Chris Holstein
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{distinguish|Chris Holsten}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Chris Holstein
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| constituency_MP = Gosford
| parliament = New South Wales
| term_start = 26 March 2011
| term_end = 28 March 2015
| predecessor = Marie Andrews
| successor = Kathy Smith
| majority =
| birth_name = Christopher David Holstein
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1958|5|19}}
| birth_place = Waratah, New South Wales
| death_date =
| death_place =
| constituency =
| party = Liberal Party
| spouse =
| children =
| profession = Small business owner
| signature =
| footnotes =
| website =
}}
Christopher David Holstein (born 19 May 1958) is an Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Gosford for the Liberal Party from 2011 to 2015.{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=2200 |name=Mr Christopher David Holstein |former=Yes |access-date=13 May 2019}}
Early years and background
Holstein has lived on the Central Coast since he was eight years of age, attending Gosford High School. His family has small businesses in the area and he became involved in local politics following flooding in the Narara Valley area in 1989. Elected to Gosford City Council in 1991{{cite news
| last =Collins | first=Terry
| title = Challenges will keep re-elected Gosfod mayor Holstein on toes
| url = http://express-advocate-wyong.whereilive.com.au/news/story/challenges-will-keep-re-elected-mayor-on-toes/
| accessdate = 30 April 2011
| newspaper=Central Coast Express Advocate
| date= 2 October 2009
| publisher = News Limited }} initially as an independent Councillor, Holstein then later served as Mayor between 2002 and 2010,{{cite news
| last =Collins | first=Terry
| title = Holstein set to decide political future
| url = http://express-advocate-wyong.whereilive.com.au/news/story/holstein-set-to-decide-political-future/
| accessdate = 30 April 2011
| newspaper=Central Coast Express Advocate
| date= 14 September 2010
| publisher = News Limited }} and during some of his time on Council, he represented the Liberal Party.{{cite news
| last=Collins | first=Terry
| title=Holstein rides Liberal landslide
| url=http://express-advocate-wyong.whereilive.com.au/news/story/holstein-rides-liberal-landslide/
| accessdate=3 April 2011
| newspaper=Central Coast Express Advocate
| date=16 September 2008
| publisher = News Limited }}
Holstein is married with five children and lives in the Narara Valley on the New South Wales Central Coast.{{cite web|title=Chris Holstein |url=http://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/nsw-candidates/chris-holstein.html |work=NSW Candidates 2011 |publisher=Liberal Party |accessdate=3 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317164959/http://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/nsw-candidates/chris-holstein.html |archivedate=17 March 2011 }}
State political career
Holstein sought political office on several occasions prior to achieving success in 2011. In 2003, he ran as an independent candidate for Peats (now abolished) against Labor sitting member Marie Andrews. Holstein was excluded on the final distribution of preferences in favour of the Liberal candidate, and the seat was retained by Andrews.{{cite web
| url = http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/state_elections-legislative_assembly/2003/peats#Preferential
| title = Preferential Count - Peats
| work = Legislative Assembly election 2003
| publisher = Electoral Commission of New South Wales
| date = 1 December 2010
| accessdate = 30 April 2011}} In 2007, he ran as the Liberal candidate for Gosford, again against Labor's Andrews. Holstein gained 45.1 per cent of the two-party vote and the seat was retained by Andrews.{{cite web
| url = http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/state_elections-legislative_assembly/2007/gosford/perferential_count
| title = Preferential Count - Gosford
| work = Legislative Assembly election 2007
| publisher = Electoral Commission of New South Wales
| date = 15 November 2010
| accessdate = 30 April 2011}}
Holstein was successful on the third occasion of running at the 2011 state election, again in Gosford, he achieved a swing of 15.4 points and won the seat with 61.9 per cent of the two-party vote.{{cite news
| url = http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2011/guide/gosf.htm
| title = Gosford
| work = NSW Votes 2011
| publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation
| author = Green, Antony
| author-link = Antony Green
| date = 5 April 2011
| accessdate = 30 April 2011}} Holstein was part of a team labeled by the media as the 'Awesome Foursome' who won all four Central Coast seats for the Liberals at the 2011 State election.{{cite news
| last= McCumstie | first = Alicia
| title = State election: 'Awesome Foursome' lead Liberal landslide on Central Coast
| url = http://express-advocate-wyong.whereilive.com.au/news/story/state-election-awesome-foursome-lead-liberal-landslide-on-central-coast/
| accessdate = 3 April 2011
| newspaper = Central Coast Express Advocate
| publisher = News Limited
| date = 26 March 2011}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-civ}}
{{s-bef| before= Tony Sansom }}
{{s-ttl |title= Mayor of the City of Gosford | years =1998–2001}}
{{s-aft|after= Robert Bell }}
{{s-bef| before= Jim Macfadyen }}
{{s-ttl |title= Mayor of the City of Gosford | years =2008–2010}}
{{s-aft|after= Laurie Maher}}
{{s-par|au-nsw-la}}
{{s-bef | before = Marie Andrews }}
{{s-ttl |title = Member for Gosford | years=2011–2015}}
{{s-aft | after=Kathy Smith}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holstein, Christopher David}}
Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales
Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
Category:Shire presidents and mayors of Gosford
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