imported>Simeon: Changing short description from "Australian politician" to "Australian politician (born 1946)"

2024-12-22T12:57:16Z

Changing short description from "Australian politician" to "Australian politician (born 1946)"

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{{Short description|Australian politician (born 1946)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
'''William Forwood''' (born 21 October 1946) was an Australian politician. He was the [[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Liberal]] member of the [[Victorian Legislative Council]] from 1992 to 2006, representing [[Templestowe Province]].

Forwood is now Strategic Counsel for CPR Communications and Public Relations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cprcomm.com.au/people/|title=People - CPR|website=CPR|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-12}}</ref>

== Origins ==

Forwood was born in [[Adelaide]], and began his high school education there, but graduated from the prestigious [[Geelong Grammar School]] in [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]]. He studied at the [[University of Melbourne]], and briefly became a journalist with the [[Herald and Weekly Times]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2007/02/27/journalists-in-parliament/|title=Journalists in Parliament|publisher=Crikey|date=27 February 2007}}</ref> He quickly changed careers however, becoming a manager at a grocery company for several years.

In 1975, Forwood moved to [[Canberra]] to work as a public servant. The following year, however, he again changed careers, moving to [[South Australia]] to work as a farmer. He returned to a business career in 1980, taking on a position as a merchant banker, and over the next twelve years, worked in a variety of management positions, including being Finance Director of the Victorian Liberal Party.

During the 1980s, Forwood also spent a two-year stint as one of two vice-presidents of the [[Northern Territory]]'s [[Country Liberal Party]]. His stint in this role, shared with future Chief Minister [[Shane Stone]], coincided with the ousting of Chief Minister [[Ian Tuxworth]] and the creation of the rival [[Northern Territory Nationals]] party, leaving them among those tasked with reuniting a fractured party organisation in its aftermath in 1986–87.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/49324/2/ChallengefromtheNationals.TheTerritoryElection19872.pdf | title=Challenge from the Nationals: The Territory Election 1987 |author1=Jaensch, Dean |author2=Loveday, Peter |name-list-style=amp | pages=8, 10}}</ref>

== Legislative Council ==

Forwood won pre-selection for the Legislative Council seat of Templestowe Province at the 1992 election, by defeating a low-profile sitting Liberal MLC, [[John Miles (Australian politician)|John Miles]], and went on to win the seat. In his early years in office, he served stints on the Law Reform and Legislative Council Privileges Committees. In 1996, he was appointed as Chair of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, before receiving his first ministerial appointment in 1998, when he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier. This was to be relatively short-lived, however, as Liberal Premier [[Jeff Kennett]] was defeated in a surprise result the following year.

After the election loss, Forwood was promoted to Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cprcomm.com.au/people_me01.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830165931/http://www.cprcomm.com.au/people_me01.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-08-30|title=Bill Forwood}}</ref> Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Shadow Minister for Small Business and Consumer Affairs,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://australianpolitics.com/states/vic/991029shadowcabinet.shtml|title=Napthine Shadow Ministry|date=29 October 1999|accessdate=26 Jan 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091106095057/http://australianpolitics.com/states/vic/991029shadowcabinet.shtml|archivedate=6 November 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and Shadow Minister for Tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/ctee/REPORTS/BassStraitreport.pdf|title=Bass Strait Air Transport}}</ref> He also continued in his work with the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee - albeit as Deputy Chairman. In 2000, he gained the portfolio of Rural and Regional Development at the expense of Aboriginal Affairs. In 2001, Forwood found himself promoted again, as he succeeded [[Mark Birrell]] as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, and was also made Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations.

The Liberal Party had not been tipped to win the 2002 election, but it became one of the worst results in the party's history, losing an array of seats, including several Shadow Ministers. Forwood was not up for re-election, but he was nevertheless a casualty of the election - in the aftermath of the devastating result, he was dumped as Leader in the Legislative Council in favor of [[Philip Davis (Australian politician)|Philip Davis]], and also lost the Industrial Relations portfolio. After a brief spell as Shadow Minister for Conservation and Environment, he gained the portfolios of Energy Industries (since renamed to Resources and Energy) and [[WorkSafe Victoria|WorkCover]] in 2002.

In addition to his shadow ministerial portfolios, Forwood was the Deputy Chair of the [[Public Accounts and Estimates Committee]], and sat on the [[Legislative Council Privileges Committee]].

Forwood retired at the [[2006 Victorian legislative election|2006 state election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/vic/2006/guide/departingmps.htm|title=Retiring MPs|work=ABC Elections Victoria 2006|date=22 November 2006|author=Antony Green|author-link=Antony Green|accessdate=26 Jan 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100219212116/http://www.abc.net.au/elections/vic/2006/guide/departingmps.htm| archivedate= 19 February 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forwood, Bill}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Victoria]]
[[Category:Members of the Victorian Legislative Council]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:People educated at Geelong Grammar School]]

Bill Forwood - Revision history

imported>Simeon: Changing short description from "Australian politician" to "Australian politician (born 1946)"