agricultural centre by Governor Lachlan Macquarie...
approved a development application for a shopping centre at Orange Grove, in Warwick Farm
Warwick Farm, New South Wales
Warwick Farm is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.Warwick Farm is located 30 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool and is part of the South-western Sydney region.-History:This area was occupied by...
, just north of central Liverpool
Liverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
, consisting primarily of factory outlets in an area zoned
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
under its Local Environment Plan (LEP) for industrial uses, in which retailing was generally forbidden, except for a limited range of "bulky goods" or goods produced on the premises. The Westfield Group successfully overturned the approval in court, as being contrary to the Council's LEP, and the court ordered the closure of the centre's retail activities in January 2004, with a deadline ultimately extended to 30 June 2004.
On 16 June 2004, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources
New South Wales Department of Planning
The New South Wales Department of Planning and Infrastructure, a department of the New South Wales Government, is responsibile for the long-term planning for the regions of New South Wales and driving well-located housing and employment land...
, advised Beamer, as Minister Assisting the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning (Planning Administration), to approve a variation of the LEP which would have retrospectively validated the planning approval for the shopping centre. This recommendation was contradicted by the Department's head, Jennifer Westacott, on 25 June 2004. Ms Beamer's Chief of Staff, Michael Meagher, later told the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC),"…what we had was something I'd never seen before. It was highly unusual, and it was, I suppose confusing in a way too." After further discussions with Ms Westacott, Beamer declined to approve the proposed variation on the grounds that the shopping centre tended to undermine the viability of the Liverpool
Liverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
shopping centre, on 8 July 2004. The owners of the Orange Grove centre subsequently claimed that this decision was corrupt, leading to an investigation by ICAC, which made no findings of corruption against any person.
2005 reshuffle
When Morris IemmaMorris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
became Premier in August 2005, Beamer became Minister for Fair Trading and Minister assisting the Minister for Commerce, while continuing to be Minister for Western Sydney. She left the ministry following the 2007 election and chose not to recontest the 2011 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...
.