Grant McBride

Grant Anthony McBride (29 December 1949 – 12 February 2018) was an Australian politician who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of The Entrance on the New South Wales Central Coast for the Labor Party between 1992 and 2011.


Grant McBride
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for The Entrance
In office
18 January 1992  26 March 2011
Preceded byBob Graham
Succeeded byChris Spence
Personal details
Born(1949-12-29)29 December 1949
Died12 February 2018(2018-02-12) (aged 68)
Wyong, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLabor
Children8; including Emma McBride
ProfessionCivil engineer

Political career

McBride won Australian Labor Party preselection for The Entrance in the 1991 state election, losing to Liberal incumbent Bob Graham by 116 votes.[1] However, due to the late completion of the 1991 redistribution, hundreds of voters received absentee ballots for Gosford. As a result, the Court of Disputed Returns ordered a by-election for 1992, which was won by McBride.[2]

In 2003, McBride was appointed Minister for Gaming and Racing and, in 2005, appointed Minister for the Central Coast.[3] As Minister for Gaming and Racing, in 2005, he proposed a ban on Dutch beer Shag, claiming its name was offensive to Australians. McBride said the beer's name linked it, "directly with sexual intercourse".[4] McBride held both Ministerial positions until a controversy arose during 2006, when he was accused of wasting $50,000 on an overseas trip in November 2005. It was alleged that McBride was accompanied by former Gosford City Councillor, Daniel Cook and his former chief of staff (and son of former Police Minister Paul Whelan) John Whelan. Media reports of the incident suggested McBride had taken the trip knowing he might be removed from the Cabinet. McBride lost his position as Minister for Gaming and Racing and Minister for the Central Coast in April 2007.[5]

In May 2007, McBride was appointed Assistant Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.[3] On 8 November 2010, McBride announced that he would not contest the 2011 state election.[6][7]

Personal life and death

McBride was a qualified engineer who worked as an electorate officer to former Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam.[3] He was married and lived in The Entrance with his wife and eight children, and was an avowed teetotaller and non-gambler.[4] His daughter, Emma McBride, is the current federal MP for Division of Dobell.

He died on 12 February 2018 from Alzheimer's disease at the age of 68.[8][9]

References

  1. "Voting by district - Adam Carr's Election Archive". Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  2. "The Entrance (Key Seat)". Election Guide. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 February 2007.
  3. "The Hon. Grant Anthony McBride (1949-2018)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  4. Mitchell, Alex (5 June 2005). "Beer's blue bottle faces ban". The Sun-Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  5. Clennell, Andrew (11 March 2006). "After $50,000 trip, Minister is minus his department". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  6. Smith, Alexandra (9 November 2010). "Time's up for central coast Labor MPs". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  7. AAP (8 November 2010). "Two more NSW Labor MPs bow out". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  8. "Grant McBride, Former The Entrance MP, Dies At 68". 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  9. "Former Central Coast Minister Grant McBride dies after battle with Alzheimer's". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by
Bob Graham
Member for The Entrance
1992–2011
Succeeded by
Chris Spence
New title Assistant Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
2007–2011
Served alongside: Alison Megarrity
Succeeded by
Andrew Fraser
Political offices
Preceded by
Michael Egan
Minister for Gaming and Racing
2003–2007
Succeeded by
Graham West
Preceded by
John Della Bosca
Minister for the Central Coast
2005–2007
Succeeded by
John Della Bosca
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