Greg Aplin
Encyclopedia
Gregory John "Greg" Aplin MP (born 9 October 1952), an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing Albury for the Liberal Party of Australia
since 2003
.
, now Zambia
, on 9 October 1952. He studied at the University of Cape Town
, graduating with a Batchelor of Arts with Honours. He worked for the Rhodesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before doing National Service
with the British South Africa Police
between 1975 and 1977, during which time he was awarded the General Service Medal. He returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was given a three years posting to Sydney. In 1980 he then returned to the newly independent Zimbabwe
to work for the government in regional development, and arranging state visits.
Greg Aplin has been married to his wife Jill since 1975 and together they have four children. Aplin is a Rotarian
and has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, given to members who donate US$1,000 to Rotary International.
, Orange
, and Albury
, where he became station manager of Prime Television
AMV-4
, a post he held for 13 years. He won a Logie Award
as the Executive Producer of a television programme. In 2001, when Australia's regional television stations were centralising, he became the Administration Manager for the University of New South Wales
School of Rural Health in Albury and Wagga Wagga
. A year later he became a researcher and media adviser for Member for Farrer
, Sussan Ley
.
announced his retirement, Aplin was preselected as the Liberal Party's candidate for the seat in the 2003 state election. He received more than 16,826 first preference votes, out polling the nearest candidate, Albury City Councillor and Independent candidate, Clare Douglas, who received 8,595 first preference votes. Another two Albury City councillors polled third and fourth, with Olympian Rob Ballard receiving 5,267 votes, and Labor Party
candidate Nico Matthews receiving 4,710 votes, respectively.
Aplin was appointed to the Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management in Public Affairs Committee two months after his election to the Parliament, and is the Parliamentary Ambassador for Keep Australia Beautiful
. He was appointed to the Public Accounts Committee in October 2005. In March 2006, Peter Debnam
(who was Opposition leader at the time) promoted Aplin to the Opposition front bench as the Shadow Minister for Housing. Aplin was re-elected at the 2007 and 2011
general elections. Prior to the 2011 general election, Aplin held the Shadow Portfolio of Mental Health and Aboriginal Affairs. However, Aplin was not selected to join the O'Farrell ministry
.
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 Albury 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 2003
New South Wales state election, 2003
Elections to the 53rd Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 22 March 2003. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
.
Early life and background
Aplin was born in Northern RhodesiaNorthern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
, now Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, on 9 October 1952. He studied at the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
, graduating with a Batchelor of Arts with Honours. He worked for the Rhodesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before doing National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
with the British South Africa Police
British South Africa Police
The British South Africa Police was the police force of the British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes which became the national police force of Southern Rhodesia and its successor after 1965, Rhodesia...
between 1975 and 1977, during which time he was awarded the General Service Medal. He returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was given a three years posting to Sydney. In 1980 he then returned to the newly independent Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
to work for the government in regional development, and arranging state visits.
Greg Aplin has been married to his wife Jill since 1975 and together they have four children. Aplin is a Rotarian
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
and has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, given to members who donate US$1,000 to Rotary International.
Television
Aplin moved to Australia in 1981 and began working in television. He worked in WollongongWollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
, Orange
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
, and Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
, where he became station manager of Prime Television
Prime Television
PRIME7 is an Australian television network owned by Prime Media Group Limited. Prime Television launched on 17 March 1962 as CBN/CWN in Orange and Dubbo, New South Wales, and has since expanded to cover regional New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as a Seven Network...
AMV-4
RVN-2/AMV-4
AMV is an Australian television station licensed to, and serving the regions surrounding Wagga Wagga and Albury-Wodonga in south western New South Wales and north eastern Victoria. The station was, for many years, merged with RVN-2 as the Riverina and North East Victoria Television...
, a post he held for 13 years. He won a Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
as the Executive Producer of a television programme. In 2001, when Australia's regional television stations were centralising, he became the Administration Manager for the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
School of Rural Health in Albury and Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
. A year later he became a researcher and media adviser for Member for Farrer
Division of Farrer
The Division of Farrer is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1949 and is named for William Farrer, agricultural scientist. It is located in the southern rural area of the state and includes Albury, Balranald, Deniliquin and Jerilderie. It has always...
, Sussan Ley
Sussan Ley
Sussan Penelope Ley , Australian politician, has been a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives since November 2001, representing the Division of Farrer, New South Wales....
.
Political career
When Ian GlachanIan Glachan
Ian Doric Glachan was an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1988 to 2003, representing the electorate Albury. He was subsequently elected Mayor of the Greater Hume Shire in 2005, but died suddenly the next month.-Early...
announced his retirement, Aplin was preselected as the Liberal Party's candidate for the seat in the 2003 state election. He received more than 16,826 first preference votes, out polling the nearest candidate, Albury City Councillor and Independent candidate, Clare Douglas, who received 8,595 first preference votes. Another two Albury City councillors polled third and fourth, with Olympian Rob Ballard receiving 5,267 votes, and 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...
candidate Nico Matthews receiving 4,710 votes, respectively.
Aplin was appointed to the Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management in Public Affairs Committee two months after his election to the Parliament, and is the Parliamentary Ambassador for Keep Australia Beautiful
Keep Australia Beautiful
Keep Australia Beautiful is a not-for-profit Australian environmental conservation organisation. The Keep Australia Beautiful Council is the federation of independent organisations formed in each of Australian states and territories - the first of which, Keep Australia Beautiful was formed in...
. He was appointed to the Public Accounts Committee in October 2005. In March 2006, Peter Debnam
Peter Debnam
Peter John Debnam , is a former Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Vaucluse between 1994 and 2011. Debnam is a former Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Western Sydney,...
(who was Opposition leader at the time) promoted Aplin to the Opposition front bench as the Shadow Minister for Housing. Aplin was re-elected at the 2007 and 2011
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...
general elections. Prior to the 2011 general election, Aplin held the Shadow Portfolio of Mental Health and Aboriginal Affairs. However, Aplin was not selected to join the O'Farrell ministry
O'Farrell Ministry
The O'Farrell ministry is the 93rd ministry of the Government of New South Wales, and is led by the 43rd Premier Barry O'Farrell.The Liberal–National coalition ministry was formed following the defeat of the Keneally Labor government at the 2011 election...
.