Glenn Brookes

Glenn Edward Brookes MP, an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing East Hills for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2011.^[1]

Early years and background

Brookes was born at Bankstown Hospital and attended East Hills Primary and High Schools. Leaving school at a young age, he built a successful small business, Sydney Signs. He now manages several companies.^[2]

Political career

In 2004, Brookes was elected to serve as a councillor on Bankstown City Council and continues to hold this position.^[3] He first ran for East Hills in the 2003 NSW election, losing to incumbent Labor member Alan Ashton who achieved 68.5 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.^[4] He ran again for East Hills at the 2007 NSW election, losing again to Ashton, on a two-party preferred margin of 64.1 per cent for Labor. Brookes was the recipient of a 3.8-point increase in support from the 2003 election.^[5]

In 2011, Brookes again contested East Hills; Ashton was again his main competitor. Brookes defeated Ashton, with a swing of 14.3 per cent, winning the seat from Labor for the first time in history, and holding the seat with 50.6 per cent of the two-party vote.^[5] East Hills is the second most marginal government seat in New South Wales behind neighbouring Oatley.^[6][7] Since the seat of East Hills was created in 1953, up until the 2011 NSW election, it had been held continuously by Labor, represented by only three Members of Parliament.^[5]

References