Belinda Neal
Encyclopedia
Belinda Jane Neal a former Australia
n federal politician
, was a Member of the House of Representatives
representing the electorate of Robertson
between 2007 and 2010; and representing the state of New South Wales
in the Senate
from 1994 to 1998, both of behalf of the Australian Labor Party
.
for New South Wales
from 1994 to 1998. She was chosen on 8 March 1994 under s.15 of the Constitution
to fill the casual vacancy in the Senate created by the resignation of Kerry Sibraa
. Her term was scheduled to run until 30 June 1999. She resigned on 3 September 1998 to contest the House of Representatives seat of Robertson
at the 1998 general election in which she was defeated by the incumbent, Jim Lloyd
of the Liberal Party
.
In the 2007 federal election she was again preselected as the Labor candidate for Robertson, and won the seat in a very tight contest, claiming victory on 5 December. Neal's reputation was battered by a string of scandals, prompting moves to replace her. She lost preselection for the seat of Robertson on 6 March 2010, to challenger Deborah O'Neill
. Neal did not contest the 2010 federal election.
On 29 July 2010 Neal announced that she would not recontest the seat but did not rule out a future in politics, saying that the Labor Party still had her full support. Her husband, John Della Bosca
, announced on the same day, that he was resigning from the New South Wales Legislative Council
to become a campaign director for the National Disability and Carers Alliance, and assist in the establishment of a national disability insurance scheme.
whether any crime was committed from the facts. The DPP advised that nothing that occurred constituted a crime. On 3 September 2008, the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to pursue the matter, finding there was "insufficient evidence to support any criminal charge against New South Wales law".
of her husband John Della Bosca
, from her Newtown
home.
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 federal politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, was a Member of the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
representing the electorate of Robertson
Division of Robertson
The Division of Robertson is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. The Division is located on the Central Coast, immediately north of the Hawkesbury River. It encompasses the towns of Woy Woy, Gosford and Terrigal....
between 2007 and 2010; and representing the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
from 1994 to 1998, both of behalf of the 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...
.
Political career
She was a senatorAustralian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
for New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
from 1994 to 1998. She was chosen on 8 March 1994 under s.15 of the Constitution
Constitution of Australia
The Constitution of Australia is the supreme law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates. It consists of several documents. The most important is the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia...
to fill the casual vacancy in the Senate created by the resignation of Kerry Sibraa
Kerry Sibraa
Kerry Walter Sibraa, AO was an Australian Senator who represented the Labor Party for the state of New South Wales. He served as a Senator for from 1 July 1975 to 30 June 1978, and then again from 9 August 1978 until 1 February 1994, and was President of the Senate from 17 February 1987 to 1...
. Her term was scheduled to run until 30 June 1999. She resigned on 3 September 1998 to contest the House of Representatives seat of Robertson
Division of Robertson
The Division of Robertson is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. The Division is located on the Central Coast, immediately north of the Hawkesbury River. It encompasses the towns of Woy Woy, Gosford and Terrigal....
at the 1998 general election in which she was defeated by the incumbent, Jim Lloyd
Jim Lloyd
James Eric Lloyd JP , Australian politician, was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives from the March 1996 election until the November 2007 election, representing the Division of Robertson in New South Wales.Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Lloyd was...
of 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 the 2007 federal election she was again preselected as the Labor candidate for Robertson, and won the seat in a very tight contest, claiming victory on 5 December. Neal's reputation was battered by a string of scandals, prompting moves to replace her. She lost preselection for the seat of Robertson on 6 March 2010, to challenger Deborah O'Neill
Deborah O'Neill
Deborah Mary O'Neill , an Australian federal politician, is a member of the Australian House of Representatives representing the seat of Robertson, New South Wales for the Australian Labor Party, elected at the 2010 federal election....
. Neal did not contest the 2010 federal election.
On 29 July 2010 Neal announced that she would not recontest the seat but did not rule out a future in politics, saying that the Labor Party still had her full support. Her husband, John Della Bosca
John Della Bosca
John Joseph Della Bosca is a former Australian politician, representing the Australian Labor Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council...
, announced on the same day, that he was resigning from the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
to become a campaign director for the National Disability and Carers Alliance, and assist in the establishment of a national disability insurance scheme.
Incident at Iguana Joe's
In June 2008, Neal and her husband John Della Bosca were dining in Iguana Joe's. It was alleged that an altercation took place at the venue between Della Bosca, Belinda Neal and the staff of the premises in which Della Bosca and Neal were "abusive and threatening". The Premier of NSW, Morris Iemma asked the Police to start an investigation into his Minister. The police sought advise from the New South Wales Director of Public ProsecutionsDirector of Public Prosecutions
The Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world...
whether any crime was committed from the facts. The DPP advised that nothing that occurred constituted a crime. On 3 September 2008, the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to pursue the matter, finding there was "insufficient evidence to support any criminal charge against New South Wales law".
Incident with Kate Neill
On 7 April 2011 Neal was issued with an interim apprehended violence order after she allegedely abused and followed Kate Neill, the former mistressMistress
Mistress may refer to:* Mistress , a woman, other than the spouse, with whom a married individual has a continuing sexual relationship* Schoolmistress, or female school teacher...
of her husband John Della Bosca
John Della Bosca
John Joseph Della Bosca is a former Australian politician, representing the Australian Labor Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council...
, from her Newtown
Newtown, New South Wales
Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west is located approximately four kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, straddling the local government areas of the City of Sydney and Marrickville Council in the state of New South Wales, Australia....
home.