:Kerry Shine

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix = Councillor

|image = Kerryshinecropped.jpg

|name = Kerry Shine

|office1 = Councillor for Toowoomba Region

|term_start1 = 28 March 2020

|term_end1 =

|office3 = Minister for Natural Resources and Minister for Water of Queensland

|premier3 = Peter Beattie

|term_start3 = 13 September 2006

|term_end3 = 1 November 2006

|predecessor3 = Henry Palaszczuk

|successor3 = Craig Wallace

|office2 = Attorney-General of Queensland and Minister for Justice

|premier2 = Peter Beattie
Anna Bligh

|term_start2 = 1 November 2006

|term_end2 = 26 March 2009

|predecessor2 = Linda Lavarch

|successor2 = Cameron Dick

| constituency_AM4 = Toowoomba North

| assembly4 = Queensland Legislative

|term_start4 = 17 February 2001

|term_end4 = 24 March 2012

|predecessor4 = Graham Healy

|successor4 = Trevor Watts

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|10|5|df=y}}

|birth_place = Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

|death_date =

|death_place =

|restingplace =

|birthname = Kerry Gerard Shine

|nationality = Australian

|party = Labor

|otherparty =

|spouse =

|children = 3

| alma_mater = University of Queensland

| occupation = Solicitor

| relations =

| religion =

}}

Kerry Gerard Shine (born 5 October 1948) is an Australian Labor politician who was member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Toowoomba North from 2001 to 2012 and served as Attorney-General of Queensland from 2006 to 2009. He was elected as a member of Toowoomba Regional Council in March 2020.{{cite web |title=Vote Results, Toowoomba Regional Council |url=https://prodresults.elections.qld.gov.au/lga2020/068 |website=Electoral Commission of Queensland |accessdate=12 April 2020 |archive-date=12 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812220146/https://prodresults.elections.qld.gov.au/lga2020/068 |url-status=live }}

Career prior to politics

Prior to his election to Parliament, Shine was admitted as a solicitor in 1972 and, in June 1977, founded Shine Lawyers, a litigation firm that has grown into a nationwide company with over 40 offices providing personalised legal assistance to tens of thousands of Australians.{{cite web|url=http://www.shine.com.au/|title=Shine Lawyers - Compensation Lawyers|work=Shine Lawyers|access-date=7 January 2014|archive-date=9 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109054359/http://www.shine.com.au/|url-status=live}} In 1999 he co-founded Gouldson Legal (then known as Shine Gouldson Lawyers) alongside Faran Gouldson. Gouldson Legal is a plaintiff personal injury litigation firm specialising in Queensland personal injury compensation claims.{{cite web|url=http://www.gouldson.com.au/|title=Gouldson Legal - Personal Injury Law Firm - Queensland|work=Gouldson Legal|access-date=10 January 2014|archive-date=10 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110085055/http://www.gouldson.com.au/|url-status=live}}

Political life

Shine first ran for election in the seat of Toowoomba North in the 1998 state election. Shine was first elected in the landslide 2001 state election that saw the re-election of Peter Beattie as Premier of Queensland, and Shine retained his seat in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/qld/2012/guide/tono.htm|title=Toowoomba North - Queensland Votes 2012 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|work=abc.net.au|access-date=5 December 2013|archive-date=26 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326182554/http://www.abc.net.au/elections/qld/2012/guide/tono.htm|url-status=live}}

In July 2005 as part of a ministerial reshuffle, Shine was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to Warren Pitt (the Minister for Communities, Disability Services and Seniors) and Premier's Advisor on Western Queensland. On 1 November 2006, Shine was appointed as Queensland's Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Shine was sworn in as Minister for Natural Resources and Water in September 2006 and subsequently became the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland in November 2006.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

While Attorney-General, Shine oversaw many legislative reforms including a massive review of the Queensland Criminal Code, a review into the defence of Accident and Provocation and a review into the Queensland Courts. Shine was responsible for the establishment of the new Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, (QCAT) and for the introduction of reform for the benefit of victims of crime.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The 2009 state election saw Shine retain the seat of Toowoomba North with a reduced margin against Liberal National challenger Trevor Watts. He subsequently returned to the backbench, out of a desire to spend more time in the electorate.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/03/24/2524949.htm|title=Kerry Shine moves to the backbench|work=abc.net.au|access-date=5 December 2013|archive-date=15 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215055458/http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/03/24/2524949.htm|url-status=live}}

