Evan Thornley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Evan William Thornley (born 1965), Australian politician and entrepreneur, is a Labor member of the Victorian Legislative Council for the Southern Metropolitan Region.
He was a founder (with his wife, Tracey Ellery) and former Chairman and CEO of internet search company Looksmart Ltd.
Elected to the Parliament of Victoria in 2006, he currently serves as Parliamentary Secretary assisting the Premier on the National Reform Agenda and Innovation.
Thornley is Chair of Per Capita and National Secretary of the Australian Fabian Society.
He is a board member of the Brotherhood of St Laurence and the Chifley Research Centre, was a founding director of www.getup.org.au, and a founding officer of the National Union of Students.
Thornley is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, completing a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws in 1991. From 1991 to 1995 he was a consultant at McKinsey and Company, a management consultancy firm.
He is known as the richest member of the Victorian Parliament, with a net worth estimated at $54 million. He is a noted donor to various progressive causes, including the Australian Labor Party. He owns grazing property in western Victoria and four investment properties in Melbourne, Queensland and New South Wales, as well as a residence in Kew [1].
