Warwick Smith (politician)

Warwick Leslie Smith AO (born 13 May 1954) is an Australian politician from Tasmania. He was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from December 1984 to March 1993 and again from March 1996 to October 1998, representing the Division of Bass, Tasmania.

The Honourable Warwick Smith AO
Minister for Family Services
In office 6 October 1997 – 21 October 1998
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Judi Moylan
Succeeded by	Jocelyn Newman
Minister for Sport, Local Government and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
In office 11 March 1996 – 6 October 1997
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	John Faulkner
Succeeded by	Andrew Thomson
Manager of Opposition Business
In office 23 May 1992 – 7 April 1993
Leader	John Hewson
Preceded by	Wal Fife
Succeeded by	John Howard
Member of the Australian Parliament for Bass
In office 1 December 1984 – 13 March 1993
Preceded by	Kevin Newman
Succeeded by	Silvia Smith (no relation)
In office 2 March 1996 – 3 October 1998
Preceded by	Silvia Smith
Succeeded by	Michelle O'Byrne
Personal details
Born	Warwick Leslie Smith (1954-05-13) 13 May 1954 (age 71) Launceston, Tasmania
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Alma mater	Australian National University University of Tasmania
Occupation	Solicitor

Early life and education

Warwick Leslie Smith was born on 13 May 1954 in Launceston, Tasmania.^[1]

He attended the Australian National University and University of Tasmania, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws.^[1]

Career

Smith first worked as a solicitor.^[1]

He was elected to Parliament in 1984 and later held two ministries in John Howard's government: Minister for Sport, Territories and Local Government from March 1996 to October 1997, and then Minister for Family Services until October 1998.^[1]

Smith lost his seat in the 1998 general election to ALP candidate Michelle O'Byrne. He has since held several management positions in the corporate sector, including as an executive director of Macquarie Bank, head of the Australia China Business Council.^[2] He was chair of ANZ New South Wales and of the advisory board of Australian Equity Group, an investment company owned by Kerry Stokes, in 2007.^[3]

From July 2010 to April 2012, Smith was chairman of the Australian Sports Commission.^[4]

He chaired the Australia-China Council at the time of its winding up by the government in 2019, assuming the role of chair of the replacement agency, the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations. However he resigned a year later, after raising "concerns over the structure, independence, and effectiveness" of the new body.^[5]

Honours

Smith was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day Honours List on 26 January 2008, and Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) on 26 January 2019.^[1]