Simon O'Brien (politician)
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Simon O'Brien MLC (born 16 May 1960) is an Australian politician and Minister in the Western Australian Government.
O'Brien was born in Subiaco, Western Australia
and elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council
in 1996 for the term commencing 22 May 1997 on a Liberal Party
ticket representing the Electoral region of South Metropolitan
; he was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2008. He is currently the Legislative Council's Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.
O'Brien currently serves as Minister for Finance, Minister for Commerce, and Minister for Small Business in the 35th Cabinet of Western Australia. He previously served as Minister for Transport and Minister for Disability Services from 23 September 2008 to 14 December 2010.
O'Brien has previously held a number of opposition portfolios including:
Other parliamentary roles have included:
O'Brien has been married for over 25 years to Joy O'Brien.
O'Brien was born in Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
and elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
in 1996 for the term commencing 22 May 1997 on a Liberal Party
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...
ticket representing the Electoral region of South Metropolitan
Electoral region of South Metropolitan
The electoral region of South Metropolitan is a multi-member electoral region of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the southern suburbs of Perth. It was created by the Acts Amendment Act 1987, and became effective on 22 May 1989 with five members who had been elected at the...
; he was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2008. He is currently the Legislative Council's Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.
O'Brien currently serves as Minister for Finance, Minister for Commerce, and Minister for Small Business in the 35th Cabinet of Western Australia. He previously served as Minister for Transport and Minister for Disability Services from 23 September 2008 to 14 December 2010.
O'Brien has previously held a number of opposition portfolios including:
- Disability Services; Drug Abuse Strategies (2001-2005);
- Commerce and Trade; Disability Services; Works and Services (2005-2006);
- Education; Commerce and Trade (2006)
Other parliamentary roles have included:
- Deputy Chairman of Committees 2001-present
- Member of the Standing Committee on Uniform Legislation & General Purposes from April 2002-2005 (Chairman 2005)
- Member of Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations and Joint Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation from 1997 to 2001
- Member of the Joint Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation from June 1997 - 21 May 2001
- Member of Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges from May 2001 - present
- Member, Standing Committee on Uniform Legislation and Statutes Review from August 2005 - present.
O'Brien has been married for over 25 years to Joy O'Brien.