Rick Colless

Infobox Politician

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honorific-prefix = The Honourable

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HD App Sci(Agric) MLC

office = Member of Legislative Council of New South Wales

term_start = 30 August 2000

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office2 = Deputy Opposition Whip in the Legislative Council

term_start2 = 27 August 2002

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predecessor2 = Richard Bull

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birth_date = 1952

birth_place = Tamworth, New South Wales

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party = National Party of Australia

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Richard Hargrave Colless is an Australian politician and National Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Colless has been a member of the Council since 30 August 2000 and is serving his second term in that Council. He is currently the Deputy Opposition Whip in the Council. [cite web|title=The Hon. Richard Hargrave COLLESS, HD App Sci(Agric) MLC|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.nsf/bc7876d9985e3b87ca256ce000181fc7/3882f90570199453ca25694b0026ab47!OpenDocument|accessdate=2008-08-30|publisher=Parliament of New South Wales|date=2008-02-08|work=NSW Parliament website]

Colless was born in Tamworth in 1952 to Kenneth Hargrave Colless and Yvonne Tipling. His parents who married in 1950 bought a property at Bundarra, which is between Inverell and Armidale. His primary years were spent being schooled by correspondence from the Blackfriars Correspondence School in Chippendale, Sydney. His secondary education commenced at Tamworth High School but was completed at Singleton High School. From High School he won a cadetship with the Soil Conservation Service of the New South Wales Government. This cadetship led to his studies at Hawkesbury Agricultural College. Colless spent 26 years working for the Soil Conservation Service. He worked in various country towns including Henty, Cowra, Goulburn, Gunnedah and Inverell where he was to settle in 1987.cite web|title=Legislative Council Rural Assistance Amendment Bill Hansard (Extract)|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.nsf/bc7876d9985e3b87ca256ce000181fc7/3882f90570199453ca25694b0026ab47/$FILE/First%20Speech.Colless.pdf|format=pdf|accessdate=2008-08-30|publisher=Parliament of New South Wales|date=2000-10-11|work=NSW Parliament website]

He was elected to Inverell Shire Council in 1991 and served three terms as a councillor. He became its cayor in 1999.

He became the Chairman of the Inverell Branch of the National Party of Australia in 1996 and served in that role until 1999. He became Chairman of the New England Electorate Council in 1999 and has served since 2000 as a current Member of Central Executive of the National Party.

He was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council on 30 August 2000 following the resignation on 18 August 2000 of the National Party MLC Richard Bull. He was reelected in the 2007 elections.

Colless is the Chief Whip for the National Party in the Upper House and is the Deputy Whip for the Opposition in the Upper House. He is also a Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Primary Industries. [cite web|title=NSW Shadow Ministry|url=http://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/liberals_in_parliament/main/nsw_shadow_ministry.html|accessdate=2008-08-30|publisher=Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division|date=2008-05-12|work=Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) website]

Colless's great, great grandfather Richard Hargrave and his great, great uncle John Fletcher Hargrave both served in the New South Wales Parliament. Richard Hargrave came to New South Wales in 1838 aboard the sailing ship Argyle. Hargrave was elected as the first member for New England and Macleay in the first Legislative Assembly of New South Wales. Hargrave's older brother, John Fletcher Hargrave QC, arrived in New South Wales in 1856 and served in the Legislative Council from 1859 until 1861. John Hargrave was also appointed as a Representative of Government in the Legislative Council and served as Solicitor-General and Attorney-General until 1865.

Colless in 1976 married Toni Christine Brown from Windsor, and they have three children.

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