Ron Best
Encyclopedia
Ronald Alexander "Ron" Best (born 3 October 1949) is a former Australia
n politician and Australian rules football
er. He was a National Party
member of the Victorian Legislative Council
from 1988 to 2002, representing North Western Province.
Best was born in Ivanhoe
, Victoria
, and was a businessman before entering politics. He was a motel
and hotel
owner and manager, and also owned Golden City Frozen Foods. He was on the Board of Directors of the Glacier Food Group. He contested the federal seat of Bendigo
for the National Party
at the 1987 federal election, but was defeated.
In 1988, Best was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council
for North Western Province. He was the National Party's spokesman for Housing, Construction and Small Business until 1990, and Secretary of the Parliamentary National Party from 1992 to 2002. Following the Coalition
's defeat in 1999, he was promoted to the front bench as Minister for Housing, but he retired in 2002.
He married Liberal
MP Louise Asher
on 10 February 2001.
. He topped 100 goals in a season on 13 occasions.
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 Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er. He was a 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 of the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian 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...
from 1988 to 2002, representing North Western Province.
Best was born in Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe, Victoria
Ivanhoe is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule. At the 2006 Census, Ivanhoe had a population of 10,600.-History:...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, and was a businessman before entering politics. He was a motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
and hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
owner and manager, and also owned Golden City Frozen Foods. He was on the Board of Directors of the Glacier Food Group. He contested the federal seat of Bendigo
Division of Bendigo
The Division of Bendigo is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the city of Bendigo...
for 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...
at the 1987 federal election, but was defeated.
In 1988, Best was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian 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...
for North Western Province. He was the National Party's spokesman for Housing, Construction and Small Business until 1990, and Secretary of the Parliamentary National Party from 1992 to 2002. Following the Coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
's defeat in 1999, he was promoted to the front bench as Minister for Housing, but he retired in 2002.
He married Liberal
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...
MP Louise Asher
Louise Asher
Louise Asher is an Australian 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...
on 10 February 2001.
Football
Best kicked 1624 goals in country football, mostly in the Bendigo Football LeagueBendigo Football League
The Bendigo Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Bendigo region of Victoria, Australia.Formed in 1880, it is one of the oldest football leagues in Australia, and among its members are some of the oldest football clubs in Australia, including the Castlemaine...
. He topped 100 goals in a season on 13 occasions.
- 1968: 102 Golden SquareGolden Square Football ClubThe Golden Square Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the Bendigo suburb Golden Square and have participated in the Bendigo Football League since 1935.-Notable players:...
- 1969: 137 Golden SquareGolden Square Football ClubThe Golden Square Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the Bendigo suburb Golden Square and have participated in the Bendigo Football League since 1935.-Notable players:...
- 1970: 107 Golden SquareGolden Square Football ClubThe Golden Square Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the Bendigo suburb Golden Square and have participated in the Bendigo Football League since 1935.-Notable players:...
- 1971: 111 Golden SquareGolden Square Football ClubThe Golden Square Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the Bendigo suburb Golden Square and have participated in the Bendigo Football League since 1935.-Notable players:...
- 1973: 108 SandhurstSandhurst Football ClubThe Sandhurst Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League . Sandhurst is the former name of the city of Bendigo.-History:...
- 1974: 135 SandhurstSandhurst Football ClubThe Sandhurst Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League . Sandhurst is the former name of the city of Bendigo.-History:...
- 1975: 145 SandhurstSandhurst Football ClubThe Sandhurst Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League . Sandhurst is the former name of the city of Bendigo.-History:...
- 1976: 108 SandhurstSandhurst Football ClubThe Sandhurst Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League . Sandhurst is the former name of the city of Bendigo.-History:...
- 1978: 124 Golden SquareGolden Square Football ClubThe Golden Square Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the Bendigo suburb Golden Square and have participated in the Bendigo Football League since 1935.-Notable players:...
- 1979: 137 Golden SquareGolden Square Football ClubThe Golden Square Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the Bendigo suburb Golden Square and have participated in the Bendigo Football League since 1935.-Notable players:...
- 1980: 145 Golden SquareGolden Square Football ClubThe Golden Square Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the Bendigo suburb Golden Square and have participated in the Bendigo Football League since 1935.-Notable players:...
- 1981: 100 Boort
- 1983: 124 Northern United