Garth Hamilton
{{short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Garth Hamilton
|honorific-suffix = MP
|image = Garth Hamilton Geoscience Australia 2022 (cropped).jpg
|caption = Hamilton in 2022
|constituency_MP1 = Groom
|parliament1 = Australian
|term_start1 = 28 November 2020
|term_end1 =
|predecessor1 = John McVeigh
|successor1 =
|party = Liberal National
|otherparty =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1979|3|5}}
| birth_place = Southport, Queensland, Australia
| relations =
| spouse = Louise
| children = 3
| residence =
| alma_mater = University of Queensland
| occupation = Engineer
| profession =
| religion =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Garth Russell Hamilton (born 5 March 1979){{cite web |title=Mr Garth Hamilton MP |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=291387 |publisher=Parliament of Australia |access-date=16 January 2021}} is an Australian politician who is a member of the House of Representatives representing the Division of Groom. He was elected in the 2020 Groom by-election, following the retirement of John McVeigh.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-28/garth-hamilton-wins-groom-byelection-toowoomba/12931662|title=Garth Hamilton elected new Member for Groom for the LNP at by-election|work=ABC News|date=29 November 2020|access-date=29 November 2020|first=Lucy|last=Robinson}} He is a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) and sits with the Liberal Party in federal parliament.
Early life and career
Hamilton grew up in Ipswich and his father was a concreter. His mother had worked as a Hansard reporter in the Australian Parliament.{{Cite web |title=First Speech |url=https://www.garthhamilton.com.au/speeches/first-speech/ |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=Garth Hamilton MP |date=15 February 2021 |language=en-AU}}
Hamilton attended Ipswich Grammar School before studying engineering at the University of Queensland.{{cite news|url=https://www.lnp.org.au/garth-hamilton/|title=About Garth|publisher=Liberal National Party|access-date=29 November 2020}} He is an engineer who has worked around the world on various large infrastructure projects. Prior to his election, Hamilton led research in the mining industry for the Cooperative Research Centre for Optimising Resource Extraction (CRC ORE).{{Cite web|title=About Garth|url=https://www.garthhamilton.com.au/about-garth/|access-date=2021-05-25|website=Garth Hamilton MP|language=en-AU}}
Political career
Within the LNP, he previously served as a campaign manager for the state MP for Toowoomba North, Trevor Watts. Hamilton wrote articles for The Spectator Australia, including an opinion column titled "Absent Fathers Matter", arguing that social problems among Aboriginal Australians and African Americans such as incarceration rates would be alleviated if fathers were more present in the lives of the children.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-04 |title=LNP candidate Garth Hamilton's article on "absent fathers" disappears |url=https://www.outinperth.com/lnp-candidate-garth-hamiltons-article-on-absent-fathers-disappears/ |access-date=2021-05-25 |website=OUTInPerth {{!}} LGBTQIA+ News and Culture}}
= Preselection =
John McVeigh, the member for Groom, resigned from parliament in September 2020, triggering a preselection contest between seven candidates to contest the safe LNP seat.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-18 |title=Federal LNP MP John McVeigh resigns from Toowoomba electorate |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-18/federal-member-for-groom-john-mcveigh-resigns-toowoomba/12676980 |access-date=2021-05-25 |website=www.abc.net.au |language=en-AU}} The Prime Minister, Scott Morrison was reported to have wanted a woman to be preselected, and the Queensland Resources Council had backed two women who were both reported to be frontrunners.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-18|title=They had the backing of the PM and the mining lobby, but LNP preselectors chose a man instead|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-19/lnp-candidate-denies-groom-preselection-highlights-women-problem/12896632|access-date=2021-05-25|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}} Hamilton won the preselection for the seat in October 2020.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-19/lnp-candidate-denies-groom-preselection-highlights-women-problem/12896632|title=Groom preselection goes to Garth Hamilton despite strong backing for Rebecca Vonhoff, Sara Hales|work=ABC News|first=Elly|last=Bradfield|date=19 November 2020|access-date=29 November 2020}} Hamilton was labelled a "consensus candidate" by party members who attended the preselection, and was reported to have given the strongest speech and answers to questions.{{Cite news |last=Loftus |first=Tobi |date=2020-10-26 |title=How Garth Hamilton won major Groom LNP vote to become the party's by-election candidate |work=The Chronicle |url=https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/toowoomba/how-garth-hamilton-won-major-groom-lnp-vote-to-become-the-partys-byelection-candidate/news-story/2273d6ad52b2c581220578651d4fd3f3}}
During the by-election in November 2020, Hamilton defeated three other candidates and was elected with a 3% swing against the LNP. He was sworn into the House of Representatives on 3 December 2020.
= Parliament =
Hamilton was an early critic of the Queensland Government's handling of the Wellcamp Quarantine Facility.{{Cite web |title=Speech – Toowoomba Region opportunities – 17 February 2022 |url=https://www.garthhamilton.com.au/speeches/speech-toowoomba-region-opportunities-and-quarantine-facility-thursday-17-february-2022/ |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=Garth Hamilton MP |date=17 February 2022 |language=en-AU}}
Prior to its approval by the Queensland State Government, Hamilton was a vocal supporter of the New Acland Mine Stage 3 expansion.{{Cite web |title=Speech – House of Representatives – New Acland Coal Mine |url=https://www.garthhamilton.com.au/speeches/speech-house-of-representatives-new-acland-coal-mine/ |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=Garth Hamilton MP |date=26 October 2022 |language=en-AU}}
Hamilton has pushed for delivery of the Inland Rail project, pointing to the economic benefits it will bring to the Toowoomba Region.{{Cite web |title=Local construction begins on Inland Rail |url=https://www.garthhamilton.com.au/media-releases/local-construction-begins-on-inland-rail/ |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=Garth Hamilton MP |date=24 August 2022 |language=en-AU}}
Hamilton has been supportive of the proposed new dam at Emu Creek.{{Cite web |last=Gillespie |first=Tom |date=2022-05-17 |title=Groom federal election candidates answer big questions, give their vision for undecided voters |url=https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/toowoomba/groom-federal-election-candidates-answer-big-questions-give-their-vision-for-undecided-voters/news-story/37db85abe98306e4b19deb0b30707d75 |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=The Chronicle}}
Hamilton was appointed Deputy Chair of the House Standing Committee on Economics on 26 July 2022.{{Cite web |last=corporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House |first=Canberra |title=Committee Membership |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Economics/Committee_Membership |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=www.aph.gov.au |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |date=2022-05-25 |title=The curse of the house economics committee |url=https://www.afr.com/rear-window/the-curse-of-the-house-economics-committee-20220525-p5aoes |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}
Hamilton is reported to be a member of the National Right faction of the Liberal Party.{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=20 March 2021 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=1 February 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 April 2023 |access-date=4 December 2023}}
Personal life
{{As of|2020}}, Hamilton lives in Toowoomba with his wife Louise and three children. Hamilton is a volunteer firefighter.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=291387 Mr Garth Hamilton MP - Parliament of Australia]
{{Queensland Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Garth}}
Category:Australian mining engineers
Category:University of Queensland alumni
Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Liberal National Party of Queensland members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:People educated at Ipswich Grammar School
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives
Category:Australian MPs 2019–2022