Craig Knowles
Encyclopedia
Craig John Knowles is a former Australia
n politician and member of the New South Wales
Legislative Assembly
from 1990 to 2005.
Knowles' parents were Marie and Stan Knowles, member for Ingleburn
from 1981 to 1988 and Macquarie Fields
from 1988 to 1990. He was born in Liverpool
, New South Wales
and educated at Liverpool
Boys High School, Sydney College of Technical and Further Education
. He worked in the New South Wales Department of Business and Consumer Affairs from 1988 and was the Western Sydney Co-ordinator in the Office of State Development of New South Wales Premiers' Department from 1987 to 1988. He was an alderman
on Liverpool City Council
from 1982 to 1994 and Mayor from 1986 until 1988.
member for Macquarie Fields
from May 1990 to May 1991, Moorebank
from 1991 to 1999 and Macquarie Fields from 1999 to 2005. He was Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning from 1995 to 1999, Minister for Health from 1999 to 2003 and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Natural Resources from 2003 to 2005.
Knowles introduced a number of changes during his time as Planning Minister. These included the introduction of private certification of buildings. Another controversial change was the introduction of Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, which increased the powers of the Minister in approving major developments and superseded heritage and environmental protection legislation.
Knowles' political career was damaged by allegations raised by nurse Nola Fraser
in relation to deaths at Campbelltown
and Camden
hospitals when he was Minister for Health. An Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry into Knowles' behaviour cleared the minister in September 2005, but he had already been moved from the health portfolio. He was also damaged by the Orange Grove affair
, as a supporter of a retail outlet, which was later found to have been opened in contravention of zoning regulations in his electorate, while he was Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning. In April 2005, he was charged with drink-driving at a random breath test, with a low-level over the limit reading.
Knowles had been considered a possible successor to Bob Carr
as Premier but declined to be nominated when Carr retired in September 2005. Knowles resigned in August 2005, sparking the 2005 Macquarie Fields by-election
. He was ultimately succeeded by ALP candidate Steven Chaytor
.
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 member of the 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...
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...
from 1990 to 2005.
Knowles' parents were Marie and Stan Knowles, member for Ingleburn
Electoral district of Ingleburn
Ingleburn was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1981, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Ingleburn. It was abolished in 1988 and largely replaced by Macquarie Fields....
from 1981 to 1988 and Macquarie Fields
Electoral district of Macquarie Fields
Macquarie Fields is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, located in the outer south-western suburbs of Sydney. It is currently represented by Dr Andrew McDonald of the Australian Labor Party....
from 1988 to 1990. He was born in Liverpool
Liverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
, 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...
and educated at Liverpool
Liverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
Boys High School, Sydney College of Technical and Further Education
TAFE New South Wales Sydney Institute
TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute is one of the largest education and training providers in Australia. It has seven colleges across eight campuses, including a design school at Enmore....
. He worked in the New South Wales Department of Business and Consumer Affairs from 1988 and was the Western Sydney Co-ordinator in the Office of State Development of New South Wales Premiers' Department from 1987 to 1988. He was an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
on Liverpool City Council
City of Liverpool
-Aircraft:* City of Liverpool , an Imperial Airways Armstrong Whitworth Argosy that crashed in 1933 in what is suspected to be the first ever occurrence of aerial sabotage-Locations:* Liverpool, a city in the north west of England...
from 1982 to 1994 and Mayor from 1986 until 1988.
Political career
Knowles served as an Australian Labor PartyAustralian 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 for Macquarie Fields
Electoral district of Macquarie Fields
Macquarie Fields is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, located in the outer south-western suburbs of Sydney. It is currently represented by Dr Andrew McDonald of the Australian Labor Party....
from May 1990 to May 1991, Moorebank
Electoral district of Moorebank
Moorebank was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian State of New South Wales from 1991, replacing Macquarie Fields and named after the suburb of Moorebank. In 1999, it was replaced by Macquarie Fields. Its only member was Craig Knowles, representing the Australian...
from 1991 to 1999 and Macquarie Fields from 1999 to 2005. He was Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning from 1995 to 1999, Minister for Health from 1999 to 2003 and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Natural Resources from 2003 to 2005.
Knowles introduced a number of changes during his time as Planning Minister. These included the introduction of private certification of buildings. Another controversial change was the introduction of Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, which increased the powers of the Minister in approving major developments and superseded heritage and environmental protection legislation.
Knowles' political career was damaged by allegations raised by nurse Nola Fraser
Nola Fraser
Nola Therese Fraser is an Australian small business owner, former nurse and former Liberal candidate on two occasions for the seat of Macquarie Fields. Fraser became a whistleblower at two Sydney hospitals where she worked though none of her claims have been substantiated and have been shown to...
in relation to deaths at Campbelltown
Campbelltown, New South Wales
Campbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campbelltown is located 51 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.- History :Campbelltown...
and Camden
Camden, New South Wales
-Education:Camden is the location of research facilities for the veterinary and agricultural schools of the University of Sydney. The local government area has two public high schools, Camden High School and Elderslie High School, as well as eight Catholic and three Anglican schools.-Culture:The...
hospitals when he was Minister for Health. An Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry into Knowles' behaviour cleared the minister in September 2005, but he had already been moved from the health portfolio. He was also damaged by the Orange Grove affair
Orange Grove affair
The Orange Grove affair was a political scandal in Australia concerning the dealings of the New South Wales state Australian Labor Party government with multinational corporation The Westfield Group. It resulted from a court decision to force the closure of the Orange Grove shopping centre after a...
, as a supporter of a retail outlet, which was later found to have been opened in contravention of zoning regulations in his electorate, while he was Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning. In April 2005, he was charged with drink-driving at a random breath test, with a low-level over the limit reading.
Knowles had been considered a possible successor to Bob Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
as Premier but declined to be nominated when Carr retired in September 2005. Knowles resigned in August 2005, sparking the 2005 Macquarie Fields by-election
Macquarie Fields state by-election, 2005
A by-election was staged in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly district of Macquarie Fields on 22 September 2005. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member and former minister Craig Knowles...
. He was ultimately succeeded by ALP candidate Steven Chaytor
Steven Chaytor
Steven John Chaytor is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2007, representing the southwest Sydney electorate of Macquarie Fields....
.
After politics
After his retirement from politics, Knowles became a consultant and political lobbyist. Knowles holds a number of advisory roles, statutory appointments, and non-profit directorships including:- President, the Asthma Foundation of New South Wales (since 2008–present)
- Director, the Black Dog InstituteBlack Dog InstituteThe Black Dog Institute is an educational, research and clinical facility offering specialist expertise in mood disorders in Australia - a range of disorders that include depression and bipolar disorder . The Institute is attached to the Prince of Wales Hospital and affiliated with the University...
- Director, the Children's Medical Research InstituteChildren's Medical Research InstituteThe Children's Medical Research Institute is an Australian based independent scientific research organisation created in the 1950s by Paediatricians Sir Lorimer Dods and Dr. John Fulton to "perform scientific research with a commitment to better treat, and where possible, prevent childhood...
(2007–present) - Director, the Học Mãi Foundation at The University of Sydney
- Member, Advisory Board, Built Holdings Pty Limited
- Chairman, Murray Darling Basin Authority (2011–present)