Mark Brindal

Mark Brindal (born 12 May 1948) is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the South Australian House of Assembly, Adelaide, South Australia, between 1989 and 2006, representing the electorates of Heywood (first term) and then Unley.

Early life

Brindal was born in South Australia and was educated at Enfield Primary School and the Adelaide Technical High School.[1] He was employed briefly by the Advertiser newspaper before undertaking tertiary study at the University of Adelaide and the (University of South Australia).[1]

Career

He began his teaching career at Cockburn Primary School in 1968. He was awarded a Commonwealth Teaching Exchange in 1975 and taught at the Treloweth County Primary School in Cornwall. Returning to Australia, he was appointed Principal at Cook PS (1976–78).

In 1979 he was appointed as an Advisor with the Country Areas Program in South Australia. He subsequently became State Coordinator of the program.

Politics

Brindal entered parliament at the 1989 South Australian state election, successfully running for the seat of Hayward. In 1993 he ran again, winning the district of Unley.[2] Prior to the 1993 election it had been in the hands of the Australian Labor Party, but by the 2002 State election he had been able to turn it into a strong Liberal seat, needing a 9.3% swing in order to be unseated.[1]

He held portfolios including Minister for Water Resources, Minister for Employment and Training, Minister Assisting for Tourism, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Employment, Minister for Youth, Minister Assisting for Environment and Heritage, Member of the Executive Council, and shadow portfolios for Water Resources, Youth, Employment and Training, and Local Government.

In 2005 Brindal declared that he would not contest preselection for the 2006 election in Unley. Instead he would seek to contest the election against the high profile Labor Education Minister, Jane Lomax Smith. He was endorsed as the Liberal candidate for the electoral district of Adelaide.

In late 2005, Brindal's affair with a mentally handicapped 24-year-old man was exposed.[3] He announced his decision to retire from politics, choosing not to contest the 2006 election.[4][5]

After politics

Following his retirement from politics, Brindal has remained as a consultant and commentator. He has completed his Master of Business Administration at the University of Adelaide. He is currently undertaking his PhD at the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine at the University of Adelaide. His research is in the area of the economics of Water Management.[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "State Election 2002: The Candidates - Unley". The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia). 8 February 2002. p. 64.
  2. ↑ "Long serving Liberal quits after bisexual affair". AAP News (Australia). 9 August 2005.
  3. ↑ Craig Bildstien (9 August 2005). "I'm Quitting, Says Brindal". Adelaide Advertiser.
  4. ↑ Bildstien, Craig (8 August 2005). "Extortion claim over MP's gay liaison". The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia). p. 1.
  5. ↑ Kelton, Greg (19 October 2005). "Now I quit for good, says Brindal". The Advertiser (Adelaide, Australia). p. 9.
  6. ↑ http://www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/forms/milestones/induction/docs/hdr-induction-evaluation-report-february-2012.pdf

External links