| Geoff Shaw | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Frankston |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 27 November 2010 |
|
| Preceded by | Alistair Harkness |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 October 1967 Brisbane |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Profession | Accountant |
Geoffrey Page "Geoff" Shaw (born 12 October 1967) is an Australian politician representing the electoral district of Frankston for the Liberal Party of Australia since the 2010 Victorian State election.[1]
Shaw attended John Paul College in Frankston, Victoria, graduating in 1985. Shaw attended Monash University where he attained a Bachelor of Business Accounting in 1988 and entered his own small business as a certified accountant and financial planner.[2] Shaw entered politics at the 2010 Victorian State election where he defeated incumbent Labor Party member Alistair Harkness.
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Geoff Shaw is an active member of the Pentecostal church Peninsula City. In his maiden speech to the Victorian parliament he acknowledged "the original owner of the land on which we stand - God, the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the Bible." [3] This phrasing is similar to that typically used in the practice of recognizing traditional Australian Aboriginal owners of land during events.[4]
Shaw graduated from John Paul College (a Frankston high school) in 1985, and then graduated from Monash University in 1988 with a degree in accounting.[5] Shaw founded (and continues to own) a successful accountancy business in Frankston with his wife,[5] Geoff Shaw and Partners.
In 2011, when a young gay male constituent emailed Shaw objecting to the government's new anti-discrimination legislation, he was reported to have been deeply offended by Shaw's reply comparing homosexuality to dangerous driving, child molestation and murder. Shaw apologised, saying that it was not his intention to convey the impressions reported in the article in The Sunday Age.,[6] that the article did not reflect his views and offering to meet to discuss the matter.[7] The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission claims the MP's first email was "wrong and potentially dangerous."[8]
In 1992, whilst working as a bouncer, Shaw was charged with assault, he was fined and placed on a good behaviour bond and no conviction was recorded. Premier Ted Baillieu asked for an explanation, and Shaw assured him and the Government that he had not been convicted.[9]
| Parliament of Victoria | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Alistair Harkness |
Member for Frankston 2010–present |
Incumbent |