David Leyonhjelm | |
---|---|
Senator for New South Wales | |
In office 1 July 2014 – 1 March 2019 | |
Preceded by | Ursula Stephens |
Succeeded by | Duncan Spender |
Chairman of Outdoor Recreation Party | |
In office 4 March 2011 – 10 August 2017 | |
Succeeded by | Party dissolved |
Chairman of the Shooters Party | |
In office 27 March 1999 – 26 February 2005 | |
Preceded by | John Tingle |
Succeeded by | Robert Brown |
Personal details | |
Born | David Ean Leyonhjelm[1] 1 April 1952 Nhill, Victoria, Australia |
Political party | Liberal Democratic (2005–present) |
Other political affiliations | Labor (1969–1975) Liberal (1975–1996) Shooters Party (1996–2005) Outdoor Recreation Party (2005–2017) |
Domestic partner | Amanda Downes |
Residence(s) | Sydney, Australia |
Education | Dandenong High School |
Alma mater | University of Melbourne (BVSc) Macquarie University (LLB, MBA) |
Occupation | Private Veterinarian (Self-employed) Agribusiness consultant (Baron Strategic Services) |
Profession | Veterinarian businessman |
Website | Official Website |
Military service | |
Branch/service | Australian Army Reserve |
Years of service | 1982–1983[2] |
David Ean Leyonhjelm ( /ˈlaɪənhɛlm/ "lion-helm"; born 1 April 1952) is an Australian former politician. He was a Senator for New South Wales, representing the Liberal Democratic Party from 2014 to 2019. Having been elected at the 2013 federal election, he took office on 1 July 2014, and was re-elected in the 2016 full Senate election.[3] He resigned from the Senate in March 2019 to stand for the Legislative Council at the 2019 New South Wales state election, but failed to be elected.[4] Before being elected to federal parliament, Leyonhjelm worked as a veterinarian and then as an agribusiness consultant. He also writes columns for several Australian publications, with a concentration on rural issues.