Ken O'Dowd | |
---|---|
Member of the Australian Parliament for Flynn | |
In office 21 August 2010 –21 May 2022 | |
Preceded by | Chris Trevor |
Succeeded by | Colin Boyce |
Personal details | |
Born | Kenneth Desmond O'Dowd 30 June 1950 Gladstone,Queensland,Australia |
Political party | Liberal National Party (Nationals) |
Domestic partner | Shirley Watts |
Children | 2 |
Kenneth Desmond O'Dowd (born 30 June 1950) is a former Australian politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 2010 to 2022,representing the Division of Flynn for the National Party.
O'Dowd was born in Gladstone,Queensland. He grew up on his parents' farm in Bracewell,Mount Larcom. [1] O'Dowd was educated at Bracewell State School,Mount Larcom High School and Rockhampton Grammar School. While still at school O'Dowd worked on his parents' farm,neighbours' farms,as a contract milker,on the railways as a fettler,on flying gangs,and on the construction of railway lines. [2]
O'Dowd has two children and four grandchildren. [1]
As of 23 October 2021,O’Dowd holds shares in Woodside Petroleum and has interests in BHP,Rio Tinto and Caltex. [3]
O'Dowd became a payroll clerk at Queensland Aluminium Limited (QAL) Gladstone. From 1970 to 1978 he worked on the construction of the Bougainville Copper Mine in New Guinea. In 1978 he worked at the Gladstone seaport terminal within the fuel industry,until establishing his own Mobil fuel distributorship in Emerald in 1981,which he sold in 1988. He became partner of a Shell distributorship in 1988,which was sold ten years later. In 1998 O'Dowd bought and renovated a Rockhampton pub,renaming it O'Dowd's Irish Pub,which he sold in 2004. From 1998 onwards he operated Busteed Building Supplies. [2] [4]
O'Dowd contested the Division of Flynn for the Liberal National Party at the 2010 Federal election and won the seat from Labor's one term incumbent Chris Trevor. [5] He continued to hold the seat in the 2013,2016 and 2019 federal elections.
O'Dowd supports building HELE coal fired power stations,inland rail (such as the controversial Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport to Gladstone link), [6] and opening up more agricultural land. [7] [8]
In November 2020,O'Dowd announced he would not contest the next election.
O'Dowd is a member of Parliamentary Friends of Palestine. He has stated on several occasions that Israel is perpetrating a form of apartheid upon Palestinians. [9]
O'Dowd has disputed the scientific consensus on climate change,denying that climate change is caused by humanity. [10]
Gladstone is a coastal city in the Gladstone Region,Queensland,Australia. Gladstone,together with Boyne Island and Tannum Sands,had an estimated urban population of 50,317 at August 2021. This urban area covers 246.1 km2 (95.0 sq mi).
The Division of Capricornia is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland.
Mount Larcom is the name of a mountain,a rural town and locality in the Gladstone Region,Queensland,Australia. In the 2016 census,the locality of Mount Larcom had a population of 361 people.
Gladstone is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.
The Diocese of Rockhampton is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Australia. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Brisbane. Erected in 1882,it covers Central Queensland.
The Division of Flynn is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland.
Builyan is a town in Gladstone Region,Central Queensland,Australia. It is one of four small townships within the locality of Boyne Valley along with Nagoorin,Ubobo,and Many Peaks.
Chris Allan Trevor is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives,representing the Division of Flynn from 2007 to 2010. He had previously narrowly lost a contest against veteran independent Liz Cunningham for the state seat of Gladstone at the 2006 Queensland state election.
Raglan is a rural town and locality in the Gladstone Region,Queensland,Australia. In the 2016 census,the locality of Raglan had a population of 146 people.
Ambrose is a rural town and locality in the Gladstone Region,Queensland,Australia. In the 2016 census,the locality of Ambrose had a population of 218 people.
East End is a rural locality in the Gladstone Region,Queensland,Australia. In the 2016 census,East End had a population of 59 people.
Bracewell is a rural locality in the Gladstone Region,Queensland,Australia. In the 2016 census,Bracewell had a population of 196 people.
Machine Creek is a rural locality in the Gladstone Region,Queensland,Australia. In the 2016 census,Machine Creek had a population of 120 people.
Bajool is a rural town and locality in the Rockhampton Region,Queensland,Australia. In the 2016 census,the locality of Bajool had a population of 455 people.
Yarwun is a rural coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region,Queensland,Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Yarwun had a population of 119 people.
Colin Einar Boyce is an Australian politician who is a member of the House of Representatives,representing the Division of Flynn since 2022. He is a member of the Liberal National Party and sits with the National Party in federal parliament.
George Albert Creed was an Australian politician,best known for his work in local government in Queensland.
Gladstone–Benaraby Road is a continuous 19.4 kilometres (12.1 mi) road route in the Gladstone region of Queensland,Australia. Much of the route is signed as State Route 58. Gladstone–Benaraby Road is a state-controlled regional road. As part of State Route 58 it provides an alternate route between Benaraby and Mount Larcom. It is also part of the shortest route from Gladstone to the south of the state.
Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road is a continuous 32.1 kilometres (19.9 mi) road route in the Gladstone region of Queensland,Australia. The route is signed as State Route 58. Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road is a state-controlled regional road. As part of State Route 58 it provides an alternate route between Mount Larcom and Benaraby. It is also part of the shortest route from Gladstone to the north of the state.
Bryson Warwick Head is an Australian politician.