Ken O'Dowd

Kenneth Desmond O'Dowd (born 30 June 1950) is an Australian former politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 2010 to 2022, representing the Division of Flynn for the National Party.

Ken O'Dowd
Ken O'Dowd, 2019
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Flynn
In office
21 August 2010 – 21 May 2022
Preceded byChris Trevor
Succeeded byColin Boyce
Personal details
Born
Kenneth Desmond O'Dowd

(1950-06-30) 30 June 1950
Gladstone, Queensland, Australia
Political partyLiberal National Party (Nationals)
Domestic partnerShirley Watts
Children2

Background

O'Dowd was born in Gladstone, Queensland. He grew up on his parents' farm in Bracewell, Mount Larcom.[1] O'Dowd was educated at Bracewell State School, Mount Larcom High School and Rockhampton Grammar School. While still at school O'Dowd worked on his parents' farm, neighbours' farms, as a contract milker, on the railways as a fettler, on flying gangs, and on the construction of railway lines.[2]

O'Dowd has two children and four grandchildren.[1]

As of 23 October 2021, O’Dowd holds shares in Woodside Petroleum and has interests in BHP, Rio Tinto and Caltex.[3]

Career

O'Dowd became a payroll clerk at Queensland Aluminium Limited (QAL) Gladstone. From 1970 to 1978 he worked on the construction of the Bougainville Copper Mine in New Guinea. In 1978, he worked at the Gladstone seaport terminal within the fuel industry, until establishing his own Mobil fuel distributorship in Emerald in 1981, which he sold in 1988. He became partner of a Shell distributorship in 1988, which was sold ten years later. In 1998, O'Dowd bought and renovated a Rockhampton pub, renaming it O'Dowd's Irish Pub, which he sold in 2004. From 1998, onwards he operated Busteed Building Supplies.[2][4]

Political career

O'Dowd contested the Division of Flynn for the Liberal National Party at the 2010 Federal election and won the seat from Labor's one term incumbent Chris Trevor.[5] He continued to hold the seat in the 2013, 2016 and 2019 federal elections.

O'Dowd supports building HELE coal fired power stations, inland rail (such as the controversial Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport to Gladstone link),[6] and opening up more agricultural land.[7][8]

In November 2020, O'Dowd announced he would not contest the next election.

O'Dowd is a member of Parliamentary Friends of Palestine. He has stated on several occasions that Israel is perpetrating a form of apartheid upon Palestinians.[9]

O'Dowd has disputed the scientific consensus on climate change, denying that climate change is caused by humanity.[10]

References
  1. Plane, Melanie. "FEDERAL ELECTION: Nine put their hand up for Flynn seat". Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  2. O'Dowd, Ken (26 October 2010). "ParlInfo – Governor General's Speech: Address-in-Reply". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  3. NAPIER-RAMAN, Kishor. "Holding the country ransom while owning mining shares — guess who?". Crikey. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  4. "Mr Ken O'Dowd MP". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  5. Ison, Chris (22 August 2010). "O'Dowd wins Flynn". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  6. Knaus, Christopher (4 November 2018). "Wealthy Queensland family lobbied for inland rail line to run past their airport". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  7. "Who's left to lead The Nationals". NewsComAu. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  8. sarahsteger. "2018 HIT LIST: Ken still beating the same O'Drum". Observer. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  9. "'There is a form of apartheid': LNP backbencher urges PM to face facts on Israel". Guardian Australia. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  10. "Ken O'Dowd". Skeptical Science. Retrieved 21 September 2022.


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