Neale Burgess
{{short description|Australian politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Neale Burgess
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image =
| caption =
| constituency_AM = Hastings
| assembly = Victorian Legislative
| term_start = 25 November 2006
| term_end = 26 November 2022
| predecessor = Rosy Buchanan
| successor = Paul Mercurio
| majority =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1956|8|17}}
| birth_place = Melbourne
| death_date =
| death_place =
| constituency =
| party = Liberal Party
| spouse =
| residence =
| profession = Barrister, technology consultant
| religion =
| signature =
| footnotes =
| website = [http://nealeburgess.com.au/ nealeburgess.com.au/]
}}
Neale Ronald Burgess (born 17 August 1956) is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2022, representing the electorate of Hastings.
Political career
Burgess first ran as the Liberal Party candidate for Hastings in the 2002 Victorian state election but lost the seat in the Labor ‘Brackslide’ to Labor’s Rosy Buchanan. Burgess ran again for the Liberals at the 2006 state election, and succeeded in winning back the traditionally conservative district for the Liberal Party. He later held the seat at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 state elections.
Burgess voted against the Abortion Law Reform Bill 2008,{{Cite web |url=http://www.lifevote.org.au/politician.php?id=11&area=Victoria |title=Life Vote |access-date=24 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303084118/http://lifevote.org.au/politician.php?id=11&area=Victoria |archive-date=3 March 2019 |url-status=dead }} and later voted for banning anti-abortion protesters from protesting outside abortion clinics.{{Cite web|url=https://righttolife.com.au/resources/article-archive/176-who-voted-for-against-buffer-zone-bill-house-of-assembly|title=How your Vic MLAs voted on|first=Mary|last=Collier|website=Righttolife.com.au|access-date=22 November 2021}} In May 2018, he revealed he had changed his mind on the issue and now opposed buffer zones.{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/daily-hansard/Assembly_2018/Assembly_Daily_Extract_Thursday_10_May_2018_from_Book_5.pdf|title=PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD)|website=Parliament.vic.gov.au|date=10 May 2018|access-date=22 November 2021}}
In June 2022, Burgess received a parliamentary suspension following several allegations of inappropriate behaviour beginning in November 2021. Burgess strongly denies the allegations.{{Cite web |last=Sakkal |first=Annika Smethurst, Paul |date=2022-07-15 |title=State Liberal MP banned from entering parliament over allegations of inappropriate behaviour |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/state-liberal-mp-banned-from-entering-parliament-over-allegations-of-inappropriate-behaviour-20220714-p5b1rl.html |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=The Age |language=en}}
In November 2021, Burgess announced he would not recontest Hastings at the 2022 state election,{{Cite web |last=Hui |first=Jin |date=2021-11-12 |title=Burgess gives up seat |url=https://cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au/news/2021-11-12/burgess-gives-up-seat/ |access-date=2021-11-12 |website=Cranbourne Star News |language=en-US}} and was succeeded by Labor's Paul Mercurio.
Personal life
Burgess was born in Melbourne and grew up in Tocumwal. He is the father of three children.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/id/1629|title=Neale Burgess (Hastings)|publisher=Parliament of Victoria|work=Members Information|access-date=3 April 2009}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nealeburgess.com.au/about_neale|title=About Neale|website=Nealeburgess.com.au|access-date=22 November 2021}}
In 1994, Burgess completed a Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) at the Queensland University of Technology,{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/vic-election-2018/guide/hast/
|title=Neale Burgess (Hastings)|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=31 January 2022}} and was later admitted to the Bar.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/vic-election-2018/guide/hast/
|title=Neale Burgess (Hastings)|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=31 January 2022}} He worked for a number of years as a criminal law barrister.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/vic-election-2018/guide/hast/
|title=Neale Burgess (Hastings)|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=31 January 2022}} He operated a technology consulting business before entering politics.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/vic-election-2018/guide/hast/
|title=Neale Burgess (Hastings)|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=31 January 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au-vic-la}}
{{s-bef|before=Rosy Buchanan}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member for Hastings|years=2006–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Paul Mercurio}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burgess, Neale}}
Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Victoria
Category:Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Category:Queensland University of Technology alumni