Tim Whetstone
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Tim Whetstone
|honorific_suffix = MP
|image =Whetstone2018.jpg
|constituency_AM1 = Chaffey
|assembly1 = South Australian House of
|term_start1 = 20 March 2010
|term_end1 =
|predecessor1 = Karlene Maywald
|successor1 =
| office = Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development
| premier = Steven Marshall
| term_start = {{start date|2018|03|22|df=y}}
| term_end = 26 July 2020
| predecessor = {{unbulleted list|Geoff Brock {{small|(as Minister for Regional Development)}}|Leon Bignell {{small|(as Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries and Minister for Forests)}}}}
| successor = David Basham
| birth_name = Timothy John Whetstone
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1960|3|5}}
| birth_place = Keith, South Australia
| nationality = Australian
| party = Liberal Party of Australia (SA)
| spouse =
| occupation = Irrigator
| religion =
| signature = Tim Whetstone signature 2023.svg
| footnotes =
}}
Timothy John Whetstone (born 5 March 1960) is an Australian politician representing the seat of Chaffey in the South Australian House of Assembly for the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia since the 2010 election. Whetstone served as the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development in the Marshall Ministry from 22 March 2018.{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-22/sa-liberal-government-sworn-in-whos-who-in-ministry/9575712 |title=SA election: Who's who in the new South Australian Liberal Government? |last=MacLennan |first=Leah |date=22 March 2018 |website=ABC News |location=Australia |access-date=22 March 2018}}{{Cite web |url=http://governmentgazette.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/public/documents/gazette/2018/March/2018_020.pdf |title=The South Australian Government Gazette, 22 March 2018, No. 20, Supplementary Gazette|access-date=23 March 2018}} He resigned from cabinet on 26 July 2020 after a scandal over parliamentary allowances, which he was subsequently cleared of on 15 October 2020.{{cite web |last1=Richardson |first1=Tom |title=ICAC clears ex-ministers among nine country MPs |url=https://www.indaily.com.au/news/2020/10/15/icac-clears-ex-ministers-among-nine-country-mps |website=InDaily |access-date=26 March 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Harmsen |first1=Nick |title=Nine SA regional MPs, including two former ministers, cleared of misconduct over allowance claims |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-15/sa-icac-drops-investigation-against-some-mps-but-not-all/12770420 |website=ABC News |access-date=27 March 2025}}
Background and early career
Whetstone was born in the state's South East at Keith before completing his schooling in Adelaide. He finished a tool maker apprenticeship at General Motors Holden and later went on to develop his own small business building and restoring muscle cars and speedboats.{{Cite news|url=https://premier.sa.gov.au/meet-the-team/tim-whetstone-mp|title=Tim Whetstone MP|date=2018-05-25|work=Steven Marshall {{!}} Premier of South Australia|access-date=2018-09-20|language=en}}{{cite web |title=Maiden Speech |url=https://www.timwhetstone.com.au/maiden_speech |website=Tim Whetstone MP |access-date=27 March 2025}}
Whestone was a project manager on the Moomba gas fields before moving to the Riverland in 1989 to purchase a citrus property and develop a vineyard on the River Murray.
In the late 1990s, Whetstone was selected for the national team to represent Australia in the Bridge to Bridge ski race. The team won first place with a speed of 40 minutes.
Political career
Whetstone contested the seat of Chaffey at the 2010 election for the Liberal Party, receiving a 20-point two-candidate swing from incumbent SA Nationals MP Karlene Maywald, to finish with 53.8 percent of the two-candidate vote.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2010/guide/chaf.htm |title=Chaffey |work=2010 SA election |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |author=Green, Antony |author-link=Antony Green }} The SA Nationals did not contest the 2014 election, which saw Whetstone win 75.1 percent of the two-party vote.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/sa-election-2014/guide/chaf/ |title=Chaffey |work=2014 SA election |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |author=Green, Antony |author-link=Antony Green }}
Between June 2014 until the state election, Whetstone was the Shadow Minister for Trade and Investment, as well as being the Shadow Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing from 2014 to 2017.
