David Morris (Australian politician)

Early life

Morris was born in East Melbourne, Victoria, and spent his early years living at East Burwood. His primary school years were spent at Bennettswood State School, until the family moved to Geelong for a year when he was 10. There, he attended Geelong College before returning to Melbourne and Caulfield Grammar. The following year he returned to Geelong College, graduating in 1973.

He was a retail executive from 1975 to 1980, after which he became a small business proprietor, a career that lasted until his election to the Legislative Assembly.

Local government and community activity

Morris began his community work with the Mornington Chamber of Commerce, being elected Treasurer in 1982. In 1987, he was elected to Mornington Shire Council, serving until 1994 (including a period as President, 1992 to 1993), a member of the Westernport Regional Planning Committee from 1989 to 1994, President of the Mornington Peninsula Municipalities Association from 1990 to 1994, and a member of the Peninsula Regional Library service committee from 1987 to 1995, including a number of terms as Chairman.

Morris' involvement with public libraries led to his appointment to the Public Libraries Advisory Committee of the Libraries Board of Victoria, Chair of the LBV Legislation Review Group and membership of the Minister’s Library Funding Review. He served as a Council delegate to the Metropolitan Municipal Association from 1989 to 1994 and as a member of the Executive; as Chair of the Western Port Strategy Review, as Chair of the Crib Point Terminal Consultative Committee and as Chairman or Member of a number of local Tourism bodies. His involvement with Peninsula community has included service as a Board Member of Peninsula Community Health, and as Secretary and Treasurer of the Mount Eliza Community Association.

Politics and Parliament

Morris joined the Liberal Party in 1975, and has held many positions in the administrative wing, including president of the Mornington Branch, Chairman of both the Mornington and Dunkley Electorates, as a Member of State Council and the (former) Policy Assembly. He has served on both the Transport and the Planning and Local Government Policy Committees and the State Seats Committee, and remains a member of State Assembly representing the State Parliamentary Party.

In 2005, Morris was selected as the Liberal candidate for Mornington, a seat being vacated by sitting member Robin Cooper. He was elected in November 2006 (obtaining a 10 percent swing). He was Deputy Chair of the Parliament’s Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee from 2007-10.

In 2008, he voted in favour of the "Abortion Law Reform Act 2008" one of the few Liberal MP's to do so, he also became the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government and in 2010 added Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Climate Change to his responsibilities.

Following the election of the Baillieu Government in 2010 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government and a member of the Privileges Committee of the Legislative Assembly and of the Parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. In February 2013 he was elected Chair of that Committee.

In 2014, following the change of Government, he was appointed as Shadow Minister for Finance by the new Opposition Leader, Matthew Guy, and was elected Deputy Chair of both the Legislative Assembly Privileges Committee and the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee.

Personal

Morris is married to Linda and has three stepchildren.

In 2008 he walked the wartime route of the Kokoda Track.