Shayne Mallard

Maxwell Shayne Mallard (born 4 September 1964) is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 2015 until 2023.[2] He was formerly a councillor of the City of South Sydney from 2000 to 2004, and of the City of Sydney from 2004 to 2012.

The Honourable
Shayne Mallard
MLC
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
In office
28 March 2015 – 3 March 2023
Councillor, Sydney City Council
In office
27 March 2004 – 28 August 2012
Councillor, South Sydney Council
In office
July 2000 – 27 March 2004
Personal details
Born
Maxwell Shayne Mallard[1]

(1964-09-04) 4 September 1964
Sydney
Political partyLiberal Party
SpouseJesper Hansen
Alma materMacquarie University
Websitewww.shaynemallard.com.au

Political background and Council career

Mallard was President of the New South Wales branch of the Young Liberals from 1993 to 1994,[3] succeeding John Brogden, who later became leader of the NSW Liberal Party and NSW Leader of the Opposition.

Prior to election to the City of Sydney Council in March 2004,[4] Mallard served as a councillor on the South Sydney City Council, from July 2000. In 2004, both Councils were amalgamated.[5] Mallard is the first Liberal endorsed candidate elected to the City of Sydney. In 2008, Mallard ran against sitting candidate Clover Moore for the popularly elected position of Lord Mayor, gaining 14% of the vote. Moore was re-elected.[6][7]

Mallard was instrumental in setting up the city's register of same-sex relationships.[8] Mallard has long been supportive of marriage equality, putting him in opposition to many party members, including the former Federal Leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott but putting him in support with the former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

In 2009, Mallard faced two accusations of misconduct and for breaching Council's code of conduct. The first alleged indiscretion related to debating and voting on a development application before Council from the hotelier George Thomas who had allegedly made a donation to support Mallard's re-election to Council. Using parliamentary privilege, Lee Rhiannon, a Greens Member of NSW Legislative Council, accused Mallard of a second indiscretion by receiving illegal donations through provision of rent by a third party during the 2008 local government election campaign.[9] Mallard asked the matters be referred to the NSW Department of Local Government for investigation. The Department of Local Government investigation cleared Mallard of allegations that he breached the council's code of conduct.[10]

Following an earlier announcement that he would again run against Moore for the popularly elected position of Lord Mayor,[11] in June 2012 Mallard announced that he would not contest the 2012 local government elections. In September 2012, Mallard was endorsed as the Liberal Party candidate for the NSW Legislative Assembly seat of Sydney at the 2012 by-election but was beaten by Moore-backed independent candidate Alex Greenwich.[12]

In June 2021 Mallard was elected as Government Whip in the NSW Legislative Council and Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and the Aerotropolis.

In December 2021, Mallard was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Western Sydney.

New South Wales parliamentary career

Mallard was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council on the Liberal/Nationals ticket at the 2015 state election, endorsed as the seventh candidate.[13]

Mallard was involved in calling on the government to protect the Radiata Plateau in the Blue Mountains.[14]

Personal

Mallard's early career was in marketing and advertising.[15] In 1995 he took a career sabbatical and established a small business in horticulture with his brother in the inner city suburb of Darlinghurst.[15]

Mallard, who is gay,[8] is in a same-sex relationship with Danish born Jesper Hansen.[16] On 20 July 2012 it was reported that they would marry in a Lutheran Church in Copenhagen in 2013.[17][18]

References
  1. "Child related conduct declaration" (PDF). Candidates: Sydney State By-election. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 8 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  2. "The Hon. (Shayne) Maxwell Shayne Mallard, MLC". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  3. Salusinszky, Imre (7 April 2010). "Hats in the ring for Wentworth, gayest and most Jewish of electorates". The Australian. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  4. "Council – Councillors". City of Sydney website. Council of the City of Sydney. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  5. Nicholls, Sean; O'Rourke, Claire; Davies, Anne (21 November 2003). "City super-council on the way". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  6. "Council of the City of Sydney – Mayoral". Local Government Elections, 2008. NSW Electoral Commission. 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  7. Dempster, Quentin (12 September 2008). "The Great Debate". Stateline. ABCTV. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  8. Hall, Ashley (30 April 2008). "Gay marriage campaign to continue". The World Today. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  9. Veiszadeh, Ehssan (17 December 2009). "Liberal Councillor accused of receiving illegal donations". City News. Alternative Media Group. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  10. Burton-Bradley, Robert (2 February 2010). "Sydney Councillor Shayne Mallard cleared on political donations". Central Sydney. News Limited. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  11. Ozturk, Serkan (16 April 2012). "Candidates set their sights on Sydney Town Hall". Gay News Network. Evolution Publishing. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  12. Green, Antony (12 September 2012). "Sydney By-election – Lessons from Federal Election Results". Election Blog. Australia: ABC. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  13. Raue, Ben (March 2015). "Legislative Council – NSW 2015". The Tally Room. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  14. "Blue Mountains' Radiata Plateau bought by NSW government to stop future development". 7 October 2019.
  15. "Announcing Sydney Liberal Action Team". 10 August 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  16. Hackney, Peter (27 August 2008). "Mallard sets his sights on Town Hall". SX News. Evolution Publishing. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  17. Cauchi, Alex (20 July 2012). "Mallard engaged: Gay marriage in focus for Liberals". Wentworth Courier. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  18. Ozturk, Serkan (20 July 2012). "Shayne Mallard to become first gay Liberal to marry". Gay News Network. Evolution Publishing. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
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