Michael Steven Knight AO (born 21 September 1952[citation needed] in Leichhardt, New South Wales[1]) is a former Australian Labor Party politician. He was member for Campbelltown in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1981 and 2001. He served as Minister for the Olympics between 1995 and 2001 in the Carr Labor government.
Michael Knight | |
|---|---|
 Michael Knight with the IPC flag at the closing ceremony of the 1996 Summer Paralympics | |
| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Campbelltown | |
| In office 19 September 1981 – 12 January 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Cliff Mallam |
| Succeeded by | Graham West |
| Minister for the Olympics | |
| In office 4 April 1995 – 12 January 2001 | |
| Premier | Bob Carr |
| Succeeded by | abolished |
| Minister for Public Works and Services | |
| In office 4 April 1995 – 15 December 1995 | |
| Premier | Bob Carr |
| Minister for Roads | |
| In office 4 April 1995 – 28 November 1996 | |
| Premier | Bob Carr |
| Preceded by | Bruce Baird |
| Succeeded by | Carl Scully |
| President of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games | |
| In office 18 September 1996 – 1 October 2000 | |
| IOC President | Juan Antonio Samaranch |
| Preceded by | John Iliffe |
| Succeeded by | Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki |
| Chair of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games | |
| In office 18 September 1996 – 31 October 2001 | |
| Preceded by | John Iliffe |
| Succeeded by | Position dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Steven Knight 21 September 1952 Leichhardt, New South Wales |
| Political party | Labor Party |
| Spouse | Anne |
| Children | Two daughters |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney |
| Profession | Probation and parole officer |
Background and early career
editKnight attended Doonside High School and Cranbrook School. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Sydney and worked for the Campbelltown City Council as a social planner and parole officer before entering politics.[1]
Political career
editKnight entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly at the 1981 election succeeding Cliff Mallam who had held the seat for ten years.[1] Originally a member of the left–wing faction, Knight defected to right–wing faction after a trip in Europe which convinced him that socialism had failed.[2]
Knight remained on the back bench until 1995 when he was appointed to the state Cabinet with ministerial responsibilities for Public Works and Services, the Olympics and Roads. His responsibilities were later in 1995 reduced to Roads and Olympics. In 1996 this was further reduced to responsibility for the Olympics, a portfolio he held until his retirement in 2001.[1][2] As Minister for the Olympics he was Chair of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG).
Post political career
editIn 2007, Knight was appointed to the Chair of the Board of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, the body which manages the day-to-day running and future development of Sydney Olympic Park. He was reappointed to the Board as its Chairman in 2013, and his term expired in June 2016.[3][4]
Knight was a director of the state–owned corporation, Delta Electricity, until December 2010 when he was one of the four directors who resigned en masse in protest of the privatisation of the generating assets of the company.[5] During 2005 he also served as chairman of Sydney Gas Limited,[6] prior to its takeover by the Australian Gas Light Company.[7]
He is also the non-executive chairman of InfraShore, a public-private partnership consortium between Thiess and Royal Bank of Scotland in charge of the billion-dollar redevelopment of Royal North Shore Hospital.[8]
Honours
editIn January 2002, Knight was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for services to: Olympic and Paralympic sport, particularly in the area of Games' administration; to the New South Wales Parliament; and, to the community of Campbelltown.[9]
In 2000, Knight was awarded a Gold Olympic Order by the IOC at the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Personal
editKnight is married to Anne, and they have two daughters.[1] He is a keen supporter of Wests Tigers rugby league team.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "The Hon. Michael Steven KNIGHT (1952- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales.
- ^ a b Green, Antony (5 April 2011). "Campbelltown". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Annesley, Graham (8 March 2013). "Michael Knight reappointed Chairman of Sydney Olympic Park Authority" (Press release). Liberal Party of Australia. Archived from the original on 25 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ "The Honourable Michael Knight AO (Chair)". Our Board. Sydney Olympic Park Authority. 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Salusinszky, Imre; Hepworth, Annabel (15 December 2010). "Chaos hits $5.3bn NSW power sell-off as directors on two boards quit in protest". The Australian. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Freed, Jamie; O'Sullivan, Matt; Evans, Michael; Chessell, James (10 December 2005). "Knight out of the Sydney Gas games". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ "About Sydney Gas LTD". Hunter-Bulga Gas Action Group. 2006. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Mitchell, Alex (16 January 2011). "Tebbutt chief aide bales out". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ^ "KNIGHT, Michael Steven". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Walter, Brad; Masters, Roy (5 July 2011). "Knight moves: former Olympics minister in frame for commission". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
