Bob Woods
Encyclopedia
Robert Leslie "Bob" Woods (born 13 April 1947) is an Australia
n former politician. He was a Liberal
Senator
for the state of New South Wales
in Australia between 1993 and 1997. Woods was previously a Member of the Australian House of Representatives
as the Liberal
member for Lowe
between 1987 and 1993. Woods served as a Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Family Services between 1996 and 1997.
, England
, he attended the University of London
and then (having moved to Australia) the University of Sydney
. He became a doctor and cancer
specialist and then served as an Advisor to the Minister for Health, Dr Michael Wooldridge
.
as the Liberal
member for Lowe
, defeating Labor
MP
Michael Maher
. He held the seat until his defeat in 1993 by Labor's Mary Easson
. Later that year, however, he was appointed to the Australian Senate
as a Senator for New South Wales
following the resignation of Bronwyn Bishop
, who was transferring to the House of Representatives. In 1996, when the Liberal/National
Coalition
won government, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Family Services.
On 3 February 1997, Woods announced he would be resigning from the Senate in March, citing the need to spend more time with his family; he resigned on 7 March 1997. It later emerged that allegations of misuse of parliamentary privileges and revelations concerning his personal life forced his resignation.
He married a daughter of another senator, Sir John Carrick
.
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 former politician. He was a 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...
Senator
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,...
for 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 Australia between 1993 and 1997. Woods was previously a Member of the Australian 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....
as 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 Lowe
Division of Lowe
The Division of Lowe was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It was located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney, on the south shore of the Parramatta River...
between 1987 and 1993. Woods served as a Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Family Services between 1996 and 1997.
Early life
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he attended the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and then (having moved to Australia) 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...
. He became a doctor and cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
specialist and then served as an Advisor to the Minister for Health, Dr Michael Wooldridge
Michael Wooldridge
Michael Richard Lewis Wooldridge is an Australian doctor, company director, and a former politician. He was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Liberal Party representing the Division of Chisholm, Victoria, between 1987 and 1996, and representing the Division of Casey,...
.
Politics
In 1987, he was elected to the Australian House of RepresentativesAustralian 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....
as 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 Lowe
Division of Lowe
The Division of Lowe was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It was located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney, on the south shore of the Parramatta River...
, defeating 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...
MP
Members of the Australian House of Representatives
Following are lists of members of the Australian House of Representatives:*Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1901–1903*Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1903–1906...
Michael Maher
Michael Maher (Australian politician)
Michael John Maher, OAM is a former Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he attended De La Salle College, Ashfield and the University of Sydney and became a solicitor. A member of the Labor Party, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1973, representing the seat of...
. He held the seat until his defeat in 1993 by Labor's Mary Easson
Mary Easson
Mary Louise Easson was an Australian Labor Party Member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Lowe from 1993. She was defeated at the 1996 general election...
. Later that year, however, he was appointed to the Australian 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,...
as a Senator 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...
following the resignation of Bronwyn Bishop
Bronwyn Bishop
Bronwyn Kathleen Bishop , an Australian politician, is a Member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Liberal Party representing the Division of Mackellar, New South Wales since 1994...
, who was transferring to the House of Representatives. In 1996, when the Liberal/National
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
Coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
won government, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Family Services.
On 3 February 1997, Woods announced he would be resigning from the Senate in March, citing the need to spend more time with his family; he resigned on 7 March 1997. It later emerged that allegations of misuse of parliamentary privileges and revelations concerning his personal life forced his resignation.
He married a daughter of another senator, Sir John Carrick
John Carrick (Australian politician)
Sir John Leslie Carrick, AC, KCMG is a former Australian politician.-Early life:Carrick studied economics at the University of Sydney . Before he was able to commence his career to any great degree he fought with the Sparrow Force of the Australian Army during World War II. He was landed on...
.