Michael Knight (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael Steven Knight AO
(born 21 September 1952) is a former Australia
n politician. He was member for Campbelltown
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1981 and 2001. He served as Minister for the Olympics between 1995 and 2001 in the Carr
Labor
government.
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
with Honours from the University of Sydney
.
at the 1981 election
succeeding Cliff Mallam
who had held the seat for ten years. Knight was originally from the Left faction of the ALP but defected to the Right after a trip in Europe which convinced him that socialism was dead.
Knight remained on the back bench until 1995 when he was appointed to the state Cabinet
with ministerial responsibilities for Public Works and Services, the Olympics and Roads. His responsibilities were later in 1995 reduced to Roads and Olympics. In 1996 this was further reduced to responsibility for the Olympics, a portfolio he held until his retirement in 2001. As Minister for the Olympics he was Chair of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG). For his services to the Olympic movement he was inducted into the Olympic Order
.
In 2007 Knight was appointed to the Chair of the Board of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, the body which manages the day to day running and future development of Sydney Olympic Park
.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 21 September 1952) is a former Australia
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 member for Campbelltown
Electoral district of Campbelltown
Campbelltown is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's South-west.It is represented by Bryan Doyle of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for Campbelltown:-Election results:...
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...
between 1981 and 2001. He served as Minister for the Olympics between 1995 and 2001 in the Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
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...
government.
Education
Knight attended Doonside High School and Cranbrook SchoolCranbrook School Sydney
Cranbrook School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill and Rose Bay, both eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor 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...
with Honours from 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...
.
Career
Knight worked for the Campbelltown City Council as a social planner and parole officer before entering politics.Politics
Knight entered the New South Wales Legislative AssemblyNew 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...
at the 1981 election
New South Wales state election, 1981
Elections were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 19 September 1981. The result was a second "Wranslide": a landslide victory for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran, in which the government increased its already sizeable majority.The Liberals suffered the double...
succeeding Cliff Mallam
Cliff Mallam
Heathcote Clifford Mallam was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1953 and 1968 and between 1971 and 1981. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party ....
who had held the seat for ten years. Knight was originally from the Left faction of the ALP but defected to the Right after a trip in Europe which convinced him that socialism was dead.
Knight remained on the back bench until 1995 when he was appointed to the state Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
with ministerial responsibilities for Public Works and Services, the Olympics and Roads. His responsibilities were later in 1995 reduced to Roads and Olympics. In 1996 this was further reduced to responsibility for the Olympics, a portfolio he held until his retirement in 2001. As Minister for the Olympics he was Chair of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG). For his services to the Olympic movement he was inducted into the Olympic Order
Olympic Order
The Olympic Order is the highest award of the Olympic Movement, created by the International Olympic Committee in May 1975 as a successor to the Olympic Certificate previously awarded. The Olympic Order originally had three grades , although the bronze grade was retired in 1984...
.
In 2007 Knight was appointed to the Chair of the Board of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, the body which manages the day to day running and future development of Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney Olympic Park is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
.