| The Honourable Don Harwin BEc (Hons) MLC |
|
|---|---|
| President of the New South Wales Legislative Council | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 3 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Amanda Fazio |
| Member of Legislative Council of New South Wales | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 27 March 1999 |
|
| Opposition Whip in the Legislative Council | |
| In office 3 April 2003 – 2 March 2007 |
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| In office 8 May 2007 – 4 March 2011 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 July 1964 Sydney, New South Wales |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Website | Parliamentary webpage |
Donald (Don) Thomas Harwin MLC (born 5 July 1964 in Sydney[1]), an Australian politician, is the President of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 2011. He is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council representing the Liberal Party of Australia since 27 March 1999.[2]
Harwin was born to parents Don and Evelyn Harwin.[1] He joined joined the Liberal Party in Lugarno and the Young Liberals in Earlwood in 1983 and graduated from The University of Sydney in 1985 with a Bachelor of Economics (Honours). Whilst at university, Harwin was a member of the Sydney University Liberal Club and was subsequently conferred as a life member of that club.[2]
In 1987 Harwin commenced employment, working as an assistant on electoral matters in the office of Ron Phillips, the NSW Member for Miranda. Harwin worked for a number of ministers in the Greiner and Fahey Liberal governments between 1988 and 1990 and 1991 and 1995.[2] Between 1988 and 1990, Harwin was NSW President of the Young Liberal movement, becoming a member of the State Executive of the NSW branch of the Liberal Party during the same period. Harwin was again re-elected to the State Executive, serving between 1994 and 2000.[2] Appointed the Assistant Campaign Director of the NSW Liberal Party between 1990 and 1991, Harwin became a public affairs consultant between 1995 and 1999.[2]
He contributed two chapters to the book Social Justice: Fraud or Fair Go? edited by Dr Marlene Goldsmith. He also contributed "1971 State General Election" to The People's Choice (Volume III), edited by Hogan and Clune, "Sir Joseph Carruthers" to The Premiers of NSW (Volume II), edited by Clune and Turner, and "Women in the NSW Coalition Parties" (with Jenny Gardiner MLC) to No Fit Place for Women, edited by Brennan and Chappel.
Pre-selected[3] for the sixth position on the joint Liberal–National coalition election ticket for the 1999 NSW state election, Harwin was successful and elected as a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, receiving the thirteenth highest quota at that election.[4] Serving an eight-year term, Harwin was re-elected at the 2007 NSW state election, winning the seventh highest quota.[5]
In 2000, he raised the issue of unsafe railway tracks in the Illawarra region, claiming that trains could only run at twenty kilometres because of faulty maintenance.[6]
Harwin was Deputy Chair of the Procedure Committee, Deputy Chair of the Select Committee on Electoral and Political Party Funding, and Opposition Whip. Following the election of the O'Farrell-Stoner Liberal/National coalition government, Harwin was elected President of the Legislative Council[2][7] and appointed a Trustee of the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Fund.
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