David Davis (Australian politician)

The Honourable David Davis MLC
Victorian Minister for Health
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 December 2010
Premier	Ted Baillieu
Preceded by	Daniel Andrews
Member of Legislative Council of Victoria
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 March 1996
Personal details
Born	8 April 1962 Millicent, South Australia
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Alma mater	University of Melbourne

David McLean Davis (born 8 April 1962) is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Council since March 1996, representing East Yarra Province 1996-2006 (until it was abolished) and the Southern Metropolitan Region from 2006 onwards. He is currently the Victorian Minister for Health since 2 December 2010 under Premier Ted Baillieu.

Early career

Davis was born in Millicent, South Australia and studied in Melbourne, Victoria. He studied applied science at the Phillip Institute of Technology (now part of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology). Davis also later studied philosophy at the University of Melbourne. He worked as a chiropractor and maintained a private practice until being elected to the Legislative Council in 1996.^[1]

Political career

Davis had become involved with the Liberal Party during the early 1990s, serving as a delegate on several party committees, and acting as a delegate to the party's State Council between 1993 and 1995. This was to ultimately result in receiving preselection for the safe Liberal seat of East Yarra at the 1996 state election. After the Liberal Party's defeat at the 1999 state election, Davis became the Chair of the Opposition Waste Watch Committee. In this position, he was one of the Labor government's strongest critics, regularly making claims of perceived abuses.^{[citation needed]} In 2000, he became the Parliamentary Secretary for Scrutiny of Government.^[1]

Davis almost lost his seat of East Yarra in the 2002 election, but became Shadow Minister for Health, replacing Ron Wilson, who was one of was unelected in the 2002 election. In September 2004 Davis announced that if elected, a Liberal government would ban smoking in pubs and clubs.^{[citation needed]} This was followed by a decision from the state government weeks later to the same effect.^{[citation needed]} Davis was often an opponent of Robert Doyle's leadership of the parliamentary Liberal Party.^{[citation needed]} In 2005 Doyle transferred Davis to the lower-profile environment portfolio. In May 2006, after Doyles' resignation and replacement by Ted Baillieu, Davis was once again promoted and given Baillieu's former portfolio of planning.^[1]

Following the 2006 election, Davis was again promoted by Baillieu to the position of Shadow Minister for State and Regional Development. In January 2008 the was elected Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council. Between February 2008 and November 2009, Davis was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change and in November 2009, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, maintaining his responsibility for Scrutiny of Government.^[1][2]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "David Davis". Parliament of Victoria. http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/handbook/searchresult.cfm?menuid=1&membersearch=name. Retrieved 5 February 2010. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "David Davis, MP (official website)". David Davis. http://daviddavis.com.au/about/. Retrieved 5 February 2010. 

Persondata
Name	Davis, David
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	8 April 1962
Place of birth	Millicent, South Australia
Date of death
Place of death