Ben Small (politician)

Benjamin John Small (born 11 June 1988) is an Australian former politician. He was selected to serve as a senator for Western Australia, representing the Liberal Party, to fill a casual vacancy following Mathias Cormann's resignation. His first term lasted from November 2020 until his April 2022 resignation, and he resumed his term in May after being nominated to replace himself, the second occasion on which this has occurred. Small was unsuccessful in his re-election bid in the 2022 federal election and his term as senator concluded on 30 June 2022.

Ben Small
Senator for Western Australia
In office
18 May 2022 – 30 June 2022
Preceded byHimself
Succeeded byFatima Payman
In office
25 November 2020 – 15 April 2022
Preceded byMathias Cormann
Succeeded byHimself
Personal details
Born
Benjamin John Small

(1988-06-11) 11 June 1988
Perth, Western Australia
CitizenshipAustralian
New Zealander (until 2022)
Political partyLiberal
Alma materUniversity of Tasmania (BAppSci)
University of Canberra (MBA)
OccupationLogistician
Businessman

Small studied nautical science, marine operations, and business management. He worked in marine transport and logistics for several energy and resource companies, with his holdings in those criticised as a potential conflict of interest. Before becoming a senator, he was active in grassroots politics, and unsuccessfully attempted to enter parliament at the 2016 election. Ideologically, he was considered a member of the National Right faction of the parliamentary Liberal Party.

Early life and career

Small was born on 11 June 1988 in Perth,[1] but grew up in the Goldfields–Esperance region, and later in Bunbury. His father was a New Zealand-born mine manager living in Australia as a permanent resident and his mother was an Australian citizen.[2][3] Small attended Adam Road Primary School and then Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School.[2] In 2009, he graduated from the Australian Maritime College (based at the University of Tasmania) with an Advanced Diploma of Applied Science in Nautical Science, followed by a Bachelor of Applied Science in Maritime Operations in 2012. He later obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Canberra.[4]

From 2005 until 2015, Small was a skipper, trainee officer, and committee member for Bunbury Sea Rescue. From 2009 to 2019, Small volunteered with St John Ambulance Australia: first as an ambulance driver and officer, and later as a development officer.[2][5] As part of the latter role, he helped deliver training to local services in Timor L'este.[5]

After graduating with his Bachelor of Applied Science, Small worked as a chief officer and operations manager for Farstad Shipping and then as a marine operations manager at Woodside Energy.[4][2] He has also co-owned Small's Bar in Eaton (a suburb of Bunbury) since 2017.[6]

In 2012, Small joined the Liberal Party.[6] He served as the vice-president of the party's Bunbury branch from 2013 to 2015, and was president from 2015 to 2017.[1] In 2016, Small challenged the incumbent member for Forrest, Nola Marino, for preselection to be the Liberal Party candidate for the seat at that year's federal election.[7] Small was backed by former member for Forrest Geoff Prosser.[7] However, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull opposed Small's challenge and wrote a letter of support for Marino. Small lost the preselection vote 51–16.[8] He served as president of the party's Forrest division from 2017 until his Senate nomination.[2]

Politics

Mathias Cormann (then serving as finance minister) announced his retirement from politics in July 2020 to run for the office of Secretary-General of the OECD. Cormann resigned from the Senate on 6 November 2020, triggering a casual vacancy to be filled by a Western Australian Liberal candidate.[9] Small was selected by the Liberal Party's Western Australian branch at a meeting the following day,[10][11] beating former state minister Albert Jacob[12] who was seen as too sympathetic to religious conservatives.[13] He was formally appointed by the Parliament of Western Australia on 25 November 2020,[1][2] sworn into the Senate on 30 November 2020,[14] and made his first speech on 3 February 2021.[15] Small's shares in several mining and energy companies were labelled a potential conflict of interest.[16]

Small served on seven different Senate committees during his term: Job Security, Education and Employment (both Legislative and References), Human Rights, Public Works, Migration, and Road Safety.[1]

In July 2021, Small was included as part of the City of Perth's Brand Perth initiative, in which he recommended prioritising pedestrian access in the city and emphasising the Swan River as a tourist attraction.[17]

In November 2021 Small was one of several parliamentarians to question Australian Broadcasting Corporation executives during a Senate Estimates hearing. Small was critical of several decisions made by the public broadcaster's managing director, David Anderson.[18]

In a statement released on 15 April 2022, Small revealed that while preparing documents for the upcoming federal election he discovered that he held Australian-New Zealand dual citizenship, and had resigned as a member of the Senate that day. Holding dual citizenship disqualified him from serving in the Senate under section 44(i) of the Australian Constitution.[19][3] Small also said that he had written to the New Zealand High Commission earlier that month to renounce any New Zealand citizenship he may have held, and had received a response confirming he was a New Zealand citizen, and that his request for a renunciation of New Zealand citizenship rights had been approved on 14 April.[3] The renunciation came just a week before nominations closed for the federal election, in which he ran in third position on the Liberal Party's Western Australian Senate ticket.[20]

Small resumed his position in the Senate on 18 May 2022 after being nominated to fill the vacancy his resignation had created.[21] It was believed at the time that this was the first occasion on which a person had replaced themselves as senator.[22] However, it was the second, the first being the re-nomination of Jeannie Ferris in 1996.[23] He was not returned to the Senate at the federal election, losing the sixth and final seat to Labor candidate Fatima Payman.[24] Small said he was "surprised" by the outcome, and stated that the party needed to consider how they had "drifted so far from the needs and wants and aspirations of West Australians."[25] His term ended on 30 June 2022.[26]

He was elected unopposed as chair of the WA Liberal Party's finance committee in August 2022.[27]

