Gary Nairn

Gary Roy Nairn (born 3 January 1951) was an Australian politician.

Nairn was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and was educated at the University of New South Wales. He was a surveyor in private practice and managing director of a surveying and mapping consultancy before entering politics. He moved to the Northern Territory where he lived for many years.cite web
title =Biography for Nairn, the Hon. Gary Roy
publisher =Parliament of Australia
work=ParlInfo Web
url =http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?id=13202&table=BIOGS
accessdate = 2007-10-28 ] He was President of the Country Liberal Party between 1990 and 1994, during which time the CLP won two elections with an increased vote. [cite news
title =Eden-Monaro(Key Seat)
publisher =ABC
work=Australia Votes 2007
url =http://abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/emon.htm?site=elections/federal/2007
accessdate = 2007-10-28 ]

Nairn returned to New South Wales and in March 1996 was elected a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the seat of Eden-Monaro. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister in October 2004. In January 2006 he was promoted to the front bench as Special Minister of State which includes responsibilities with Ministerial and Parliamentary Services, the Australian Government Information Management Office, Australian Electoral Commission, Defence Housing Authority and Film Australia.

In September 2007, Nairn's Chief of Staff, Dr Peter Phelps, engaged in a heated verbal exchange with the Labor Party candidate for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly at a forum on the Iraq War in Queanbeyan, New South Wales. At the meeting Dr Phelps claimed that Mike Kelly was a hypocrite as a former soldier running for the ALP when they are opposed to the war in Iraq. Dr Phelps stated at the meeting that he thought Dr Kelly was using the Nuremberg Defence, and compared it to the kind of defence used by guards at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. [cite news |first= Gillian |last= Bradford |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Govt puts up fight in Parliament|url= http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s2035767.htm |work= Radio National: PM |publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date= 2007-09-17|accessdate= 2007-09-19] Mr Nairn did not agree with his staffer's sentiments. [cite web | title =The Hon Gary Nairn MP, Member for Eden-Monaro (NSW): Questions Without Notice| date= 19 September 2007 | publisher =Parliament of Australia | work=Hansard | url =http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr190907.pdf]

In the 2007 federal election, Nairn lost his seat to Labor candidate Mike Kelly. Nairn was one of five Coalition frontbenchers to lose their seats at the election. The loss of the Division of Eden-Monaro by the Liberal Party to the Labor Party continues the trend of the seat being won by every party to form Government since 1972.

Who knows, perhaps the fact that Nairn is a climate-change denier and actively campaigned against all forms of renewable energy had something to do with his defeat.

References

Persondata
NAME=Nairn, Gary Roy
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH=3 January 1951
PLACE OF BIRTH=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
DATE OF DEATH=living
PLACE OF DEATH=