John Sharp (Australian politician)

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For other persons named John Sharp, see John Sharp (disambiguation).

John Randall Sharp (born 15 December 1954), Australian politician, is a former National Party member of the Australian House of Representatives representing the Divisions of Gilmore and Hume in New South Wales.

He became Minister for Transport and Regional Development when the Coalition government under John Howard took office after the 1996 federal election.

Sharp resigned from the ministry on 24 September 1997 after becoming involved in a scandal over misuse of parliamentary travel allowances.[1] The "Travel Rorts Affair" – which also claimed the ministerial careers of Peter McGauran and David Jull – unfolded when an audit of parliamentary expense claims revealed that a number of MPs had fraudulently or inadvertently submitted incorrect travel claims.[2] He resigned from Parliament on 31 September 1998, just days before the 1998 election.

After retiring from politics, Sharp founded a transport consultancy company, and became deputy chairman of Regional Express Airlines.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Politicians & Travel Rorts, Sunday (Nine Network), 5 October 1997.
  2. ^ Ministerial Travel Claims, Australian National Audit Office, 22 December 1997.
  3. ^ Michael Evans: Rex pays off for ex-pollie, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 March 2007.
Political offices
Preceded by
Laurie Brereton (Transport)
Brian Howe (Regional Development)		 Minister for Transport and Regional Development
1996–1997		 Succeeded by
Mark Vaile
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
none		 Member for Gilmore
1984–1993		 Succeeded by
Peter Knott
Preceded by
Wallace Fife		 Member for Hume
1993–1998		 Succeeded by
Alby Schultz


Persondata
NAME Sharp, John Randall
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH 15 December 1954
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH living
PLACE OF DEATH