Louise Asher
Encyclopedia
Louise Asher is an Australia
n politician
representing the electoral district of Brighton
for the Liberal Party of Australia
. She is currently the Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events as well as Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business since 2 December 2010 in the Baillieu Government
.
in 1976 and served as state president in 1982. Asher also studied at both Melbourne
and Monash University
completing a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Education and was a secondary teacher during the 1980s before becoming an advisor to New South Wales
minister
Peter Collins
.
as the member for Monash Province
. After the 1996 election she served as Minister for Small Business and Minister for Tourism. An ally of Premier Jeff Kennett
, Asher had the opportunity to transfer into the Legislative Assembly
in her local district of Brighton
after the retirement of Alan Stockdale
. However she faced a bruising pre-selection against future Senator
Mitch Fifield
but she prevailed 33 votes to 18. http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s35566.htm
Louise Asher was involved in arrangements for the inaugural Melbourne Formula One race in 1996.
While Asher did enter the Legislative Assembly as the member for Brighton
at the 1999 election the Liberal Party unexpectedly lost government. However Asher successfully contested the deputy leadership and also served as Shadow Treasurer
. However with the Liberals trailing badly in the polls in 2002 she and party leader Dennis Napthine, who was also allied to Jeff Kennett, were replaced by Robert Doyle
and Phil Honeywood
as leader and deputy leader respectively. After the Liberals devastating defeat at the 2002 election continued to serve on the opposition frontbench, serving as Shadow minister for Manufacturing and Exports and later as Shadow Minister for Industry and Employment and Shadow Minister for Major Projects.
In April 2006 Honeywood announced his retirement from politics and resigned his position as Deputy Leader. In order to restore party unity and stabilise his own leadership, Doyle offered Asher the deputy leadership, which she accepted. http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/lasher-strikes-back/2006/04/29/1146198391666.html?page=2 However this move was not enough for Doyle to save his own leadership, and the following month resigned and he was replaced by Kennett supporter Ted Baillieu
.
Asher is currently Minister for Tourism and Major Events as well as Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business since 2 December 2010 in the Baillieu Government
.
Asher is married to former National Party
MLC Ron Best
on 10 February 2001.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
representing the electoral district of Brighton
Electoral district of Brighton
The Electoral district of Brighton is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.-Members for Brighton:-Election results:-See also:* Parliaments of the Australian states and territories...
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...
. She is currently the Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events as well as Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business since 2 December 2010 in the Baillieu Government
Baillieu Ministry
The Baillieu Ministry is the 67th ministry of the Government of Victoria. It is led by the Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, and Deputy Premier, Peter Ryan. It succeeded the Brumby Ministry on 2 December 2010, following the defeat of the Labor government at the 2010 state...
.
Early life
Asher joined the Young Liberal MovementYoung Liberals (Australia)
The Young Liberal Movement is the youth division of the Liberal Party of Australia, and membership is open to those between 16 and 30 years of age. Members of Young Liberals have full party-membership, and have the choice of which part they join...
in 1976 and served as state president in 1982. Asher also studied at both Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
completing a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Education and was a secondary teacher during the 1980s before becoming an advisor to 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...
minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
Peter Collins
Peter Collins (Australian politician)
Peter Edward James Collins, AM, RFD, QC was the Leader of the Opposition in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 4 April 1995 to 8 December 1998.-Early years and background:...
.
Political career
At the 1992 state election Asher was elected to the Victorian Legislative CouncilVictorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
as the member for Monash Province
Monash Province
Monash Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council until 2006. It was abolished from the 2006 state election in the wake of the Bracks Labor government's reform of the Legislative Council.-Members for Monash Province:-References:...
. After the 1996 election she served as Minister for Small Business and Minister for Tourism. An ally of Premier Jeff Kennett
Jeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
, Asher had the opportunity to transfer into the Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
in her local district of Brighton
Electoral district of Brighton
The Electoral district of Brighton is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.-Members for Brighton:-Election results:-See also:* Parliaments of the Australian states and territories...
after the retirement of Alan Stockdale
Alan Stockdale
Alan Robert Stockdale is the current president of the Liberal Party and a former Victorian state Deputy Liberal leader. He was Treasurer of Victoria in the government of Jeff Kennett from 1992 to 1999....
. However she faced a bruising pre-selection against future 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,...
Mitch Fifield
Mitch Fifield
Mitchell Peter "Mitch" Fifield , Australian politician, is member of the Australian Senate since March 2004, representing the state of Victoria for the Liberal Party.-Early years:...
but she prevailed 33 votes to 18. http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s35566.htm
Louise Asher was involved in arrangements for the inaugural Melbourne Formula One race in 1996.
While Asher did enter the Legislative Assembly as the member for Brighton
Electoral district of Brighton
The Electoral district of Brighton is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.-Members for Brighton:-Election results:-See also:* Parliaments of the Australian states and territories...
at the 1999 election the Liberal Party unexpectedly lost government. However Asher successfully contested the deputy leadership and also served as Shadow Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
. However with the Liberals trailing badly in the polls in 2002 she and party leader Dennis Napthine, who was also allied to Jeff Kennett, were replaced by Robert Doyle
Robert Doyle
Robert Keith Bennett Doyle is an Australian politician and the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, elected on 30 November 2008...
and Phil Honeywood
Phil Honeywood
Phillip Neville "Phil" Honeywood is a former Australian politician.Born in Sydney, New South Wales, he received his Higher School Certificate in 1977 and the following year was a Rotary Youth Exchange student to Gakushuin High School in Tokyo...
as leader and deputy leader respectively. After the Liberals devastating defeat at the 2002 election continued to serve on the opposition frontbench, serving as Shadow minister for Manufacturing and Exports and later as Shadow Minister for Industry and Employment and Shadow Minister for Major Projects.
In April 2006 Honeywood announced his retirement from politics and resigned his position as Deputy Leader. In order to restore party unity and stabilise his own leadership, Doyle offered Asher the deputy leadership, which she accepted. http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/lasher-strikes-back/2006/04/29/1146198391666.html?page=2 However this move was not enough for Doyle to save his own leadership, and the following month resigned and he was replaced by Kennett supporter Ted Baillieu
Ted Baillieu
Edward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...
.
Asher is currently Minister for Tourism and Major Events as well as Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business since 2 December 2010 in the Baillieu Government
Baillieu Ministry
The Baillieu Ministry is the 67th ministry of the Government of Victoria. It is led by the Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, and Deputy Premier, Peter Ryan. It succeeded the Brumby Ministry on 2 December 2010, following the defeat of the Labor government at the 2010 state...
.
Asher is married to former 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...
MLC Ron Best
Ron Best
Ronald Alexander "Ron" Best is a former Australian politician and Australian rules footballer. He was a National Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1988 to 2002, representing North Western Province....
on 10 February 2001.