Neville Newell
Encyclopedia
Neville Joseph Newell is an Australia
n politician. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives
from 1990 until 1996 and as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1999 to 2007.
Newell was born in Sydney
, Australia
, received a Diploma of Applied Science from the Hawkesbury Agricultural College
and a Diploma of Education
from the Armidale
College of Advanced Education
, now part of the University of New England
. He was a teacher in the Riverina
and Lismore
before running for Parliament.
In 1990, Newell was preselected as the Australian Labor Party
candidate for Richmond
, a historically rural seat in northern New South Wales
. The seat was held by the leader of the National Party
, Charles Blunt
. Newell was initially given little chance of winning, since he was running in what had historically been a very strong National seat (the party had held it without interruption since 1922). In the election, Newell only won 27 percent of the first preference vote. However, on the seventh count, anti-nuclear activist Helen Caldicott
's preferences flowed overwhelmingly to Newell, allowing him to defeat Blunt. Newell was only the second person to defeat a major federal party leader in an election. He was reelected in 1993, but was defeated by National's Larry Anthony
in 1996.
He subsequently won the state seat of Tweed
from the National Party in 1999, but was defeated by National candidate Geoff Provest
in 2007.
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. He served as 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....
from 1990 until 1996 and as a member of the 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 1999 to 2007.
Newell was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
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...
, received a Diploma of Applied Science from the Hawkesbury Agricultural College
Hawkesbury Agricultural College
Hawkesbury Agricultural College was the first agricultural college of New South Wales, Australia. Established by Sydney Smith in Richmond, New South Wales in 1891, the college was incorporated into the University of Western Sydney in 1989....
and a Diploma of Education
Diploma of Education
The Diploma of Education, often abbreviated to DipEd or GradDipEd, is a postgraduate qualification offered in many Commonwealth countries including Australia, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom...
from the Armidale
Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...
College of Advanced Education
College of Advanced Education
The College of Advanced Education was a class of Australian tertiary education institution that existed from 1967 until the early 1990s. They ranked below universities, but above Colleges of Technical and Further Education which offer trade qualification...
, now part of the University of New England
University of New England, Australia
The University of New England is an Australian public university with approximately 18,000 higher education students. Its original and main campus is located in the city of Armidale in northern New South Wales....
. He was a teacher in the Riverina
Riverina
The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales , Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop...
and Lismore
Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...
before running for Parliament.
In 1990, Newell was preselected as the Australian Labor Party
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...
candidate for Richmond
Division of Richmond
The Division of Richmond is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the far north-east of the state, along the Pacific coast...
, a historically rural seat in northern 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...
. The seat was held by the leader of 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...
, Charles Blunt
Charles Blunt
Charles William Blunt Australian politician and businessman, was leader of the National Party of Australia from 1989 to 1990....
. Newell was initially given little chance of winning, since he was running in what had historically been a very strong National seat (the party had held it without interruption since 1922). In the election, Newell only won 27 percent of the first preference vote. However, on the seventh count, anti-nuclear activist Helen Caldicott
Helen Caldicott
Helen Mary Caldicott is an Australian physician, author, and anti-nuclear advocate who has founded several associations dedicated to opposing the use of nuclear power, depleted uranium munitions, nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons proliferation, war and military action in general. She hosts a...
's preferences flowed overwhelmingly to Newell, allowing him to defeat Blunt. Newell was only the second person to defeat a major federal party leader in an election. He was reelected in 1993, but was defeated by National's Larry Anthony
Larry Anthony
Lawrence James "Larry" Anthony is a former Australianpolitician. He was a National Party of Australia member of theAustralian House of Representatives representing the Division of Richmond, New South Wales, from the March 1996 election until his defeat in the 2004 election...
in 1996.
He subsequently won the state seat of Tweed
Electoral district of Tweed
Tweed is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Geoff Provest of the National Party of Australia. It includes eastern Tweed Shire, including Tweed Heads, Kingscliff, Fingal Head, Chinderah, Cudgen, Bogangar, Pottsville and...
from the National Party in 1999, but was defeated by National candidate Geoff Provest
Geoff Provest
Geoffrey Keith Provest is an Australian politician and National Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Provest has represented the Tweed since 24 March 2007....
in 2007.