Bruce Atkinson

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This article is about the politician. For the poker player, see Bruce "Elvis Senior" Atkinson.

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Bruce Norman Atkinson (born May 15, 1953) is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Council since October 1992, representing Koonung Province. He is currently the party's spokesperson for small business, sport and recreation.

Atkinson was born in Melbourne, and attended Mitcham High School. He undertook a cadetship with the Leader group of newspapers after graduating, and worked as a journalist for a period. However, he soon made a move into the business world, first into small business, and later into several more prominent operations, including a stint managing a shopping centre. He has also been a writer for the Foodweek and Inside Retailing publications since 1981, and operates his own business consultancy firm, The Atkinson Group.

However, it was through local government that Atkinson made a name for himself in the political arena. He was elected to the City of Nunawading (now part of the City of Whitehorse) in 1975, and served as a councillor for seventeen years. This also included two terms as mayor in 1981-1982 and 1990-1991.

In the leadup to the 1992 election, Atkinson succeeded in winning Liberal pre-selection for the moderately safe Liberal seat of Koonung Province. He was ultimately elected, and soon nominated for the Family and Community Development Committee, which he served on from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, he was promoted to his first ministerial position, as Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Local Government by then-Premier Jeff Kennett.

In the aftermath of Atkinson's resignation, he spent four years on the backbenches, neither serving in any ministerial portfolios or any committees. However, when the party's devastating defeat at the 2002 election (after first losing government three years earlier) wiped out a significant portion of the shadow ministry, the party was suddenly forced to reconsider Atkinson as a ministerial prospect. When the Liberal Party regrouped after the election, Atkinson was appointed as the party's spokesperson for small business. He also began serving on the House and Economic Development Committees, and was appointed as the Deputy Chair of the latter. In January 2004, Atkinson also picked up the added portfolio of sport and recreation.

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