About the Speaker
Hon. Ken Smith MLA
Member for Bass
Member of Parliament from 1988
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2010
Date of Birth: 30th December 1944
Marital Status: Married to wife Dawn and has three sons;
Matthew, Adam and Nick, and six grandchildren
Office Address: 26 McBride Avenue
PO Box 448
Wonthaggi, Victoria 3995, AUSTRALIA
Tel: (+613) 5672 4755
Fax: (+613) 5672 4772
Email: ken.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au
Career:
2010 – Current Re-elected Member for Bass and appointed as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly;
2006 - Current Re-elected Member for Bass;
2002 Elected State Member of the Legislative Assembly for Bass;
1988 - 2002 Elected State Member, Legislative Council, Victorian Parliament, for South Eastern Province;
1984 - 1988 Self employed Plumbing Contractor;
1983 - 2006 Founding Director then Chairman, Independent News Group;
1983 - 1988 Councillor, Shire of Hastings;
1983 - 1984 Federal Secretary Federated Master Plumbers Association of Australia;
1981 - 1984 Executive Officer, Master Plumbers Association; and
1961 - 1981 Self employed Plumbing Contractor.
Past Parliamentary Service:
• Shadow Minister for Local Government;
• Shadow Minister for Gaming;
• Shadow Minister for Fisheries;
• Government and then Opposition Whip in the Legislative Council;
• Secretary of the Parliamentary Liberal Party;
• Acting Speaker in the Legislative Assembly;
• Member Government Bills Committee for Gaming; Industry, Science and
Technology, and Planning;
• Chairman All Party Parliamentary Crime Prevention Committee and Deputy Chair Outer Suburban/Interface Services & Development Committee;
• Member of the Parliamentary Public Bodies Review Committee;
• Chairman of the Liberal Road Safety Committee;
• Chairman of the Coalition Housing Committee;
• Chairman, Industry for Victoria Taskforce;
• Convenor, Coalition Small Business Committee;
• Convenor, Coalition Major Projects Committee; and
• Parliamentary House Committee.
China Connections (1995 – current):
• First Australian Citizen to be awarded Honorary Citizenship to Shandong Province, China;
• Inaugural Chairman of Victorian Parliamentary China Friendship Group;
• Member of Australia / China Friendship Society (Victorian Division);
• Leader of a number of Parliamentary delegations to China;
• Led a number of Business Delegations to China;
• Hosted a number of delegations from various provinces in China on their visits to Victoria including Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Provincial People’s Governments, and also at Secretary General and Governor level, including Shandong, Jiangsu, Beijing, Hebei, Shannxi, Inner Mongolia provinces;
• Assisted with visiting delegations arrangements, including meetings at the highest level in Government and with business leaders;
• Strong involvement in developing business relationships between Chinese and Australian businesses;
• Chairman – Australia / China Sister City Summit 2009; and
• Australia / China Sister Cities Business Summit 2009.