Role Australian Politician Name Russell Northe | Website russellnorthe.com.au Political party The Nationals | |
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Born 6 February 1966 (age 58) Traralgon, Victoria ( 1966-02-06 ) Profession Business manager; footballer; football coach Party National Party of Australia Profiles | ||
ABC 7.30, Response to the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry
Russell John Northe (born 6 February 1966) is an Australian politician and a current member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. Prior to winning preselection by The Nationals for the seat of Morwell, he was a local Australian rules footballer. He resigned from The Nationals in August 2017, and is currently an independent member of parliament.
Contents
- ABC 730 Response to the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry
- Early life and education
- Political and parliamentary career
- References
Early life and education
Northe was born in Traralgon, Victoria and attended Traralgon High School, completing Year 11 in 1982. In 2006, Northe completed a Certificate IV in Business.
Political and parliamentary career
Utilising repetitive television advertising and campaigning on the issues of workers rights and bicycle paths, Northe was able to capitalise on divisions within some local branches of the Australian Labor Party to win the seat. Northe doubled The Nationals primary vote, secured with the aid of Liberal Party and ex-Labor independent preferences.
This win also served to help secure The Nationals future as a political party in Victoria. Russell Northe joined fellow parliamentarians Peter Ryan and Peter Hall as The Nationals state parliamentary representatives for Gippsland.
At the 2010 state election, Northe achieved the biggest pro-Coalition swing in the state to transform Morwell into one of the National Party's safest Victorian seats, with a two-party-preferred margin of 16.29% against Labor. Northe won Morwell on the primary vote, polling 56.24% in his own right, and won every polling booth except the small Yallourn North booth, where Labor recorded a narrow majority. With the Liberal/Nationals Coalition winning government, Northe was also appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business.
Northe has served on the Parliament's Rural and Regional Committee since 2007.
On 28 August 2017, Northe resigned from the National Party due to stress, depression and gambling issues. According to the ABC, he had also accrued significant debts, partly due to gambling.