Michael Knight (Australian politician)

Michael Steven Knight AO (born 21 September 1952 in Leichhardt, New South Wales[1]) is a former Australian politician. He was member for Campbelltown in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1981 and 2001. He served as Minister for the Olympics between 1995 and 2001 in the Carr Labor government.


Michael Knight

Michael Knight with the IPC flag at the closing ceremony of the 1996 Summer Paralympics
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Campbelltown
In office
19 September 1981  12 January 2001
Preceded byCliff Mallam
Succeeded byGraham West
Minister for the Olympics
In office
4 April 1995  12 January 2001
PremierBob Carr
Succeeded byabolished
Minister for Public Works and Services
In office
4 April 1995  15 December 1995
PremierBob Carr
Minister for Roads
In office
4 April 1995  28 November 1996
PremierBob Carr
Preceded byBruce Baird
Succeeded byCarl Scully
President of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
In office
1996–2000
LeaderJuan Antonio Samaranch
Preceded byBilly Payne
Succeeded byGianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki
Personal details
Born (1952-09-21) 21 September 1952
Leichhardt, New South Wales
Political partyLabor Party
Spouse(s)Anne
ChildrenTwo daughters
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
ProfessionProbation and parole officer

Background and early career

Knight attended Doonside High School and Cranbrook School. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Sydney and worked for the Campbelltown City Council as a social planner and parole officer before entering politics.[1]

Political career

Knight entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly at the 1981 election succeeding Cliff Mallam who had held the seat for ten years.[1] Originally a member of the leftwing faction, Knight defected to rightwing faction after a trip in Europe which convinced him that socialism had failed.[2]

Knight remained on the back bench until 1995 when he was appointed to the state Cabinet with ministerial responsibilities for Public Works and Services, the Olympics and Roads. His responsibilities were later in 1995 reduced to Roads and Olympics. In 1996 this was further reduced to responsibility for the Olympics, a portfolio he held until his retirement in 2001.[1][2] As Minister for the Olympics he was Chair of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG).

Post political career

In 2007 Knight was appointed to the Chair of the Board of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, the body which manages the day-to-day running and future development of Sydney Olympic Park. He was reappointed to the Board as its Chairman in 2013, and his term expires in June 2016.[3][4]

Knight was a director of the stateowned corporation, Delta Electricity, until December 2010 when he was one of the four directors who resigned en masse in protest of the privatisation of the generating assets of the company.[5] During 2005 he also served as chairman of Sydney Gas Limited,[6] prior to its takeover by the Australian Gas Light Company.[7]

He is also the non-executive Chairman of InfraShore, a public-private partnership consortium between Thiess and Royal Bank of Scotland in charge of the billion-dollar redevelopment of Royal North Shore Hospital.[8]

Honours

In January 2002 Knight was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to Olympic and Paralympic sport, particularly in the area of Games' administration, to the New South Wales Parliament, and to the community of Campbelltown.[9]

Personal

Knight is married to Anne, and they have two daughters.[1] He is a keen supporter of Wests Tigers rugby league team.[10]

References

  1. "The Hon. Michael Steven KNIGHT (1952- )". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales.
  2. Green, Antony (5 April 2011). "Campbelltown". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  3. Annesley, Graham (8 March 2013). "Michael Knight reappointed Chairman of Sydney Olympic Park Authority" (Press release). Liberal Party of Australia. Archived from the original on 25 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  4. "The Honourable Michael Knight AO (Chair)". Our Board. Sydney Olympic Park Authority. 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  5. Salusinszky, Imre; Hepworth, Annabel (15 December 2010). "Chaos hits $5.3bn NSW power sell-off as directors on two boards quit in protest". The Australian. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  6. Freed, Jamie; O'Sullivan, Matt; Evans, Michael; Chessell, James (10 December 2005). "Knight out of the Sydney Gas games". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  7. "About Sydney Gas LTD". Hunter-Bulga Gas Action Group. 2006. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  8. Mitchell, Alex (16 January 2011). "Tebbutt chief aide bales out". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  9. "KNIGHT, Michael Steven". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  10. Walter, Brad; Masters, Roy (5 July 2011). "Knight moves: former Olympics minister in frame for commission". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  • [|id=2075 |former=Yes Parliament of NSW Profile]
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Billy Payne
President of Organizing Committee for Summer Olympic Games
2000
Succeeded by
Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by
Cliff Mallam
Member for Campbelltown
1981 2001
Succeeded by
Graham West
Political offices
Preceded by
Ian Armstong
Minister for Public Works and Services
1995–1995
Succeeded by
Carl Scully
Preceded by
Bruce Baird
Minister for Roads
1995–1996
Succeeded by
Carl Scully
New title Minister for the Olympics
1995–2001
Succeeded by
abolished
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