Belinda Neal

Infobox MP
honorific-prefix =
name = Belinda Neal
honorific-suffix =
MP

constituency_MP = Robertson
parliament = Australian
predecessor = Jim Lloyd
successor =
term_start = November 2007
term_end =
birth_date = birth date and age|1963|01|10
birth_place =
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = Australian
spouse = John Della Bosca
party = Labor
relations =
children = Two
residence = Phegans Bay, New South Wales
alma_mater = University of Sydney
occupation =
profession = Lawyer
religion =


website = [http://www.alp.org.au/people/index.php?task=qs&seat=Robertson&image2.x=0&image2.y=0 ALP web page]
footnotes =

Belinda Jane Neal (born 10 January 1963) is an Australian federal politician, representing the Australian Labor Party. She has sat in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

She was a Senator for New South Wales from 1994 to 1998. She was chosen on 8 March 1994 under s.15 of the Constitution to fill the casual vacancy in the Senate created by the resignation of Kerry Sibraa. Her term was scheduled to run until 30 June 1999. She resigned on 3 September 1998 to contest the House of Representatives seat of Robertson at the 1998 general election in which she was defeated by the incumbent, Jim Lloyd of the Liberal Party.

In the 2007 federal election she was again preselected as the Labor candidate for Robertson, and won the seat in a very tight contest, claiming victory on December 5. [cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/05/2110786.htm |title=Labor takes seat of Robertson |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=2007-12-05 |accessdate=2007-12-07]

She is married to John Della Bosca, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. They have two sons.

She is also a director of Central Coast Mariners Football Club and the Johnny Warren Football Foundation. She plays football herself for the amateur team Umina United SC in Umina Beach. She was suspended for two matches after an incident on 25 May 2008, where she was ruled to have kicked an opposing player for The Entrance/Bateau Bay and was given a red card. [cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23850006-5001021,00.html|title=Belinda Neal admits kicking Amy Parslow but it's minor|date=2008-06-12|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2008-06-13]

In June 2008, Neal and Della Bosca were dining in "Iguana's", a licensed venue in Gosford when an argument with the venue's staff erupted. Neal is alleged to have verbally abused staff before threatening and spitting in the face of the nightclub's manager. [cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/apology-for-della-bosca/2008/06/08/1212863429807.html|title=Club offers apology after NSW MP flags legal action|date=2008-06-08|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2008-06-08] [cite news|url=http://livenews.com.au/articles/2008/07/01/Neal_accused_of_spitting_in_Iguana_managers_face|title='She spat in my face': Iguana Joe's manager speaks out|date=2008-07-01|work=Livenews.com.au|accessdate=2008-07-02]

New South Wales Police referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions after media reports that witnesses were coerced into signing untrue statutory declarations, with media suggestions Neal could face a charge of perverting the course of justice. [cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23998103-5001021,00.html|title= Police send Iguanas case against Neal, Della to DPP|date=2008-07-10|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2008-07-11] On 3 September 2008 the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions declined to pursue the matter, finding there was "insufficient evidence to support any criminal charge against NSW law". [cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/iguanas-affair-neal-and-della-off-the-hook/2008/09/03/1220121306755.html|title=Iguanas affair: Neal and Della off the hook|last=Welch|first=Dylan|date=2008-09-03|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2008-09-03]

This incident came a fortnight after Neal apologised to a Liberal MP, Sophie Mirabella, over a partially disputed comment to the effect that Mirabella's unborn child would be born "a demon" as a result of Mirabella's "evil thoughts". [cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/nightclub-claims-fan-old-fires/2008/06/08/1212863458319.html|title=Nightclub claims fan old fires|last=Pearlman|first=Jonathan|date=2008-06-09|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2008-06-09] Kevin Rudd has indicated that Neal will undergo counselling for anger management. [cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/neal-gets-final-warning/2008/06/11/1212863708232.html|title=PM to Neal: one last chance|last=Welch|first=Dylan|coauthors=Coorey, Phillip|date=2008-06-11|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2008-06-11] [cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pm-orders-anger-management-for-neal/2008/06/11/1212863740757.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2|title=PM orders anger management for Neal|last=Clennell|first=Andrew |coauthors=Welch, Dylan; Smith, Alexandra; Coorey, Phillip |date=2008-06-12|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2008-06-12]

References

External links

* [http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/TranslateWIPILink.aspx?Folder=BIOGS&Criteria=NAME_ID:B36%3B Belinda Neal, Senate biography.]