Sue Knowles

Knowles was born in Brisbane, Queensland.{{cite news|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=TH4|title=Former Senator Susan Knowles|publisher=Parliament of Australia|access-date=25 March 2020}} She was the sales manager of a Perth office equipment company before entering politics. In 1979 she was appointed to the National Youth Advisory Group within the Department of Employment and Youth Affairs.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110943633|title=Youth advisory group|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=1 May 1979}}

Knowles served as state president of the Young Liberal Movement from 1977 to 1981. She later held various positions in the Liberal Party of Australia (Western Australian Division), including state executive member, state council member, vice-president, and senior vice-president.

Knowles was elected to the Senate at the 1984 federal election and re-elected in 1987, 1993 and 1998. She served as her party's deputy whip in the Senate from 1987 to 1993 and then served in John Hewson's shadow ministry from 1993 to 1994, holding the multicultural affairs portfolio. According to The Canberra Times, she was "the ultimate Hewson loyalist in WA".{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118214137|title=Dumped|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=27 May 1994}} In August 1994 she publicly opposed new opposition leader Alexander Downer's decision to sack Hewson from the shadow ministry.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118265269|title=How the Liberals reacted|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=27 August 1994}} Knowles later served as chair of the community affairs legislation committee from 1997 until her retirement in 2005. She "played a key role in its inquiries into tobacco advertising prohibition and stem cell research".{{cite news|url=http://wifp.senate.gov.au/parliamentarians/by_name/31/|title=Susan Knowles|work=Women in Federal Parliament|publisher=Parliament of Australia|access-date=25 March 2020}}

In 1995, Knowles came into conflict with her Liberal colleague Noel Crichton-Browne over allegations that he had been violent towards his wife several years earlier. Knowles stated that she had helped shelter Crichton-Browne's wife at the time. The allegations came three days after Crichton-Browne was expelled from the Liberal Party.{{Cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127280417?searchTerm=Noel%20Crichton-Browne|title = Crichton-Browne under fire|newspaper = Canberra Times (Act : 1926 - 1995)|date = 12 September 1995|page = 1}} In June 1995, it was reported that Crichton-Browne was being investigated for making death threats towards Knowles. He denied that he had threatened her, stating that the allegations were "scurrilous, crude and filthy".{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127532162|title=WA senator denies AFP inquiry claims|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=22 June 1995}} Knowles initially did not comment, but in September confirmed that she had made a complaint to the Western Australia Police.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127280417|title=Crichton-Browne under fire|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=12 September 1995}} In October 1998, she publicly retracted her statements and apologised to Crichton-Browne, as well as paying him a settlement of $20,000.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s74721.htm|title=WA Liberals question plans to expel fellow MP (transcript)|date=21 December 1999|work=AM|publisher=ABC Radio|access-date=25 March 2020}}

In 1999, the disciplinary committee of the WA Liberals voted to expel Knowles from the party over unnamed complaints, apparently due to the continued influence of Crichton-Browne. Other federal MPs and Premier Richard Court opposed the committee's recommendation, and it was subsequently rejected by the party's state council.{{cite news|url=http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/finding-3291-201302150246|title=WA: Coalition Support Crashes In WA, Minor Parties The Big Winners|date=4 April 2000|access-date=25 March 2020|publisher=Roy Morgan}} In March 2003, Knowles announced that she would not re-contest her seat at the next federal election.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-03-12/wa-senator-to-quit-at-next-poll/1815742|title=WA Senator to quit at next poll|date=12 March 2003|access-date=25 March 2020|publisher=ABC News}} Her term ended on 30 June 2005.

Knowles was appointed convenor of the Australian Classification Review Board in January 2019, to a two-year term.{{cite news|url=https://www.classification.gov.au/about-us/classification-review-board|title=Classification Review Board|publisher=Government of Australia|access-date=23 March 2020}} She has served on the Ad Standards Community Panel since December 2017.{{cite news|url=https://adstandards.com.au/people/sue-knowles|title=Sue Knowles|publisher=Ad Standards|access-date=23 March 2020}}

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• [https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=TH4 Susan Knowles, Senate Biography]

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Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia

Category:Members of the Australian Senate for Western Australia

Category:Women members of the Australian Senate

Category:21st-century Australian politicians

Category:21st-century Australian women politicians

Category:20th-century Australian politicians

Category:20th-century Australian women politicians