Bill Byrne (politician)

William Stephen Byrne (born 19 April 1958) is an Australian Labor politician who was elected to represent Rockhampton in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland at the 2012 state election. He served until his retirement due to ill health in 2017.[1]

Bill Byrne
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
In office
11 November 2016 – 7 October 2017
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byLeanne Donaldson
Succeeded byAnthony Lynham
In office
16 February 2015 – 7 December 2015
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byJohn McVeigh
Succeeded byLeanne Donaldson
Minister for Rural Economic Development
In office
11 November 2016 – 7 October 2017
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byNew ministry
Succeeded byAnthony Lynham
Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services
Minister for Corrective Services
In office
7 December 2015 – 11 November 2016
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byJo-Ann Miller
Succeeded byMark Ryan
Minister for Sport and Racing
In office
16 February 2015 – 7 December 2015
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded bySteve Dickson
Succeeded byCurtis Pitt (Sport)
Grace Grace (Racing)
Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation
In office
4 March 2014 – 14 February 2015
LeaderAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byCurtis Pitt
Succeeded byJann Stuckey
Shadow Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services
Shadow Minister for Construction and Public Works
Shadow Minister for National Parks
In office
19 April 2012 – 14 February 2015
LeaderAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byJohn-Paul Langbroek (Police)
Ros Bates (Building Industry)
Succeeded byJarrod Bleijie (Police)
Rob Molhoek (Public Works)
Stephen Bennett (National Parks)
Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection
In office
19 April 2012 – 10 May 2012
LeaderAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byAndrew Powell
Succeeded byJackie Trad
Member of the Queensland Parliament
for Rockhampton
In office
24 March 2012 – 25 November 2017
Preceded byRobert Schwarten
Succeeded byBarry O'Rourke
Personal details
Born
William Stephen Byrne

(1958-04-19) 19 April 1958 (age 66)
Bundaberg, Queensland
Political partyLabor
Websitebillbyrne.com.au
Military service
AllegianceAustralia
Branch/serviceAustralian Army (1980–1999)
Australian Army Reserve (2000–present)
Years of service1980–present
RankLieutenant colonel
Unit3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

His party was heavily defeated at the 2012 election and Byrne was one of seven ALP members of the Legislative Assembly returned at that election.

Of the seven ALP members returned at the general election, Byrne was the only one new to the Legislative Assembly although Jackie Trad was soon elected in South Brisbane replacing former Premier Anna Bligh who resigned immediately after the election defeat.

After Labor's victory in the 2015 Queensland state election, he was sworn in as Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and Minister for Sport and Racing in the Palaszczuk Ministry on 16 February 2015.[2]

In December 2015, Byrne's portfolio in the Palaszczuk Ministry changed when he became the new Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services and the new Minister for Corrective Services.[3] He regained the Agriculture and Fisheries portfolio and was given the new ministry of Regional Economic Development in a November 2016 reshuffle.[4]

In February 2016, the state opposition called for an investigation into Byrne under firearms laws after he admitted to using a rifle to shoot rats at his home twenty years earlier.[5]

On 7 October 2017, Byrne announced that he had resigned from the Queensland Cabinet as Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Economic Development, and that he would not be contesting the next election. He cited a serious and "life threatening" health issue as the reason for his retirement.[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ Green, Antony (2012). "Rockhampton". Queensland Votes 2012. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Queensland's new Labor Cabinet sworn in at Government House". Australian Broadcasting Corporation 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  3. ^ Four new faces in expanded Queensland Cabinet revealed by Palaszczuk, ABC News, ABC online, 7 December 2015
  4. ^ "Bill Byrne replaced in cabinet reshuffle". Sunshine Coast Daily. 11 November 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Port Arthur massacre made Police Minister Bill Byrne stop shooting rats". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  6. ^ Pearce, Frazer (7 October 2017). "Why I'm quitting politics". Rockhampton Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Rockhampton
2012–2017
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Sport and Racing
2015
Succeeded byas Minister for Sport
Succeeded byas Minister for Racing
Preceded by Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services
2015–2016
Succeeded by
Minister for Corrections
2015–2016
Preceded by Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
2016–2017
Succeeded by
New title Minister for Rural Economic Development
2016–2017
Succeeded by