Neil Symes

Neil Symes
Member of the Queensland Parliament
for Lytton
In office
24 March 2012 – 31 January 2015
Preceded byPaul Lucas
Succeeded byJoan Pease
Personal details
Born (1988-12-11) 11 December 1988 (age 37)
PartyIndependent (2015–2016, 2022–present)
One Nation (2016–2022)
Liberal National (until 2015)

Neil Aaron Symes (born 11 December 1988) was an Australian politician who was the member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Lytton from 2012 to 2015. He was the youngest member of the Queensland Parliament during his term.

Early life

Symes was educated at the Anglican Church Grammar School. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminology and human services, majoring in child protection and family studies, from Griffith University in 2009.

For nine months in 2009 he worked as a community engagement officer at Acacia Ridge, including involvement in organising a multicultural festival. He then became an employee of Woolworths Garden City, as a 23-year-old working in the delicatessen section.

Political career

At 23 years of age, and living with his parents outside the electorate bounds, Symes was the youngest candidate for the Liberal National Party at the 2012 Queensland state election. He was elected with 51.1% of the two-party-preferred vote, converting a safe Labor seat with a 12.2-point margin, into a marginal seat with a 1.64-point buffer. The seat had been in Labor hands without interruption for 40 years.

In March 2013, Symes created a furore by taking to Facebook to vent his frustrations over a rally that took place in November 2012, which saw the Member for Lytton allegedly being threatened by protesters. In an article posted in The Courier-Mail, Symes warned he would "get his mates on to you" if any such threats took place again.

Symes was defeated by Joan Pease in the 2015 Queensland state election on a swing of over 11 percent, enough to revert Lytton to its traditional status as a safe Labor seat.

Following the 2015 election, Symes resigned from the LNP, became a real estate agent, and on 3 October 2016 announced via his Instagram account that he had joined Pauline Hanson's One Nation party. He unsuccessfully contested the seat of Mansfield for One Nation at the 2017 state election. He again unsuccessfully contested the seat of Jordan for One Nation at the 2020 state election. As of mid-2022, he officially quit being a member of One Nation and stated he had no official ties to any political party in Australia.[citation needed]

Post-political career

Since 2021, Symes has been coaching club level soccer with Football Queensland.[citation needed]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lytton – Queensland Votes 2012 Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.au (4 April 2012). Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  2. ↑ Mason, James (2011). Churchie: The Centenary Register. Brisbane, Australia: The Anglican Church Grammar School. ISBN 978-0-646-55807-3.
  3. 1 2 "Neil Symes". Liberal National Party Qu eensland. 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 HELBIG, Koren (29 March 2012). "Lytton's newly elected MP Neil Symes swapped job at Woolworths for Parliament". news.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  5. ↑ Sullivan, Bianca (26 March 2012). "Lytton win for former Woolies worker Neil Symes". Wynnum Herald. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  6. ↑ WARDILL, Steven (13 March 2013). "Don't make me get my mates on to you, warns Lytton MP Neil Symes". Courier-Mail. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  7. ↑ FOSTER, Sophie (18 July 2015). "Parliamentarian turns real estate agent". news.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Beattie gives pollies advice on One Nation | News.com.au". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  9. ↑ CALDWELL, Felicity (14 May 2017). "What Campbell Newman's former ministers are doing now". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "2017 State General Election – Mansfield – District Summary". Electoral Commission Queensland. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  11. ↑ Mclennon, Matt (12 October 2020). "State election candidates from Logan and Jordan attend live-streamed Logan Country Safe City forum at Jimboomba Community and District Hall on Saturday". Jimboomba Times. No. 12 October 2020.