Tim Owen
Encyclopedia
Timothy Francis "Tim" Owen AM MSS MP, is an Australia
n politician and a former deputy commander of the Australian forces. He is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing the electoral district of Newcastle
for the Liberal Party of Australia
since the 2011 New South Wales State election
.
(RAAF), commencing in 1984, and rising to the rank of Air Commodore and Deputy Commander of the Australian Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Owen's career in the RAAF consisted of him holding various ranks and positions including:
In 1978, Owen moved to Williamtown
- the site of a large RAAF military base
and has lived in the region, when not on active duty, for 15 years. He completed a Masters in Strategic Studies (MSS) in 1999 and resigned from the Air Force and the Australian Defence Force
in 2009 and became Chief Exeuctive Officer of CI Agent Solutions, a company that provides oil-spill solutions to the defence and aerospace industry sector.
He is married to Charlotte and they live in Newcastle
with three adult sons.
of Newcastle
, John Tate who was running as an independent
candidate, was most likely to defeat Jodi McKay
, the incumbent Labor member and Minister. Bookies had Owen placed at odds of $5.25 for a win, as an outside chance.
Leaked Labor Party internal polling on the eve of the election showed that Owen and the Liberal Party were well placed to defeat McKay and Tate. The polling showed Owen's primary support at 30 per cent; McKay (Labor) was at 25 per cent; and Tate's vote had "collapsed" to 16 per cent. At the election, Owen achieved a swing of 26.9% and won the seat with 52.6% of the vote on a two party preferred basis.
McKay conceded in a statement to the press that: "The people have had their say... I accept the decision of the Newcastle community that they do not want me to continue in this role." The seat of Newcastle had been held by the Labor Party for its 84 years of existence as a single member electorate, except being held by an independent between 1988 and 1991.
(AM) on 26 January 2007. He received the Australian Active Service Medal and the Iraq
and Afghanistan
campaign medals in 2009.
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 and a former deputy commander of the Australian forces. He is a member of 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...
representing the electoral district of Newcastle
Electoral district of Newcastle
Newcastle is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales named after and including Newcastle. It is represented by Tim Owen of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
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 the 2011 New South Wales 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...
.
Air Force career
Owen served in the Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF), commencing in 1984, and rising to the rank of Air Commodore and Deputy Commander of the Australian Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Owen's career in the RAAF consisted of him holding various ranks and positions including:
- 1984 Flight CommanderFlight LieutenantFlight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
, No 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit - 1985 Three year exchange with USAFUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
- responsible for Counter Air Tactics and Joint Battle Management courses at Tyndall AFBTyndall Air Force BaseTyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
, completed abbreviated AWACSAirborne Warning And Control SystemAirborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, may refer to:* E-3 Sentry, the aircraft developed under the USAF's "Airborne Warning and Control System" program...
conversion - 1990 Completed RAAF Command and Staff College
- 1992 CommanderCommanderCommander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
No 2 Control and Reporting Unit in Darwin - 1995 Chief of StaffChief of StaffThe title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
- Air Defence 41 Wing HQ - 1998 Joint Air Plans, Strategic Command Division
- 1999 Director of Joint Plans
- 2000 Commander Surveillance and Control Group at RAAF WilliamtownRAAF Base WilliamtownRAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base and headquarters to Australia's Tactical Fighter group. The base is located north of the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales in the Local Government Area of Port Stephens. The military base shares its runway facilities with...
- 2005 Commander Surveillance and Response Group
In 1978, Owen moved to Williamtown
Williamtown, New South Wales
Williamtown is a rural suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the main road between Newcastle and Nelson Bay.-Geography:...
- the site of a large RAAF military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
and has lived in the region, when not on active duty, for 15 years. He completed a Masters in Strategic Studies (MSS) in 1999 and resigned from the Air Force and the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
in 2009 and became Chief Exeuctive Officer of CI Agent Solutions, a company that provides oil-spill solutions to the defence and aerospace industry sector.
He is married to Charlotte and they live in Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
with three adult sons.
Political career
In October 2010 Owen joined the Liberal Party and on 11 December 2010 was endorsed as the party's candidate for Newcastle at the 2011 state election. Whilst it was widely reported that Labor's chances were running low in the historically safe seat it was expected that the Lord MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Newcastle
City of Newcastle
Newcastle City Council is a Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia.-Demographics:According to the Australian Bureau Statistics the City of Newcastle had an estimated resident population of 154,777 as of 30 June 2008...
, John Tate who was running as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate, was most likely to defeat Jodi McKay
Jodi McKay
Jodi Leyanne McKay is a former Australian politician who represented the electoral district of Newcastle in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2007 until her defeat at the New South Wales state election, 2011.McKay was the Minister for Tourism and the Minister for the Hunter in the Rees...
, the incumbent Labor member and Minister. Bookies had Owen placed at odds of $5.25 for a win, as an outside chance.
Leaked Labor Party internal polling on the eve of the election showed that Owen and the Liberal Party were well placed to defeat McKay and Tate. The polling showed Owen's primary support at 30 per cent; McKay (Labor) was at 25 per cent; and Tate's vote had "collapsed" to 16 per cent. At the election, Owen achieved a swing of 26.9% and won the seat with 52.6% of the vote on a two party preferred basis.
McKay conceded in a statement to the press that: "The people have had their say... I accept the decision of the Newcastle community that they do not want me to continue in this role." The seat of Newcastle had been held by the Labor Party for its 84 years of existence as a single member electorate, except being held by an independent between 1988 and 1991.
Honours and awards
Owen became a Member of the Order of Australia (Military Division)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"...
(AM) on 26 January 2007. He received the Australian Active Service Medal and the Iraq
Iraq Medal (Australia)
The Iraq Medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2004. The Iraq Medal is awarded to Australian Defence Force personnel who served in or around Iraq after 18 March 2003...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan Medal (Australia)
The Afghanistan Medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2004. The Afghanistan Medal is awarded to Australian defence force personnel who served in or around Afghanistan after 11 October 2001...
campaign medals in 2009.
| Ribbon | Description | Notes | Date awarded | Citation |
_ribbon.png) |
Order of Australia (Military Division) | 26 January 2007 | for exceptional service in the development of the Royal Australian Air Force's surveillance and response capability | |
 |
Australian Active Service Medal Australian Active Service Medal The Australian Active Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorised 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in warlike operations... |
with ICAT clasp | 2009 | |
_ribbon.png) |
Afghanistan Medal Afghanistan Medal (Australia) The Afghanistan Medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2004. The Afghanistan Medal is awarded to Australian defence force personnel who served in or around Afghanistan after 11 October 2001... |
2009 | ||
_ribbon.png) |
Iraq Medal Iraq Medal (Australia) The Iraq Medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2004. The Iraq Medal is awarded to Australian Defence Force personnel who served in or around Iraq after 18 March 2003... |
2009 |