Graham Annesley

Annesley commenced his rugby league career with the Parramatta District Rugby League Referees Association. Starting as a 13-year-old referee,[2] Annesley also undertook later administrative roles in the Association, including Secretary (1979–1980) and President (1985–1988).[3] He was elected as a Life Member of the Association in 1984.[4]

Rising through the refereeing ranks, Annesley became a first grade referee in 1982. Between 1982 and 1997 he controlled 244 first-grade matches and six finals matches. He is ranked number 12 in the list of all-time first grade matches refereed.[5]

Annesley's notable representative appointments include the 1994 State of Origin and test matches between Great Britain and Australia, also in 1994.[6]

Annesley's business career included appointments with DHL, McWilliams Wines, Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) and the Roads & Traffic Authority. He became a full-time sports administrator in 1995 as director of football for the NRL, promoted to chief operating officer in 2002.[2]

Annesley is credited with introducing the video referee system in 1996.[7]

Since 2019, Annesley has been the NRL head of elite football operations.[8]

Away from rugby league, Annesley is an Australia Day ambassador for Liverpool Shire Council.[2][9]

Pre-selected by the Liberal Party to contest Miranda at the 2007 state election, Annesley was defeated by the sitting Labor member Barry Collier by a margin of 603 votes.[10] He again contested the seat at the March 2011 elections and was elected, receiving a swing of 21.8% in the traditionally Liberal seat, winning 71.0% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis.[11] As Collier retired at the election, Annesley's main competitor was Therese Cook, representing Labor.

Annesley was subsequently appointed Minister for Sport and Recreation in the O'Farrell–Stoner coalition government.[12][13][14] On 28 August 2013 he announced his resignation as Minister for Sport and Recreation and his intention to resign from Parliament to become CEO of the Gold Coast Titans, triggering a 2013 Miranda by-election on 19 October.[15] In his resignation speech to parliament, Annesley said he never regarded himself as a politician and that there were many aspects of politics he did not care for. He said that he had always felt more at home as a sports administrator.[16][17]

In October 2013, Annesley said that he arranged for Telstra to put in mobile reception, six months prior and without charge, for a new property at Yowie Bay he bought with his wife, claiming he couldn't do his job as a minister otherwise.[18]

• Graham Annesley, MP – Liberal Party.
• "Interview: Graham Annesley". ABC Radio Grandstand. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 September 2008. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
• Maiden Speech – Parliament of New South Wales.