Melanie Gibbons
Melanie Gibbons | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Holsworthy | |
| Assumed office 28 March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Menai | |
| In office 26 March 2011 – 28 March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Alison Megarrity |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 September 1978 Woronora, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal Party |
| Occupation | Real estate agent and politician |
Melanie Rhonda Gibbons (born 18 September 1978) is an Australian politician who is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Holsworthy for the Liberal Party since 2015, and Menai from 2011 to 2015.
Early years and background
Gibbons was born and raised in Woronora in the Sutherland Shire and worked as a real estate agent before becoming a development manager for Technical Aid to the Disabled.[1] She also formerly worked for various state and federal politicians.[2]
Political career
Elected to the Sutherland Shire Council in 2004 as an independent candidate, Gibbons was, at one stage, deputy mayor.[3]
Having previously sought endorsement in 2007, Gibbons was endorsed as a candidate for the Liberal Party in 2010. At the March 2011 elections, Gibbons was elected and received a swing of 27.1 points, winning 74.4 per cent of the two-party vote. She won 61 percent of the primary vote, enough to win the seat without the need for preferences.[4] Alison Megarrity, the incumbent Labor member, did not seek re-election. Gibbons' main competitor was Peter Scaysbrook. Menai was among the first seats claimed as won by the Coalition on election night; according to Gibbons, it was the very first seat the Coalition took from Labor in its landslide victory.[5]
In 2012, Gibbons pleaded guilty and was sentenced, without a recorded conviction, for failure to comply with Election Funding Authority regulations regarding the submission of political donation returns for 2010, when she was a Sutherland Shire Councillor.[6]
For the 2015 NSW Election, the New South Wales Electoral Commission undertook the process of redistributing electoral boundaries. In this process, Gibbons' seat of Menai was abolished, and replaced with the redrawn seat of Holsworthy, encompassing more of the City of Liverpool than previously. Gibbons won the new seat with a reduced margin of 6.7%, despite a 4% swing to Labor.[7]
When first elected in 2011, Gibbons served as a Temporary Speaker in the Legislative Assembly. After the 2015 election, in addition to her Temporary Speaker position, Gibbons also was appointed the Chair of the Committee for Children and Young People and as the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the Office of the Valuer-General.[8]
At the 2019 state election, Gibbons retained the seat of Holsworthy.[9]
On 13 October 2021 Gibbons announced her intention to resign from state parliament in order to stand for the federal seat of Hughes.[10] Gibbons was not selected as the Liberal candidate for Hughes in April 2022 and remains the member for Holsworthy.[11]
Controversy
In June 2018, media reported that Gibbons had "skipped question time" to attend a "local branch meeting".[12]
In April 2019, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that members of Gibbons's staff had edited her Wikipedia page to promote a favourable political image, following her promotion within the Berejiklian ministry.[13]
See also
- Results of New South Wales state elections
- 2011 (Menai)
- 2015 (Holsworthy)
- 2019 (Holsworthy)
- Women in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
References
- ^ Tarasov, Anne (19 May 2010). "A challenge for Lib in Menai". Liverpool Champion. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
- ^ "Menai Liberal candidate – Melanie Gibbons". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Fairfax Media. 16 March 2011. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
- ^ "Clr Melanie Gibbons". Councillors. Sutherland Shire Council. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
- ^ Antony Green (5 April 2011). "Menai". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 4 April 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
- ^ Roberts, Simone (30 March 2011). "Gibbons misses her call but wins Menai in a landslide". Liverpool Leader. News Limited. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
- ^ Clenell, Andrew (11 November 2012). "Premier Barry O'Farrell's silence on MP Melanie Gibbons' funds offence". The Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ^ Thomas, Stacy (28 March 2015). "NSW Election 2015: Liberal Melanie Gibbons holds the seat of Holsworthy". Liverpool Leader. News Limited. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ^ "Ms Melanie Rhonda GIBBONS, MP". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ "Holsworthy state Liberal MP Melanie Gibbons says she will deliver on election promises and more". Liverpool Leader.
- ^ "NSW MP announces resignation, triggering fourth by-election". www.9news.com.au. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- ^ Trembath, Murray (2 April 2022). "Local lawyer chosen as Liberal candidate for Hughes". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ Saulwick, Jacob (5 June 2018). "Liberal MP Melanie Gibbons skips Question Time for branch meeting". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ Hutchinson, Kylar Loussikian, Samantha (2 April 2019). "'A strong campaigner': the beauty of Wikipedia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
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