Merri Rose (born 24 January 1955) was a minister in the Beattie government and member for Currumbin in the Queensland Parliament. [1]
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She was born Merrilyn Miriam Gittins in Kilcoy, Queensland in 1955 and attended Kilcoy State High School and St Rita's Clayfield. [2]
Rose was elected as the member for Currumbin at the 1992 Queensland election. After the 2001 election, the Premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie, appointed her Minister for Tourism and Racing. She was appointed Minister for Tourism, Racing and Fair Trading in 2001. Rose lost the seat of Currumbin in 2004 to Jann Stuckey of the Liberal Party.
She had trouble finding a job after the election. Rose sought an appointment in the Queensland public sector. Rose pleaded guilty to demanding benefit with threats on 30 October in relation to her efforts to gain such an appointment on 30 May 2007. [3] Rose was sentenced to 18 months' jail the following day. [4]
Documenting her experiences after three months in jail, Rose appeared on ABC Television's Australian Story telecast on Monday 20 October 2008.