Political positions

During preselection, Small was described by state Liberal members as a moderate candidate who appealed to several state factions.[28] However, he has since been aligned with the conservative National Right faction of the federal Liberal Party (led by Peter Dutton), similar to his predecessor Cormann. He was also a member of the Regional and Rural grouping.[29]

Since joining the Senate, Small has described himself as an advocate for small business and free enterprise.[5] He supports the GST distribution reform and criticised demands from the eastern states to reconsider the deal.[30][31] He supported the government's withdrawn religious discrimination bill,[32] which was intended to protect the rights of people of faith but was criticised for allowing discrimination by religious institutions (particularly against LGBT people).[33] He has advocated for nuclear energy as a means to reduce carbon emissions.[34]

Small was one of several government backbenchers who opposed attempts to enforce gender quotas in state Liberal Party branches.[35][36]

References
  1. "Senator Ben Small". Australian Parliament House. Canberra. 2022. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  2. "Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) - Joint Sitting of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly" (PDF). Parliament of Western Australia. Perth. 25 November 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  3. Liveris, James (15 April 2022). "WA Liberal senator Ben Small resigns over dual citizenship with New Zealand". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  4. "Ben Small". Business News. Perth. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  5. Swift, Bree (10 November 2021). "WA senator has worn many different hats". Farm Weekly. South Perth: Australian Community Media. ISSN 1321-7526. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  6. Godde, Callum (9 November 2020). "Cormann replacement Small ready for Senate". The Courier. Ballarat: Australian Community Media. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  7. Morris, Sophie (3 April 2016). "Liberal upstart looks to unseat Nola Marino". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  8. Bettles, Colin (4 April 2016). "Farm fighter wins pre-selection battle". The Land. North Richmond: Australian Community Media. ISSN 0023-7523. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  9. Hayne, Jordan (4 July 2020). "Finance Minister Mathias Cormann to quit politics". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  10. Osborne, Paul (7 November 2020). "WA Liberals choose Cormann replacement". The Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. OCLC 220340116. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  11. "Small picked for Senate". Business News. Perth. 7 November 2020. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  12. Spagnolo, Joe (8 November 2020). De Ceglie, Anthony (ed.). "Libs back bar owner". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 27. ISSN 0312-6323.
  13. Hennessy, Annabel (26 September 2020). De Ceglie, Anthony (ed.). "Pub owner makes his Senate bid". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 35. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  14. Coughlan, Matt (30 November 2020). "Small fills Cormann's big shoes in Senate". The Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. OCLC 220340116. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  15. Small, Benjamin (3 February 2021). "First Speech" (PDF). Australian Parliament House. Canberra: Senate. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  16. Wilkins, Georgia (11 February 2021). "Does the oil and gas lobby have a new friend in Canberra?". Crikey. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  17. Elton, Charlotte (6 July 2021). De Ceglie, Anthony (ed.). "Bridge to a new Perth". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 14. ISSN 0312-6323.
  18. Elsworth, Sophie (28 November 2021). "ABC boss David Anderson should be held to account for failings at broadcaster: Senator Ben Small". The Australian. Sydney: News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  19. Scarr, Lanai (15 April 2022). "Ben Small: WA senator resigns because dual nationality breaches Australian Constitution". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  20. Ramsey, Michael (15 April 2022). "WA Liberal Ben Small resigns from Senate". AAPNews. Sydney: Australian Associated Press. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  21. Zimmerman, Josh (18 May 2022). "WA Liberal Ben Small re-nominated to Senate after citizenship bungle just days before facing election". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  22. "Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) - Joint Sitting Of The Legislative Council And Legislative Assembly" (PDF). Parliament of Western Australia. Perth. 18 May 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  23. "Former Senator Jeannie Ferris". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  24. Caines, Kimberley (21 June 2022). De Ceglie, Anthony (ed.). "New senator backs Labor on boats". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 7. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  25. Caines, Kimberley (23 May 2022). De Ceglie, Anthony (ed.). "Maverick senators cop the brunt of voters' wrath". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 12. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  26. Bourke, Keane (20 June 2022). "Fatima Payman claims sixth WA Senate seat for Labor as Michaelia Cash reinstated". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  27. Zimmerman, Josh (29 August 2022). De Ceglie, Anthony (ed.). "Finance committee chair Ben Small considering plan to implement fundraising targets for WA Liberal MPs". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 14. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  28. Garvey, Paul (5 November 2020). "Senate fight may unseat whip". The Australian. Sydney: News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  29. Massola, James (20 March 2021). "Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. ISSN 0312-6315. OCLC 226369741. Archived from the original on 22 March 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  30. Scarr, Lanai; Law, Peter; Zimmerman, Josh (11 September 2021). De Ceglie, Anthony (ed.). "Bored of the slings". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 5. ISSN 0312-6323.
  31. Scarr, Lanai; Zimmerman, Josh (9 December 2021). De Ceglie, Anthony (ed.). "It's time to move on, Dom". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 4. ISSN 0312-6323. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  32. Martin, Sarah; Karp, Paul (24 November 2021). "Scott Morrison promises Senate inquiry to calm fears over religious discrimination bill". The Guardian. pp. 10–11. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  33. Millar, Royce (3 December 2021). "What's the proposed religious discrimination law about?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. ISSN 0312-6315. OCLC 226369741. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  34. De Ceglie, Anthony, ed. (17 September 2021). "Zeroing in on energy plan". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 4. ISSN 0312-6323.
  35. De Ceglie, Anthony, ed. (3 April 2021). "WA pollies against gender quotas". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. p. 13. ISSN 0312-6323.
  36. Ore, Adeshola (2 April 2021). "Liberal backbenchers divided on quotas". The Australian. Sydney: News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
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