Graham Perrett

Graham Douglas Perrett (born 5 January 1966) is an Australian Labor politician, and a member of the Australian House of Representatives in the seat of Moreton. Perrett has a diploma of teaching, and a Bachelor of Laws, and has previously worked in the Queensland Government under Peter Beattie.

Perrett was born in St George in Queensland in 1966 (seventh child in a family of ten children),^[1] and received a diploma of teaching in 1985.^[2] Perrett later received a Bachelor of Laws from Queensland University of Technology in 1999, working as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland from 1999 to 2005. In 2005 he was given a role as Senior Policy Adviser for then Premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie, and later for the Minister for Health, Stephen Robertson. Perrett previously ran unsuccessfully for the federal seat of Moreton in 2004.^[2]

Perrett has represented the seat of Moreton, Queensland, since the 2007 Australian federal election^[3] where he ended Gary Hardgrave's 11 year term in office with a 7.6% swing.^[4] Perrett described the victory as surprising, stating "In my wildest dreams I certainly didn't expect that the seat would be decided as early as it was".^[4] Perrett also claimed the victory, over a former multicultural affairs minister, could be put down to the fact that "people are ready for hope and aren't prepared to stick with the tired old fear factor of John Howard".^[3]

A major issue in the 2007 Moreton campaign was the Australian Labor Party (on behalf of Perrett) branding Perrett's rival, Gary Hardgrave, a "racist", after the standing member said that Moreton was being "exhausted" by the influx of African refugees.^[3] Perrett campaigned primarily on issues relating to health and education in the lead up to the election, whilst Hardgrave focused primarily on roads, according to a radio interview.^[5]

Graham Perrett published his first novel, The Twelfth Fish , in October 2008.

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