David Fawcett
Encyclopedia
David Julian Fawcett is an Australia
n politician and member of the Australian Senate
. He was elected to the House of Representatives
as member for the division of Wakefield
in South Australia
for the Liberal Party of Australia
at the 2004 federal election. Despite an extensive campaign in 2007 he was unseated by a significant margin. At the 2010 federal election he was elected as a Liberal senator for South Australia.
Fawcett was an officer with the Australian Army
from 1982 to 2004. He was educated at Royal Military College, Duntroon
and the University of New South Wales
, where he graduated in science.
He trained as a pilot and became a helicopter pilot for 1st Aviation Regiment. He was involved in operations across Australia and Papua New Guinea
.
The next phase of his career was as a flying instructor, learning this role at the RAF
Central Flying School
in England. He served at the Australian School of Army Aviation and became Senior Flying Instructor for Utility and Reconnaissance Helicopters.
In 1993 he returned to the UK, studying at the Empire Test Pilots' School
to become a test pilot
. He was posted to Royal Australian Air Force
Aircraft Research and Development Unit
(ARDU) at Edinburgh, South Australia
as an Army helicopter test pilot. He held a number of positions in ARDU and the Defence Acquisition Organisation, culminating in his final appointment as Commanding Officer, responsible for flight test programs for all of the Australian Defence Force
aircraft. He reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
before leaving the ADF
to enter politics.
in Adelaide
before joining the army. He has been involved in leadership positions at Clovercrest Baptist Church in Adelaide and Tyndale Christian School
in Sydney. He has been a contributing member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots
and the Australian Flight Test Society.
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 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,...
. He was elected to 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....
as member for the division of Wakefield
Division of Wakefield
The Division of Wakefield is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of South Australia. It is located north of Adelaide, incorporating the outer northern suburbs of Salisbury and Elizabeth, and extending north as far as Clare. It covers the east coast of the Gulf St Vincent north of...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
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...
at the 2004 federal election. Despite an extensive campaign in 2007 he was unseated by a significant margin. At the 2010 federal election he was elected as a Liberal senator for South Australia.
Before politics
Fawcett spent part of his childhood in Thailand where his father worked as an agricultural scientist.Fawcett was an officer with the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
from 1982 to 2004. He was educated at Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
and the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, where he graduated in science.
He trained as a pilot and became a helicopter pilot for 1st Aviation Regiment. He was involved in operations across Australia and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
.
The next phase of his career was as a flying instructor, learning this role at the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
in England. He served at the Australian School of Army Aviation and became Senior Flying Instructor for Utility and Reconnaissance Helicopters.
In 1993 he returned to the UK, studying at the Empire Test Pilots' School
Empire Test Pilots' School
The Empire Test Pilots' School is a British training school for test pilots and flight test engineers of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft at MoD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, England. It was established in 1943, the first of its type...
to become a test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
. He was posted to Royal Australian Air Force
Royal 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...
Aircraft Research and Development Unit
Aircraft Research and Development Unit RAAF
The Royal Australian Air Force's Aircraft Research and Development Unit was responsible for the test and evaluation of aircraft and weapons used by the RAAF. The ARDU was first established as the Special Duties and Performance Flight in 1941. ARDU also operated the Woomera Test Facility located...
(ARDU) at Edinburgh, South Australia
Edinburgh, South Australia
Edinburgh is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is an industrial suburb dominated by RAAF Base Edinburgh and DSTO Edinburgh.It was split from the suburb of Salisbury in 1997 when the Department of Defence decided to rationalise the then "DSTO Salisbury" site and sell off about 70%...
as an Army helicopter test pilot. He held a number of positions in ARDU and the Defence Acquisition Organisation, culminating in his final appointment as Commanding Officer, responsible for flight test programs for all of 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...
aircraft. He reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
before leaving the ADF
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...
to enter politics.
Personal life
Fawcett is married with two children. His family roots are in Kapunda, South Australia and completed high school at Prince Alfred CollegePrince Alfred College
Prince Alfred College is an independent, day and boarding school for boys, located on Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town, near the centre of Adelaide, South Australia...
in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
before joining the army. He has been involved in leadership positions at Clovercrest Baptist Church in Adelaide and Tyndale Christian School
Tyndale Christian School (South Australia)
Tyndale Christian School, founded in 1983 by Roy Magor, is a coeducational private R-12 school located in Salisbury East, South Australia, Australia. The school is named after William Tyndale who translated the Bible into the Early Modern English language...
in Sydney. He has been a contributing member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots
Society of Experimental Test Pilots
The Society of Experimental Test Pilots is an international organization that seeks to promote air safety and contributes to aeronautical advancement by promoting sound aeronautical design and development; interchanging ideas, thoughts and suggestions of the members, assisting in the professional...
and the Australian Flight Test Society.