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David Smith (Australian Capital Territory politician)

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David Smith
MP
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Bean
Incumbent
Assumed office
18 May 2019
Preceded byDivision created
Senator for the Australian Capital Territory
In office
23 May 2018 – 11 April 2019
Preceded byKaty Gallagher
Succeeded byKaty Gallagher
Personal details
Born (1970-03-25) 25 March 1970 (age 54)
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
SpouseLiesl Centenera
Children3
Residence(s)Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
EducationMarist College Canberra
Alma materAustralian National University
OccupationTrade unionist
Public servant
Websitewww.davidsmith.org.au

David Philip Benedict Smith (born 25 March 1970) is an Australian politician. On 23 May 2018, the High Court of Australia declared him elected as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory after Labor senator Katy Gallagher was found ineligible to have been elected.[1] Before his election, Smith was the ACT director of the Professionals Australia union.[2] He was sworn in to the Australian Senate on 18 June 2018.[3] He was elected to the lower-house seat of Bean at the 2019 federal election.

Early years and education

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Smith was born in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He completed his schooling at Marist College Canberra, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from the Australian National University in 1993.[4]

Public service and trade union

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Before joining the Australian Senate, Smith served in various roles including as an advisor in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, as an industrial relations manager for the Australian Federal Police Association, and as a policy advisor in the Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister's Department under Jon Stanhope.[4] In 2007, he took up the role of Director of the ACT branch of Professionals Australia, a union which primarily focuses on technical workers such as scientists, engineers, architects, IT professionals, pharmacists, and others.[5]

Political career

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Corflutes for David Smith and other election candidates at a polling station in Wanniassa – May 2022
Corflutes for David Smith and other election candidates at a polling station in Wanniassa – May 2022

Smith has been a member of the Australian Labor Party since 1992. He ran for the Senate in 2004, and was the second candidate on the ALP's 2016 Senate ticket.[5] At the 2016 ACT Labor Annual Conference he was elected Senior Vice-President of the ACT Branch of the Australian Labor Party.[6] He says that he was inspired to serve in politics by the judge and attorney general, Terry Connolly.[7]

On 23 May 2018, the High Court of Australia declared him elected as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory after Labor senator Katy Gallagher was found ineligible to have been elected.[1] He was sworn in on 18 June 2018.[3]

On 1 September 2018, Smith was preselected to run for the Australian Labor Party in the House of Representatives seat of Bean.[8] He resigned from the Senate on 11 April 2019, the day the election was called and the Senate prorogued.[9]

At the 2019 Australian federal election, Smith was elected as the Member for Bean with a margin of 13,971 votes.[10] He was returned to Parliament in the 2022 Australian federal election, now to the Government benches, keeping a substantial margin, winning 62.9% in the two-party preferred count.[11] He is the Government Whip in the lower house for the Albanese government. He also serves on the Standing Committee for Selection and co-chairs the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship with Senator Matt O'Sullivan.[12][13]

Personal life

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Having been educated in a Marist Brothers college, Smith identifies as a Catholic.[7] He is married to Liesl Centenera. Together, they have three children: Marcus, Eamonn, and Stella.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b Whyte, Sally (23 May 2018). "Labor's David Smith declared elected as new ACT senator by High Court". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  2. ^ Belot, Henry (5 June 2016). "Public service battles an election issue in marginal seats, senate hopeful". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b Whyte, Sally (18 June 2018). "New ACT senator sworn in as controversy around his future continues". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  4. ^ a b Pryor, Sally (8 May 2018). "Meet the union man set to replace Katy Gallagher". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  5. ^ a b Bushnell, Ian (8 May 2018). "Meet David Smith, the man in line to replace Katy Gallagher in the Senate". The Riot ACT. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Senator David Smith". www.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b Doherty, Megan (15 June 2018). "Gallagher denies a tilt at the House as Smith prepares to be sworn in". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  8. ^ Whyte, Sally (1 September 2018). "Labor candidates chosen for Canberra and Bean". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  9. ^ @SenatorRyan. "I have received a letter of resignation from David Smith as a senator for the ACT. The resignation takes effect immediately. 1/3". twitter.com. Twitter. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Bean, ACT - AEC Tally Room". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Bean - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Parliament of Australia". www.aph.gov.au. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Governor-General's Program". Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 9 December 2022.
  14. ^ Whyte, Sally (23 May 2018). "David Smith officially begins as new senator for the ACT". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
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Parliament of Australia
New seat Member for Bean
2019–present 		Incumbent
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