Ron Wilson (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Charles "Ron" Wilson (born 16 June 1958) is a former Australia
n politician. He was the Liberal
member for Bennettswood
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
from 1999 to 2002.
Wilson was born in Mildura
to Ronald Ernest Wilson and Jane Davidson Forbes, and attended Catholic
schools in Ballarat
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
in 1980 from Monash University
and had a long history with the Liberal Party
. In 1984 he became Research Assistant to the Deputy President of the Senate
. In 1990 he became Senior Policy Advisor to Rod Atkinson
, the federal member for Isaacs
, and in 1992 moved to the office of the state Minister for Housing and Aged Care and to the Minister for Health in 1996. He had run for the state seat of Mildura
unsuccessfully in 1982.
In 1999 he was elected as the Liberal member for Bennettswood
in the Victorian Parliament. In 2001 he was made Opposition Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Industrial Relations, and in 2002 was promoted to the shadow ministry as Shadow Minister for Health. However, in 2002 his seat was abolished, and he was defeated running for the new seat of Mount Waverley
. Following his defeat he became Chief of Staff to the Opposition Leader. Since 2006 he has been the Executive Director of the Health Insurance Restricted Membership Association of 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 the Liberal
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 Bennettswood
Electoral district of Bennettswood
Electoral district of Bennetswood was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria.-Members for Bennetswood:...
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
from 1999 to 2002.
Wilson was born in Mildura
Mildura, Victoria
Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
to Ronald Ernest Wilson and Jane Davidson Forbes, and attended Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
schools in Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
. He received his 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...
in 1980 from Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
and had a long history with 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...
. In 1984 he became Research Assistant to the Deputy President of the Senate
President of the Australian Senate
The President of the Australian Senate is the presiding officer of the Australian Senate, the upper house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer of the lower house is the Speaker of the House of Representatives....
. In 1990 he became Senior Policy Advisor to Rod Atkinson
Rod Atkinson
Rodney Alexander Atkinson was an Australian Liberal Party politician who represented the Division of Isaacs in the House of Representatives from 1990 to 1996....
, the federal member for Isaacs
Division of Isaacs
The Division of Isaacs is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, on the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay...
, and in 1992 moved to the office of the state Minister for Housing and Aged Care and to the Minister for Health in 1996. He had run for the state seat of Mildura
Electoral district of Mildura
Mildura is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is a 27,162 km² rural electorate in the far-north-west of the state, encompassing the regional towns of Hopetoun, Mildura, Ouyen, Red Cliffs and Robinvale...
unsuccessfully in 1982.
In 1999 he was elected as the Liberal member for Bennettswood
Electoral district of Bennettswood
Electoral district of Bennetswood was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria.-Members for Bennetswood:...
in the Victorian Parliament. In 2001 he was made Opposition Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Industrial Relations, and in 2002 was promoted to the shadow ministry as Shadow Minister for Health. However, in 2002 his seat was abolished, and he was defeated running for the new seat of Mount Waverley
Electoral district of Mount Waverley
The Electoral District of Mount Waverley is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It is located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and contains the suburbs of Glen Waverley, Mount Waverley and Syndal....
. Following his defeat he became Chief of Staff to the Opposition Leader. Since 2006 he has been the Executive Director of the Health Insurance Restricted Membership Association of Australia.