David Gibson (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
David Francis Gibson is an Australia
n politician. Born in Fremantle
, Western Australia
, he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
before moving to Queensland
, where he became manager of The Gympie
Times.
In 2006, he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
as the National Party
member for Gympie
, defeating sitting independent
Elisa Roberts
, a former One Nation MP. He joined the Liberal National Party when it formed in September 2008.
He currently serves as the Shadow Minister for Local Government and the Shadow Minister for Sport.
In 2001 he commenced working for the APN Newspaper
The NewsMail
as its Newspaper Sales and Marketing Manager. In June 2004 he was promoted as to the position of General Manager of the APN publication The Gympie Times
in Gympie, Queensland.
In the 52nd Parliament he served on the Public Accounts Committee. Promoted to Shadow Cabinet 16 months after entering Parliament he took on the responsibilities as Shadow Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change & Innovation, and Shadow Minister for Clean Energy Strategy.
Re-elected in the March 2009 state election
, the electorate of Gympie is now the safest seat in the Parliament.
He held the senior portfolio as the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure & Planning until September 2010.
He was the first member of any Parliament in Australia to give a maiden speech in sign language and many give him credit for lobbying to bring the National Week of Deaf People activities into the Parliament, including the provisions of interpreters for Question Time and a debate between members of the deaf community and Members of Parliament on disability issues in 2009.
David was also the first MP to engage a Deaf student as an intern.
He is a director of Deaf Services Queensland.
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. Born in Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, he graduated from the 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...
before moving to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, where he became manager of The Gympie
Gympie
Gympie may refer to:* Gympie, a city in Queensland, Australia** Gympie Airport** Electoral district of Gympie** Gympie Region, its local government authority* Gympie Gympie , a stinging plant...
Times.
In 2006, he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
as the National Party
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...
member for Gympie
Electoral district of Gympie
The district of Gympie is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland The electorate is centred on the city of Gympie and stretches north to Rainbow Beach and as far south to Pomona....
, defeating sitting independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Elisa Roberts
Elisa Roberts
Elisa Mary Roberts is a former Australian politician. Born in Sydney, she served with the Australian Defence Force at Victoria Barracks in Paddington from 1989 to 1993, and received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales in 1996...
, a former One Nation MP. He joined the Liberal National Party when it formed in September 2008.
He currently serves as the Shadow Minister for Local Government and the Shadow Minister for Sport.
Early life
David was born in Fremantle, Western Australia, as the eldest of two children to deaf parents. As a child of deaf adults he took on the role of interpreting for his parents to help them communicate in a hearing world.Early career
David began his military career in 1985 as an Army Reserve Private in the West Australian University Regiment whilst still at high school. In 1986 he entered the Royal Military College Duntroon and graduated serving as an Army officer for 8 ½ years before embarking on a career in media marketing and management.In 2001 he commenced working for the APN Newspaper
APN News & Media
APN News & Media Limited is an Australian and New Zealand media company. Divisions include newspaper publishing, online publishing, broadcast radio and outdoor advertising in Australia and New Zealand...
The NewsMail
The NewsMail
The NewsMail is a daily newspaper serving Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia. The newspaper is owned by APN News & Media.The NewsMail is circulated to Bundaberg and coastal communities including Bargara, Elliot Heads, Moore Park, Burnett Heads and the Bundaberg Port from Monday to Saturday...
as its Newspaper Sales and Marketing Manager. In June 2004 he was promoted as to the position of General Manager of the APN publication The Gympie Times
The Gympie Times
The Gympie Times is a daily newspaper serving Gympie in Queensland, Australia. The newspaper is owned by APN News & Media and is published from Monday to Saturday.The Gympie Times is circulated north to Tiaro, west to Kilkivan and south to Noosa...
in Gympie, Queensland.
Parliamentary career
David was elected to the Queensland Parliament at the September 2006 state election, winning the safe Independent seat of Gympie for the National Party from a field of seven candidates.In the 52nd Parliament he served on the Public Accounts Committee. Promoted to Shadow Cabinet 16 months after entering Parliament he took on the responsibilities as Shadow Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change & Innovation, and Shadow Minister for Clean Energy Strategy.
Re-elected in the March 2009 state election
Queensland state election, 2009
The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a...
, the electorate of Gympie is now the safest seat in the Parliament.
He held the senior portfolio as the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure & Planning until September 2010.
He was the first member of any Parliament in Australia to give a maiden speech in sign language and many give him credit for lobbying to bring the National Week of Deaf People activities into the Parliament, including the provisions of interpreters for Question Time and a debate between members of the deaf community and Members of Parliament on disability issues in 2009.
David was also the first MP to engage a Deaf student as an intern.
Community activities
David is a member of the Gympie Apex club and has held executive roles on local P&Cs at his children’s schools and various community organisations.He is a director of Deaf Services Queensland.