Shine was the chair of the new Industry, Education, Training and Industrial Relations Committee and a member of several Ministerial Legislative Committees including: the Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations, Police, Corrective and Emergency Services, Transport and Main Roads, and Infrastructure and Planning.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

In 2008 Kerry Shine became under fire for his comments about judges who gave lenient sentences in regards to rape. Mr Shine was interviewed on ABC Radio in Brisbane about figures on the rate at which rapists were jailed. Figures for 2007-08 showed one in eight people sentenced for rape or attempted rape avoided jail. "You have to look at the various circumstance of each case - some rapes can be of minor effect on the victim ... some circumstances can be of minor, some can be of major, damage to the victim," Mr Shine said. Mr Shine later called the station back to apologise after talkback callers expressed their outrage.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/minor-rapes-remark-insensitive-bligh/2008/12/17/1229189682943.html|title='Minor rapes' remark insensitive: Bligh|work=smh.com.au|date=17 December 2008 |access-date=12 January 2015|archive-date=10 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610033725/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/minor-rapes-remark-insensitive-bligh/2008/12/17/1229189682943.html|url-status=live}}

At the 2012 election, Shine faced Watts again and was heavily defeated in the massive landslide that brought the LNP to power, suffering a swing of almost 13 percent.{{cite web | title =Southern Queensland votes | publisher =Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date =March 2012 | url =http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/03/24/3462567.htm | accessdate =17 February 2014 | archive-date =24 February 2014 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140224182342/http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/03/24/3462567.htm | url-status =live }} He contested it in the 2015 election, but, despite his party winning a minority government, Shine narrowly lost to Watts.{{cite web|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/kerry-shine-to-run-for-labor-at-state-election-20131104-2wwzn.html|title=Kerry Shine to run for Labor at state election|work=Brisbane Times|date=4 November 2013 |access-date=5 December 2013|archive-date=5 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105215249/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/kerry-shine-to-run-for-labor-at-state-election-20131104-2wwzn.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/kerry-shine-to-run-for-labor-again/story-e6frfku9-1226752976749|title=Kerry Shine to run for Labor again|work=NewsComAu|access-date=5 December 2013|archive-date=16 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116095245/http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/kerry-shine-to-run-for-labor-again/story-e6frfku9-1226752976749|url-status=live}}

Shine had another rewatch with Watts at the 2017 election and despite Shine's party gaining majority government he again lost to Watts this time with Watts gaining an increased majority.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

In 2020 Shine was elected to the Toowoomba Regional Council.{{Cite web|last=Walker|first=Helen|date=2020-03-06|title=Toowoomba voters have quite a choice in local government elections|url=http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/6666603/toowoomba-voters-have-quite-a-choice-in-local-government-elections/|access-date=2021-06-24|website=Queensland Country Life|language=en-AU|archive-date=30 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630043742/https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/6666603/toowoomba-voters-have-quite-a-choice-in-local-government-elections/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|date=8 May 2020|title=Race costs candidates|page=6|work=Daily News; Warwick, Qld.}}

Community involvement

Shine is a Member of the Downs and South West Law Association, a Life Member of Queensland Law Society and a member of the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce. He has previously served on the Council of the University of Southern Queensland and as a member of Toowoomba City Council.{{cite web| title =Kerry Shine | publisher =Queensland Parliamentary Library |date=September 2003 | url =http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Parlib/Members/Current/Biogs/shine.htm | archive-url =https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040401140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/34432/20040402-0000/www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Parlib/Members/Current/Biogs/shine.htm | url-status =dead | archive-date =2004-04-01 | accessdate =17 February 2014 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Sporting associations include previous service as Secretary of the Rangers Rugby Union Football Club, Honorary Solicitor of the Queensland Country Cricket Association, President of the Toowoomba Cricket Association, Honorary Solicitor of the Darling Downs Rugby Union Club and membership of the Toowoomba Turf Club and Brisbane Racing Club. He is a member of the Australian Services Union.

Personal life

Shine has three adult children.{{cite web | title =First Speech | publisher =Parliament of Queensland | date =April 2001 | url =https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/members/InauguralSpeech/Shine.pdf | accessdate =17 February 2014 | archive-date =23 February 2014 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140223061822/https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/members/InauguralSpeech/Shine.pdf | url-status =live }}