Rob Akers
{{short description|Australian politician and architect}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Rob Akers
|honorific-suffix =
|image =
|caption =
| constituency_AM1 = Pine Rivers
| assembly1 = Queensland Legislative
| term_start1 = 7 December 1974
| term_end1 = 22 October 1983
| predecessor1 = Kenneth Leese
| successor1 = Yvonne Chapman
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1941|10|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| death_date = {{death date and age|2006|10|28|1941|10|17|df=y}}
| death_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| restingplace =
| birthname = Robert George Akers
| nationality = Australian
| party = Liberal Party
| otherparty =
| spouse = Ilse Frances Gaylard (m. 1965-19??)
[[Rosemary Kyburz|Rosemary Annette Kyburz (née
Plim)]] (m. 1981-present); 2 sons
| alma_mater = University of Queensland
| occupation = Architect
}}
Robert George Akers (17 October 1941 – 28 October 2006) was an architect and Liberal Party Member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, for the seat of Pine Rivers 1974–1983. Later he was Chairman of Shire of Pine Rivers from 1985 to 1994.{{Citation|author1=Melva A.|author2=Welch|title=Not pineapples, not pine trees but-- Pine Rivers: revised chronicle of local government in Pine Rivers Shire, 1888 to 2008|date=2008|publisher=Pine Rivers Shire Council|edition=Revised and updated [ed.]|isbn=978-0-9577523-5-1}} In 1995, he stood for the State seat of Kurwongbah as an independent.
Akers was the second son of Pine Rivers Councillor James Henry Akers (1913–1977) and M. B. S. (Molly) Akers OAM (died 1999). He attended Brisbane Grammar School.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
Marriages
Akers married (the second marriage for both) fellow parliamentarian Rosemary Kyburz while in parliament, the first time sitting members had married each other. They have two sons.{{cite web|title=Former Members|publisher=Parliament of Queensland|year=2015| url=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=2527834843|accessdate=11 February 2015}}
He and his wife both lost their seats in the 1983 Liberal Party electoral collapse after Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen characterised many of the Liberal Party members of his Coalition government as "ratbags". These events led to the end of the National-Liberal Coalition in Queensland (at State level).{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
Later career
Akers entered the 1994 Mayoral election as sitting Shire Chairman against Yvonne Chapman and 4 others. In addition to being the first time the Shire elected a Mayor, it was also the first time a preferential ballot was used.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} Cr Akers received the majority of the first preferences but Ms Chapman was victorious after the distribution of preferences. This was the second time Ms Chapman had defeated Rob Akers at significant election, having taken the Queensland Parliamentary seat of Pine Rivers from him in 1983.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
Honours, Awards, recognition
- Rob Akers was honoured by Pine Rivers Shire naming the Rob Akers Reserve, a substantial sports ground and parklands after him.
- Rob Akers was a recipient of the Centenary Medal in 2001 for: "distinguished service to the community through parliament, local government and the Lions Club"{{cite web|title= It's an Honour|publisher= Australian Government|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1118754|accessdate=21 March 2008}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au-qld}}
{{s-bef|before= Kenneth Leese}}
{{s-ttl |title= Member for Pine Rivers|years=1974–1983}}
{{s-aft|after=Yvonne Chapman}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akers, Robert George}}
Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Queensland
Category:Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Category:20th-century Australian politicians
{{Australia-Liberal-politician-stub}}