Alan Corbett Explained

Alan Gordon Corbett (born 6 April 1954) is an Australian former politician.

Originally a teacher, he was the founder of A Better Future for Our Children, a New South Wales political party.[1]

At the 1995 New South Wales state election, Corbett was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council for that party despite receiving only 1.24% of the vote. He served until his retirement in 2003.[1] The party did not contest the state election of that year.[2]

In the late 2010s, Corbett publicly criticised the Queensland Government for not completely banning the use of corporal punishment, with private schools still legally permitted to use the cane.[3] [4] Corbett said that despite Independent Schools Queensland insisting corporal punishment wasn't utilised in their schools anymore, the possibility would always remain that it could be re-introduced at any time while it was still legal under section 280 of the Queensland Criminal Code.[3] [4]

In June 2024, Corbett announced he would be running as an independent candidate in the 2024 Queensland state election, contesting the seat of Bundaberg.[5]

Personal life

Corbett has one son.[6] His wife died in 2017 at the age of 51 after suffering from a long illness.

Notes and References

  1. News: 28 February 2003. Generational change at NSW poll. The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 July 2024. And the man whose shock election in 1995 led to a surge in imaginatively named parties is also hanging up his political hat. Alan Corbett, running as A Better Future for Our Children, won a prized seat in the Legislative Council in 1995 with next-to-no publicity and a favourable flow of preferences..
  2. Book: Smith , Rodney . Against the Machines: Minor Parties and Independents in New South Wales 1910-2006 . The Federation Press . 2006 . 110–111 . 978-1-86287-623-1 .
  3. News: Matthews. Alice. 28 February 2017. In 2017, corporal punishment still legal in QLD non-government schools. Hack. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 July 2024.
  4. News: Moore. Tony. 29 September 2019. Former MP smacks Queensland for not banning cane from private schools. Brisbane Times. 7 July 2024.
  5. News: Smith. Lexa. 27 June 2024. Alan Corbett announces his Independent candidacy for Bundaberg. News-Mail. 7 July 2024.
  6. The Hon. Alan Gordon Corbett (1954-) . 2084 . Yes . 13 May 2019.