Stephen Robertson (politician)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Robertson Australia
n politician, is a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
representing the electoral district of Stretton
for the Australian Labor Party
. He was the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and Minister for Trade in the cabinet
of Premier Anna Bligh
. He has previously held the positions of Minister for Health (2005–2009) and Minister for Emergency Services (1999–2001).
Robertson was born in Aberdeen
, Scotland
. He graduated from Griffith University
with a Bachelor of Arts
with honours from the School of Modern Asian Studies. He joined the Australian Labor Party
in 1978, and prior to his election to parliament was State Secretary and National President of the United Firefighters Union of Australia.
He was first elected to the Queensland Parliament in the 1992 Queensland state election for the new electoral district of Sunnybank
. He was appointed to Peter Beattie
's cabinet as Minister for Emergency Services on 16 December 1999. From 22 February 2001 he was transferred to the Natural Resources and Mines portfolios, also taking on the Energy portfolio from 12 February 2004. On 28 July 2005 he became Minister for Health, but resumed his former position of Minister for Natural Resources, Mines, Energy and Trade after a cabinet reshuffle in March 2009. In 2011 he was appointed Minister for Energy and Water Utilites.
He is a member of Labor's left-wing faction
, and at one stage had Graham Perrett
, the current federal Member for Moreton
, working for him.
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, is a member of 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...
representing the electoral district of Stretton
Electoral district of Stretton
The district of Stretton is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.The district is based in the southern suburbs of Brisbane. It is named for the suburb of Stretton and also includes the suburbs of Calamvale, Eight Mile Plains, Kuraby, Sunnybank...
for 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...
. He was the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and Minister for Trade in the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
of Premier Anna Bligh
Anna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
. He has previously held the positions of Minister for Health (2005–2009) and Minister for Emergency Services (1999–2001).
Robertson was born in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He graduated from Griffith University
Griffith University
Griffith University is a public, coeducational, research university located in the southeastern region of the Australian state of Queensland. The university has five satellite campuses located in the Gold Coast, Logan City and in the Brisbane suburbs of Mount Gravatt, Nathan and South Bank. Current...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
with honours from the School of Modern Asian Studies. He joined 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...
in 1978, and prior to his election to parliament was State Secretary and National President of the United Firefighters Union of Australia.
He was first elected to the Queensland Parliament in the 1992 Queensland state election for the new electoral district of Sunnybank
Electoral district of Sunnybank
The district of Sunnybank is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.The district is based in the area of southern suburbs of Brisbane previously named as the suburb of Sunnybank before Sunnybank was broken up into smaller suburbs...
. He was appointed to Peter Beattie
Peter Beattie
Peter Douglas Beattie , Australian politician, was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland for nine years and leader of the Australian Labor Party in that state for eleven and a half years...
's cabinet as Minister for Emergency Services on 16 December 1999. From 22 February 2001 he was transferred to the Natural Resources and Mines portfolios, also taking on the Energy portfolio from 12 February 2004. On 28 July 2005 he became Minister for Health, but resumed his former position of Minister for Natural Resources, Mines, Energy and Trade after a cabinet reshuffle in March 2009. In 2011 he was appointed Minister for Energy and Water Utilites.
He is a member of Labor's left-wing faction
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
, and at one stage had Graham Perrett
Graham Perrett
Graham Douglas Perrett is an Australian Labor politician, and a member of the Australian House of Representatives in the seat of Moreton...
, the current federal Member for Moreton
Division of Moreton
The Division of Moreton is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after Moreton Bay. The electorate is a bellwether in elections, having voted for the party winning government at every...
, working for him.