Tim Pallas
Encyclopedia
Timothy Hugh Pallas is an Australia
n politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party
member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
since 2006, representing the electorate of Tarneit
. He served as the state Minister for Roads and Ports and Minister for Major Projects until 2010.
Pallas, a former trade union official, was the chief of staff to Premier of Victoria Steve Bracks
before entering politics. He first contested the open preselection for the federal seat of Melbourne Ports
in 1998, but was defeated by Michael Danby
. He subsequently challenged senior minister Andre Haermeyer
for preselection for the state seat of Kororoit
in 2001, but was again unsuccessful.
In 2005, Pallas challenged incumbent backbencher Mary Gillett
for preselection in the safe seat of Tarneit
, and with Bracks' backing, was successful. He was easily elected at the 2006 state election, and was immediately appointed to Cabinet, being assigned the roads and ports portfolio.
In 2010, Pallas courted controversy when whilst launching a road safety campaign he called Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton
a "dickhead". Hamilton had been caught by police engaging in an act of 'hoon driving' in a $160,000 Mercedes on the previous Friday night.
During his ministry, he implemented a number of measures to improve traffic flow on the major Victorian freeways including the Monash CityLink West Gate Upgrade
. In February, he launched a $5 million study into traffic flow along Hoddle Street between CityLink
and the Eastern Freeway. The study had been previously announced in the Victorian Transport Plan
in 2008. In March, he approved a ban on trucks using the right-hand lane on busy sections of three-lane freeways. The RACV had campaigned for the ban for two years, attracting support from an "overwhelming 83% of motorists [it] surveyed".
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 has been an Australian 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...
member of 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:...
since 2006, representing the electorate of Tarneit
Electoral district of Tarneit
The Electoral district of Tarneit is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It was created before the 2002 election where it replaced the seat of Werribee....
. He served as the state Minister for Roads and Ports and Minister for Major Projects until 2010.
Pallas, a former trade union official, was the chief of staff to Premier of Victoria Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
before entering politics. He first contested the open preselection for the federal seat of Melbourne Ports
Division of Melbourne Ports
The Division of Melbourne Ports is an Australian federal electoral division in the inner south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
in 1998, but was defeated by Michael Danby
Michael Danby
Michael David Danby is an Australian politician and has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since October 1998, representing the Division of Melbourne Ports, Victoria...
. He subsequently challenged senior minister Andre Haermeyer
Andre Haermeyer
Andre Haermeyer is an Australian politician. He was the Australian Labor Party member for Kororoit in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 2002, prior to that representing the Yan Yean electorate in Melbourne's north from 1992.Before being elected to Parliament, Haermeyer worked for the...
for preselection for the state seat of Kororoit
Electoral district of Kororoit
The Electoral district of Kororoit is an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly covering Albanvale, Caroline Springs as well as some parts of Deer Park and St Albans in the western suburbs of Melbourne....
in 2001, but was again unsuccessful.
In 2005, Pallas challenged incumbent backbencher Mary Gillett
Mary Gillett
Mary Jane Gillett is a former Australian politician.Born in Sydney, New South Wales, she graduated from Young High School in 1974 and received a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University in 1979. That year, she became a clerk in the Australian Taxation Office; in 1982 she became...
for preselection in the safe seat of Tarneit
Electoral district of Tarneit
The Electoral district of Tarneit is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It was created before the 2002 election where it replaced the seat of Werribee....
, and with Bracks' backing, was successful. He was easily elected at the 2006 state election, and was immediately appointed to Cabinet, being assigned the roads and ports portfolio.
In 2010, Pallas courted controversy when whilst launching a road safety campaign he called Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...
a "dickhead". Hamilton had been caught by police engaging in an act of 'hoon driving' in a $160,000 Mercedes on the previous Friday night.
During his ministry, he implemented a number of measures to improve traffic flow on the major Victorian freeways including the Monash CityLink West Gate Upgrade
West Gate Freeway
West Gate Freeway is a freeway in Melbourne, Australia, linking Geelong to Melbourne CBD and beyond. It is also a link between Melbourne and the west and linking industrial and residential areas west of the Yarra River with the city and port areas. The iconic West Gate Bridge is a part of the...
. In February, he launched a $5 million study into traffic flow along Hoddle Street between CityLink
CityLink
CityLink is a system of tolled urban Highways in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company Transurban was awarded the contract to augment two existing freeways and construct two new Toll roads—labelled the Western and Southern Links—directly linking a number of existing freeways to...
and the Eastern Freeway. The study had been previously announced in the Victorian Transport Plan
Victorian Transport Plan
The Victorian Transport Plan is a now defunct transport planning framework for the state of Victoria, Australia announced on Monday 9 December 2008 by then Premier of Victoria, John Brumby...
in 2008. In March, he approved a ban on trucks using the right-hand lane on busy sections of three-lane freeways. The RACV had campaigned for the ban for two years, attracting support from an "overwhelming 83% of motorists [it] surveyed".