Ken Smith (politician)

Ken Smith
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Bass
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 November 2002
Preceded by	seat created
Personal details
Born	(1944-12-30) 30 December 1944 (age 68) Ormond, Victoria
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Children	3
Profession	Plumber

Kenneth Maurice Smith (born 30 December 1944) is an Australian politician who is currently the member for Bass in the Victorian Legislative Assembly and Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.^[1]

Smith was a plumber before he entered the Parliament of Victoria in 1988, winning the Legislative Council seat of South-Eastern Province for the Liberal Party. During his time in the Legislative Council, Smith served on the backbench, although after being returned at the 1996 election he served as government Whip.^[1] When the Kennett government lost power in 1999, Smith continued on as Opposition whip.^[1]

The redistribution prior to the 2002 election abolished his upper house province, and Smith decided to contest the new seat Lower House seat of Bass, and challenge independent candidate Susan Davies. While the election was a disaster for the Liberal Party, Smith provided them with their only gain, winning the seat after Davies was unable to finish ahead of the Labor candidate and win on their preferences.

Smith served as Shadow Minister for Gaming and Shadow Minister for Fisheries.

In 2008 Smith put forward a private member's bill that would allow euthanasia in Victoria. The bill was similar to the Dying With Dignity Act in Oregon in the United States, and generated considerable controversy. The bill was defeated in the Victorian Legislative Council.^[2]

In 2009, Smith was unopposed for preselection for the seat of Bass and was re-endorsed by the Liberal Party as their candidate.

On December 21, 2010, Smith was elected unopposed as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for the 57th Victorian Parliament.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Members Information - Ken Smith (Bass)". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
^ Nader, Carol (18 March 2008). "Euthanasia bill to bar 'death tourists'". The Age (Melbourne).

Victorian Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Seat created	Member for Bass 2002–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Jenny Lindell	Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly 2010–present	Incumbent

v t e Current Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly

Labor (43)	Jacinta Allan Daniel Andrews Ann Barker Liz Beattie Colin Brooks Christine Campbell Anthony Carbines Ben Carroll Lily D'Ambrosio Luke Donnellan Joanne Duncan Maree Edwards John Eren Martin Foley Jane Garrett Judith Graley Danielle Green Bronwyn Halfpenny Joe Helper Jill Hennessy Steve Herbert Geoff Howard Natalie Hutchins Marlene Kairouz Jennifer Kanis Sharon Knight Telmo Languiller Hong Lim Frank McGuire Justin Madden James Merlino Don Nardella Lisa Neville Wade Noonan Martin Pakula Tim Pallas John Pandazopoulos Jude Perera Fiona Richardson Robin Scott Marsha Thomson Ian Trezise Richard Wynne

Liberal (34)	Neil Angus Louise Asher Ted Baillieu Brad Battin Donna Bauer Gary Blackwood Neale Burgess Robert Clark Martin Dixon Christine Fyffe Michael Gidley David Hodgett Andrew Katos Nicholas Kotsiras Andrew McIntosh Cindy McLeish Elizabeth Miller David Morris Terry Mulder Denis Napthine Clem Newton-Brown Michael O'Brien Dee Ryall Ken Smith Ryan Smith David Southwick Murray Thompson Bill Tilley Heidi Victoria Nick Wakeling Graham Watt Kim Wells Mary Wooldridge Lorraine Wreford

National (10)	Tim Bull Peter Crisp Hugh Delahunty Tim McCurdy Russell Northe Jeanette Powell Peter Ryan Bill Sykes Peter Walsh Paul Weller

Independent (1)	Geoff Shaw

v t e Presiding officers of Australian legislatures

Australian Parliament	Speaker of the House of Representatives · Anna Burke (ALP) President of the Senate · John Hogg (ALP)

New South Wales	Speaker of the Legislative Assembly · Shelley Hancock (Lib) President of the Legislative Council · Don Harwin (Lib)

Victoria	Speaker of the Legislative Assembly · Ken Smith (Lib) President of the Legislative Council · Bruce Atkinson (Lib)

Queensland	Speaker of the Legislative Assembly · Fiona Simpson (LNP)

Western Australia	Speaker of the Legislative Assembly · Michael Sutherland (Lib) President of the Legislative Council · Barry House (Lib)

South Australia	Speaker of the House of Assembly · Michael Atkinson (ALP) President of the Legislative Council · John Gazzola (ALP)

Tasmania	Speaker of the House of Assembly · Michael Polley (ALP) President of the Legislative Council · Jim Wilkinson (Ind)

Northern Territory	Speaker of the Legislative Assembly · Kezia Purick (CLP)

Australian Capital Territory	Speaker of the Legislative Assembly · Vicki Dunne (Lib)

Persondata
Name	Smith, Ken
Alternative names
Short description	Australian politician
Date of birth	30 December 1944
Place of birth	Ormond, Victoria
Date of death
Place of death

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Last modified on 31 December 2011, at 18:53