Preceded by Paul Lucas Succeeded by Joan Pease Role Politician | Name Neil Symes Political party Liberal National | |
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Born 11 December 1988 (age 35) ( 1988-12-11 ) Party Liberal National Party of Queensland | ||
Neil Aaron Symes (born 11 December 1988) is an Australian Liberal National politician who was the member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Lytton from 2012 to 2015. He was the youngest member of the Queensland Parliament during his term.
Symes was educated at the Anglican Church Grammar School and Griffith University. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminology and human services, majoring in child protection and family studies. He has worked at the Acacia Ridge and Districts Community Centre in Brisbane's South-West working as a community engagement officer with the Indigenous and African migrant communities. He also had a pivotal role in organising the multicultural festival, Party on in the Park, in 2009. Before running for Parliament, he was a deli worker at Woolworths.
Political career
At 23 years of age, Neil Symes was the youngest candidate for the Liberal National Party at the 2012 Queensland State election.
He was elected with 51.10% of the two-party-preferred vote. Converting a safe Labor seat with a 12.2-point margin, to a 1.64-point marginal seat. Labor had held the seat since its inception – approximately 51 years.
In March 2013, Symes created a furore by taking to Facebook to vent his frustrations over a rally that took place in November 2012, which saw the member for Lytton allegedly being threatened by protesters. In an article posted in The Courier-Mail, Symes warned he would "get his mates on to you" if any such threats took place again.
Symes was defeated by Joan Pease in the 2015 Queensland state election.
Following the 2015 Queensland State Election, Symes resigned from the LNP, and on 3 October 2016 announced via his Instagram account that he had joined Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.