Simon Sheikh

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Simon Sheikh
Born 1986
Sydney, NSW
Alma mater University of New South Wales
Occupation Community campaigner
Known for Passing out on Q&A
Spouse(s) Anna Rose
Website
www.simonsheikh.com

Simon Sheikh (born 1986, Sydney) was the National Director of the Australian political organisation GetUp! from 2008 to 2012.[1] He was named the New South Wales Young Professional of the Year.[2] and was a delegate to the economics stream of the 2020 summit.

Education and career

He was born in Sydney, and has ancestry from India, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and Australia.[3]

The son of Michael Sheikh, an Indian-born industrial chemist and inventor, he attended Camdenville Public School and later gained late entry to Fort Street High School.[4] He later studied Economics at the University of New South Wales,[5] while working full-time in the Services Marketing team at Telstra and as a public servant at the NSW Treasury.[6]

Sheikh represented Australia as the youth representative in Uganda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007.[2]

GetUp!

He became National Director of GetUp! in September, 2008, at the age of 22.[7]

He stepped down from being National Director of GetUp! on 27 July 2012,[8] stating that he intended to avoid burnout. GetUp! states its membership increased from 270,000 to 610,000 during his four year term, though GetUp's membership claims have been contested. 80,000 people donated to GetUp! in the 12 months up to July 2012. He is succeeded as director by Sam McLean.

Political career

Sheikh was a financial member of the Australian Labor Party for two years from 2004 to 2006, while the party still listed him as member until 2008, an affiliation he did not disclose until 2013.[9]

In 2012, a few months after stepping down as National Director of GetUp, Sheikh successfully ran for pre-selection in the ACT as an Australian Greens Senate candidate for the 2013 Federal Election.[10] There was some controversy during the preselection, with another candidate Kate Hamilton calling Sheikh a "celebrity candidate", and Greens Leader Christine Milne apparently endorsing him.[11][12]

In 2013 The Australian reported that Simon Sheikh was a financial member of the Australian Labor Party from 2004 until 2008.[13] Later Sheikh clarified that he was a financial member from 2004 to 2006, while the ALP still listed as him member until 2008.[9]

In April 2013, it was claimed by students that Sheikh promoted his candidacy and his Greens membership during two political science lectures at the Australian National University and that his wife had sought to recruit campaign volunteers.[14] Sheikh characterised the incident as, "a storm in a teacup". His wife said she had, "made a mistake".[15]

Sheikh was an unsuccessful Australian Greens' Senate candidate for the Australian Capital Territory in the Australian federal election, 2013.[16]

Personal life

In November, 2011, Sheikh married Australian climate activist Anna Rose.[17]

Sheikh and his wife Anna Rose drove through Central Australia, Darwin and the Kimberley region on their honeymoon. Although they had planned this for some time, Sheikh was reminded of this intention after fainting on live broadcast television—the 'Q&A' show on ABC Television.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Simon Sheikh. WakeUp Sydney. Retrieved on 2012-07-03.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Punch biography. Thepunch.com.au. Retrieved on 2012-07-03.
  3. ↑ Australian Broadcasting Corporation Q&A Panellist Simon Sheikh. Abc.net.au. Retrieved on 2012-07-03.
  4. ↑ "So loudly they cannot be ignored". Sydney Morning Herald. 19 June 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2011. 
  5. ↑ GetUP! Media page. Getup.org.au. Retrieved on 2012-07-03.
  6. ↑ http://www.simonsheikh.com/about
  7. ↑ GetUp!: FAQ. (2010-11-16). Retrieved on 2012-07-03.
  8. ↑ ABC Radio National, 8:00 am, 28 July 2012
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Johnson, Chris (16 April 2013). "Sheikh explains history of Labor membership". Canberra Times. Retrieved 18 April 2013. 
  10. ↑ "Former GetUp director Simon Sheikh tilts at senate seat for Greens". The Australian. Retrieved 1/11/12. 
  11. ↑ "Greens squabbling about Sheikh's Senate preselection". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 1/11/12. 
  12. ↑ "Sheikh wins ACT preselection after internal Greens stoush". The Canberra Times. 6/12/12. Retrieved 7/12/12. 
  13. ↑ Bramston, Troy (12 April 2013). "Greens' Simon Sheikh tried the ALP firsts". The Australian. Retrieved 18 April 2013. 
  14. ↑ Kerr, Christian (3 May 2013). "Wife faces conflict inquiry as Simon Sheikh takes Greens pitch to heart of ANU". The Australian. Retrieved 4 May 2013. 
  15. ↑ Anderson, Stephanie (3 May 2013). "Sheikh's wife admits she made a mistake". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 May 2013. 
  16. ↑ "Seselja gains Senate seat, talks PS job losses". The Canberra TImes. Retrieved 2 October 2013. 
  17. ↑ Anna Rose biography. Annarose.net.au. Retrieved on 2012-07-03.
  18. ↑ The Canberra Times. 28 July 2012. 
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