Following the 2018 election, Whetstone was appointed as Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development.{{cite news |url=https://indaily.com.au/news/politics/2018/03/22/ministries-merged-marshall-unveils-new-cabinet/ |title=Marshall unveils new Cabinet |first=Bension |last=Siebert |date=22 March 2018 |access-date=23 March 2018 |newspaper=InDaily}}
In July 2020, Whetstone admitted to wrongly claiming travel expenses on 90 occasions over six years, including several claims for accommodation in Adelaide at the same time as he was undertaking international or interstate travel, in what Premier Steven Marshall described as "extraordinarily disappointing" behaviour.{{cite news |title=Ministers claimed expenses for staying in Adelaide but weren't actually there |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-23/sa-ministers-claimed-expenses-for-staying-in-adelaide-while-away/12483296 |access-date=26 July 2020 |work=ABC News |date=23 July 2020 |language=en-AU}}{{cite news |title=Three South Australian ministers quit cabinet amid expenses scandal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/26/three-south-australian-ministers-resign-from-cabinet |access-date=27 July 2020 |work=The Guardian Australia|date=26 July 2020 |language=en-AU}} As a result, Whetstone resigned from the Marshall Ministry on 26 July 2020.{{cite news |title=Three SA ministers resign from cabinet – Australian Associated Press |url=https://www.aap.com.au/three-sa-ministers-resign-from-cabinet/ |access-date=26 July 2020 |agency=AAP |date=26 July 2020 |language=en}} Whetstone repaid approximately $7,000 attributed to diary-keeping errors, and on 15 October 2020 was cleared of further investigation. Then-South Australian Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Ann Vanstone explained that "the information provided so far does not reveal evidence of misconduct" and, as a result, had "decided not to widen those inquiries to other Members of Parliament."
Shortly after the 2022 election, which saw the SA Liberal Party returned to opposition, Whetstone was appointed Shadow Minister for Police and Community Safety, Road Safety, Corrections, and Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.{{cite web |last1=Richards |first1=Stephanie |title=First-term MPs elevated to Libs’ ‘youthful’ frontbench |url=https://www.indaily.com.au/news/2022/04/21/first-term-mps-elevated-to-libs-youthful-frontbench |website=InDaily}}
On 6 January 2023, Whetstone resigned as Shadow Minister for Road Safety after accumulating too many demerit points due to unspecified traffic offences, resulting in the loss of his license.{{Cite news |date=2023-01-06 |title=South Australian shadow road safety minister loses drivers licence, steps down from role |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-06/road-safety-shadow-minister-tim-whetstone-loses-licence/101833742 |access-date=2023-01-06}} Shortly following the incident, then-Leader of the Opposition David Speirs appointed Whetstone as Shadow Minister for Trade and Investment, citing his experience and performance within the shadow ministry.{{cite web |last1=Holder |first1=Sophie |title=SA opposition leader defends decision to appoint Tim Whetstone to shadow ministry |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-31/david-speirs-defends-tim-whetstone-promotion-portfolio-reshuffle/101911122 |website=ABC News |access-date=27 March 2025}}
Following Vincent Tarzia's appointment as Opposition Leader in August 2024, Whetstone was given responsibility over the Industry, Recreation and Racing, and Emergency Services portfolios.{{cite web |last1=Starick |first1=Paul |title=South Australian Liberal leader Vincent Tarzia reveals his shadow cabinet |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/south-australian-liberal-leader-vincent-tarzia-reveals-his-shadow-cabinet/news-story/d53103ea5ee0efc802b9f33a3382bbe5 |website=The Advertiser |access-date=27 March 2025}} He was also later appointed Shadow Minister for Social Services.{{cite web |last1=Karakulak |first1=Helen |title=Leader reveals reshuffle following Liberal exits |url=https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/just-in/2025/01/21/leader-reveals-reshuffle-following-liberal-exits |website=InDaily |access-date=27 March 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite SA-parl |pid=4339 |name=Whetstone, Tim |former= |access-date=19 August 2022}}
- Primary Industries and Regions SA
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef |before=Geoff Brock |as=Minister for Regional Development }}
{{s-ttl |title= Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development |years=2018–2020|rows=2}}
{{s-aft|after=David Basham |rows=2}}
{{s-bef |before=Leon Bignell |as=Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries and Minister for Forests }}
{{s-par|au-sa-la}}
{{s-bef|before=Karlene Maywald}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member for Chaffey|years=2010–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{SACurrentMHAs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whetstone, Tim}}
Category:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly
Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of South Australia
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
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