Kim Wells

Kimberley Arthur "Kim" Wells (born 6 August 1958) is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1992, representing first Wantirna and then Scoresby and Rowville. Wells was the Treasurer of Victoria from December 2010 until March 2013.

Wells was born in Leongatha, Victoria, and attended public schools in Bairnsdale, graduating in 1976. He received a Bachelor of Business, specialising in accounting, post-graduate Diploma of Business and a Master of Accounting from the Victoria University. He worked as an accountant from 1977, and joined the Liberal Party of Australia in 1984, holding various positions in the Wattle Park Branch.^[1]

Wells was selected as the Liberal candidate for Wantirna before the 1992 Victorian state election, and was elected. He held the seat until 2002, when it was replaced with Scoresby, which Wells won. In 2000 he was appointed Shadow Minister for Corrections, Police and Emergency Services. He was the Shadow Treasurer from December 2006 to December 2010 when he became Treasurer of Victoria after having retained the seat of Scoresby with an increased margin of 14.14 per cent.^[1]

After Premier Ted Baillieu resigned to the backbench in March 2013, Wells was demoted by incoming Premier Denis Napthine to Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Bushfire Response.^[2] Wells lost his ministerial responsibilities following the defeat of the Liberal-National coalition at the Victorian state election, 2014.

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