Jamie Parker (politician)
Encyclopedia
Jamie Thomas Parker MP, an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing Balmain
for the Greens
since 2011
. Parker is the first Green to represent his party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.
.
Parker stood for and was elected to Leichhardt Council
in 1999 as a Green. Parker was subsequently re-elected in 2004 and 2008. Whilst on Council he has served as chair of the Environment Committee, as Deputy Mayor and, since 2008, as the Mayor of Leichhardt.
Parker has served as the Convener of NSW Greens
.
Parker won the seat of Balmain from Labor's Verity Firth
at the 2011 State election
.
Parker is the first member of the NSW Greens to sit in the Lower House of the New South Wales Parliament. Parker's portfolio responsibilities within the Greens include: Sydney Harbour Ferries, buses in the Inner West, Barangaroo
, public housing in Glebe and the closure of Balmain Hospital 24-hour Emergency Department.
when his parents were on a visit to the UK. His family had earlier migrated to Australia in 1968. His father was a fitter and worked at the Balmain ship yards.
Parker attended Macquarie University
where he took a degree in Economics. Later he received a Masters Degree with Honours in Political Economy from the University of Sydney. He spent part of his Masters Degree living in Bangkok, Thailand and studying at Thammasat University
.
When he left university he worked in The Greens parliamentary office for several years, then left to establish his own business. Parker was marketing manager of Cat Media, a company which was the subject of 41 complaints upheld by the Therapeutic Goods Administration
between 2000 and 2006 for misleading advertising and exploiting consumers. Parker denied responsibility, saying "It wasn't my role to be putting together advertising and copywriting, I was positioning the stuff in pharmacies".
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 Balmain
Electoral district of Balmain
Balmain is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's Inner West. It includes the suburbs and localities of Annandale, Balmain, Balmain East, Birchgrove, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Glebe Island, Haberfield, Leichhardt, Lilyfield, Rozelle,...
for the Greens
Greens New South Wales
The Greens New South Wales is the state Greens party in New South Wales. It is a member party of the Australian Greens. The Greens NSW have one member in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly , five members in the New South Wales Legislative Council...
since 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...
. Parker is the first Green to represent his party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.
Political career
Parker has been active in social justice and environmental issues for many years and whilst at University was elected the NSW President and subsequently the National Environment Officer of the National Union of StudentsNational Union of Students (Australia)
The National Union of Students is the peak representative body for Australian university students. Most student unions in Australian campuses are affiliated to NUS...
.
Parker stood for and was elected to Leichhardt Council
Municipality of Leichhardt
The Municipality of Leichhardt is a Local Government Area in the inner-west of Sydney, in state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The Municipality of Leichhardt stands on land that traditionally belonged to the Gadigal and Wangal people, of the Eora nation...
in 1999 as a Green. Parker was subsequently re-elected in 2004 and 2008. Whilst on Council he has served as chair of the Environment Committee, as Deputy Mayor and, since 2008, as the Mayor of Leichhardt.
Parker has served as the Convener of NSW Greens
Greens New South Wales
The Greens New South Wales is the state Greens party in New South Wales. It is a member party of the Australian Greens. The Greens NSW have one member in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly , five members in the New South Wales Legislative Council...
.
Parker won the seat of Balmain from Labor's Verity Firth
Verity Firth
Verity Helen Firth is the Chief Executive Officer of the Public Education Foundation in Australia and a former politician....
at the 2011 State 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...
.
Parker is the first member of the NSW Greens to sit in the Lower House of the New South Wales Parliament. Parker's portfolio responsibilities within the Greens include: Sydney Harbour Ferries, buses in the Inner West, Barangaroo
Barangaroo, New South Wales
Barangaroo is an inner-city area of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the north-western edge of the Sydney central business district and the southern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge...
, public housing in Glebe and the closure of Balmain Hospital 24-hour Emergency Department.
Personal
Parker was born the second of four children in the English Midlands market town of WellingboroughWellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
when his parents were on a visit to the UK. His family had earlier migrated to Australia in 1968. His father was a fitter and worked at the Balmain ship yards.
Parker attended Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
where he took a degree in Economics. Later he received a Masters Degree with Honours in Political Economy from the University of Sydney. He spent part of his Masters Degree living in Bangkok, Thailand and studying at Thammasat University
Thammasat University
Thammasat University , or in brief TU , is Thailand's second oldest university. Officially established on 27 June 1934, the university was originally named by founder Pridi Banomyong, University of Moral Science and Politics , reflecting the political fervor of the time...
.
When he left university he worked in The Greens parliamentary office for several years, then left to establish his own business. Parker was marketing manager of Cat Media, a company which was the subject of 41 complaints upheld by the Therapeutic Goods Administration
Therapeutic Goods Administration
The Therapeutic Goods Administration is the regulatory body for therapeutic goods in Australia . It is a Division of the Australian Department of Health and Ageing established under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 ...
between 2000 and 2006 for misleading advertising and exploiting consumers. Parker denied responsibility, saying "It wasn't my role to be putting together advertising and copywriting, I was positioning the stuff in pharmacies".