Gerry Wood

Last updated

Gerry Wood
Member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for Nelson
In office
18 August 2001 –22 August 2020
Personal details
Born
Gerard Vincent Wood

5 April 1950
OccupationPolitician

Gerard Vincent Wood (born 5 April 1950) [1] is an Australian politician. A former mayor of the Northern Territory shire of Litchfield, he was an independent member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2020, representing the electorate of Nelson.

Contents

Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
YearsTermElectoral divisionParty
2001 –2005 9th Nelson Independent
2005 –2008 10th Nelson Independent
2008 –2012 11th Nelson Independent
2012 –2016 12th Nelson Independent
2016 –2020 13th Nelson Independent

Wood worked in Daly River and on Bathurst Island as a young man, working in a number of careers, including running a tourist operation and working as the town clerk of Nguiu. In 1984, he relocated to Howard Springs, between Darwin and Palmerston. While at Howard Springs, he worked as a vegetable and poultry farmer, and became involved with local government, subsequently spending five years as the President of the Litchfield Shire Council. It was in this position that he emerged as a key figure in the fight against the damming of the Elizabeth River, with which he has been credited as having saved. This gave him a significant profile in his area when he decided to contest the seat of Nelson at the 2001 election.

Nelson had a long history of independent candidates, as independent Noel Padgham-Purich had held the seat for most of its history, and Country Liberal Party sitting member Chris Lugg had only narrowly won the seat from new independent candidate Dave Tollner at the 1997 election. In the leadup to the election, Wood was tipped to have a strong chance of ousting Lugg, and subsequently won 42% of the vote, which was enough to elect him with the help of Labor Party preferences. [2] In the immediate aftermath, there was a real possibility of a hung parliament, which would have likely left Wood with the balance of power in the Assembly. However, Labor managed to seize majority control with Matthew Bonson's narrow win in the electorate of Millner, which severely limited Wood's potential influence in the Assembly. Once the new Assembly began sitting, new ALP Chief Minister Clare Martin offered Wood the position of Deputy Speaker under fellow independent Loraine Braham, and Wood soon accepted.

As an MP, Wood has served on a number of committees, including public accounts, environment and sustainable development, substance abuse and estimates. While he has not maintained as high a profile as Braham, he received some attention from the national media in November 2004, when he discovered the theft of a 10-tonne steel railway bridge in his electorate after hearing a report from a constituent. The same month, in response to a severe shortage of fruit pickers in the Territory, Wood wandered around the Mindil Beach Markets, a popular tourist attraction, dressed as a mango tree. Not all of the publicity Wood has received has been for his political efforts; in 2004, Wood won the over-45s division of the Litchfield Gift foot race.

Wood faced his second electoral test at the 2005 election. [3] He campaigned largely on maintaining an independent voice in the Assembly and on social issues such as the state of the Royal Darwin Hospital. Despite a controversial redistribution which moved the Robertson Barracks into his electorate, Wood held his seat with a swing in his favour, polling nearly double the vote of his nearest rival. Wood had hoped to retain the position of Deputy Speaker after the election, but was replaced with Labor backbencher Len Kiely. He has retained his seat in the 2008 election.

Gerry comes from a Horticultural background having studied Horticultural Science at Burnley (University of Melbourne) before coming to the Northern Territory in 1970.

In 2018, in the midst of a financial crisis in the Territory, Wood supported a call to discuss merging the Northern Territory with South Australia.

Retirement

Gerry Wood the independent MP for Nelson, formally announced his retirement in February 2019. He did not contest the 2020 Northern Territory general election. [4]

Political views

Wood is a staunch opponent of abortion, having compared it to domestic violence [5] and describing it as a "fashion" [6] during parliamentary debates, but has condemned the harassment of women outside abortion clinics. [5] He was one of four MLAs who opposed a bill that decriminalised abortion in the Northern Territory. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Country Liberal Party</span> Northern Territory political party

The Country Liberal Party of the Northern Territory (CLP), commonly known as the Country Liberals, is a centre-right political party in Australia's Northern Territory. In local politics it operates in a two-party system with the Australian Labor Party (ALP). It also contests federal elections as an affiliate of the Liberal Party of Australia and National Party of Australia, the two partners in the federal coalition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Tollner</span> Australian politician

David William Tollner is an Australian politician. He was the Country Liberal Party member for Solomon in the Australian House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007, and then served in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly as the member for Fong Lim from 2008 to 2016. He was the Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory under chief minister Adam Giles from 2013 to 2014. During his time in federal parliament, he sat with the Liberal Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Northern Territory general election</span>

A general election was held in the Northern Territory, Australia, on 18 June 2005. The centre-left Labor Party, led by Chief Minister Clare Martin, won a second term with a landslide victory, winning six of the ten seats held by the opposition Country Liberal Party in the 25-member Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, bringing their total to 19. It was the second largest victory in any Northern Territory election. The only larger majority in the history of the Territory was in the first election, in 1974. In that contest, the CLP won 17 of the 19 seats in the chamber, and faced only two independents as opposition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral division of Nelson (Northern Territory)</span>

Nelson is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory. It was first created in 1990 as a replacement for Koolpinyah, and was named after Harold George Nelson, the first member for the federal Northern Territory electorate. Nelson is a largely rural electorate, covering 1,415 km² and taking in the small towns of Howard Springs, McMinn's Lagoon and part of Humpty Doo, and some areas between Darwin and Palmerston. There were 5,505 people enrolled in the electorate as of August 2020.

Loraine Margaret Braham is an Australian politician. She was a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1994 to 2008, representing the electorate of Braitling. She was initially elected as a representative of the Country Liberal Party, serving in that role from 1994 until 2001, but retained her seat as an independent after being disendorsed before the 2001 election. She was the Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2005. Braham also served as a minister in the Stone government from 1999 to 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral division of Braitling</span>

Braitling is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory. It was created in 1983, when the electorate of Alice Springs was abolished as part of an enlargement of the Assembly. Braitling is an almost entirely urban electorate, covering 9 km² in north-western Alice Springs. The electorate takes its name from the Braitling family, an early pioneering family in the district. There were 5,830 people enrolled in the electorate as of August 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral division of Sanderson</span>

Sanderson is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory. It was first created in 1974, and derives its name from the name initially given to the area in 1879, before its division into suburbs. Sanderson is an urban electorate, covering 21 km² and taking in the Darwin suburbs of Anula, Marrara, Wulagi and part of Malak. There were 5,449 people enrolled in the electorate as of August 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral division of Goyder</span>

Goyder is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory. It was first created in 1990, and is named after George Goyder, the South Australian surveyor responsible for carrying out the first freehold surveys in the area. Goyder encompasses large rural areas south of Darwin, covering 9,770 km², and taking in the towns of Bees Creek, Cox Peninsula, Virginia, Marlows Lagoon and parts of Berry Springs and Humpty Doo. When first created, it was even larger extending south to Pine Creek and east to Jabiru and the whole of Kakadu National Park. There were 5,583 people enrolled in the electorate as of August 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Northern Territory general election</span>

A general election was held in the Northern Territory, Australia, on 18 August 2001. The centre-left Labor Party (ALP), led by Clare Martin, won a surprising victory over the Country Liberal Party (CLP). Before this, the CLP had held 18 out the 25 seats in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly to the ALP's 7. After this election, the ALP held the majority with 13 seats to the CLP's 10, consigning the CLP to opposition for the first time since the Territory gained responsible government. Martin became Chief Minister, succeeding the CLP's Denis Burke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Mills (Australian politician)</span> Australian politician

Terence Kennedy Mills is an Australian politician. He served as chief minister of the Northern Territory from 2012 to 2013 and was leader of the Country Liberal Party (CLP) from 2003 to 2005 and 2008 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Northern Territory general election</span>

General elections were held in the Northern Territory of Australia on 9 August 2008. Of the 25 seats in the Legislative Assembly, 23 were contested; two safe Labor seats were uncontested. The incumbent centre-left Labor Party (ALP), led by Chief Minister Paul Henderson won a narrow third term victory against the opposition centre-right Country Liberal Party (CLP), led by Terry Mills. Labor suffered a massive and unexpected swing against it, to hold a one-seat majority in the new parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Gunner</span> Australian politician

Michael Patrick Francis Gunner is an Australian former politician who was the 11th Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 2016 to 2022. He was a Labor member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, holding the seat of Fannie Bay in Darwin from the retirement of then Chief Minister Clare Martin at the 2008 election until his resignation in July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Northern Territory general election</span>

A general election was held in the Northern Territory on Saturday 25 August 2012, which elected all 25 members of the Legislative Assembly in the unicameral Northern Territory Parliament. The 11-year Labor Party government led by Chief Minister Paul Henderson was decisively defeated in their attempt to win a fourth term against the opposition Country Liberal Party led by opposition leader Terry Mills with a swing of four seats, losing the normally safe Labor remote seats of Arafura, Arnhem, Daly and Stuart, whilst retaining their urban seats picked up at the 2001 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Northern Territory general election</span>

The 2016 Northern Territory general election was held on Saturday 27 August 2016 to elect all 25 members of the Legislative Assembly in the unicameral Northern Territory Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lia Finocchiaro</span> Australian politician (born 1984)

Lia Emele Finocchiaro is an Australian politician. She has been a Country Liberal Party member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for the seat of Spillett since her election in 2016. She became Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory after the resignation of Gary Higgins on 1 February 2020. She was previously the member for Drysdale from 2012 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natasha Fyles</span> Australian politician

Natasha Kate Fyles is an Australian politician and former teacher serving as the 12th and current chief minister of the Northern Territory and minister for Health. She has been the leader of the Northern Territory branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since May 2022 and a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the division of Nightcliff since August 2012. She previously served as 22nd attorney-general of the Northern Territory and the territory’s minister for Justice from 2016 to 2020.

Chanston James "Chansey" Paech is an Australian politician. He is a Labor Party member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2016, representing the electorate of Namatjira until 2020 and Electoral division of Gwoja thereafter. He is of Arrente, Arabana and Gurindji descent.

Selena Jane Malijarri Uibo is an Australian politician. She is a Labor member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2016, representing the electorate of Arnhem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Northern Territory general election</span>

The 2020 Northern Territory general election was held on 22 August 2020 to elect all 25 members of the Legislative Assembly in the unicameral Northern Territory Parliament.

Gerard Maley is an Australian politician who serves as MP for the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly and Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

References

  1. ↑ "Parliament@Work Search". 30 September 2006.
  2. ↑ 2001 Election Report Archived 13 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ ABC Nelson Electorate
  4. ↑ "Territory politician Gerry Wood to resign and care for wife, who has dementia - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC.net.au. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 "Abortion decriminalised in Northern Territory after long campaign | Abortion | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  6. ↑ Davidson, Helen (20 April 2016). "'Abortion is a fashion,' says Northern Territory MP during RU486 debate". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 18 October 2023.
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Nelson
2001–2020		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.