Graham Annesley
Minister for Sport and Recreation
In office
3 April 2011 – 28 August 2013
PremierBarry O'Farrell
Preceded byKevin Greene
Succeeded byGabrielle Upton
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Miranda
In office
26 March 2011 – 28 August 2013
Preceded byBarry Collier
Succeeded byBarry Collier
Majority21.0% (2011)
Personal details
Born (1957-05-26) 26 May 1957
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLiberal Party
Domestic partnerErica Clark
ChildrenTwo
ResidenceSylvania, New South Wales
OccupationSport administrator

Graham Annesley (born 26 May 1957)[1] is an Australian former politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Miranda for the Liberal Party from 2011 to 2013. From 3 April 2011 to 28 August 2013 he was the Minister for Sport and Recreation in the O'Farrell government.

Annesley was formerly chief executive officer of the Gold Coast Titans, chief operating officer of the National Rugby League (NRL) and a leading rugby league referee. He is currently the head of elite football operations for the NRL

Rugby league

Annesley commenced his rugby league career with the Parramatta District Rugby League Referees Association. Starting as a 13-year-old referee,[2] Annesley also undertook later administrative roles in the Association, including Secretary (1979–1980) and President (1985–1988).[3] He was elected as a Life Member of the Association in 1984.[4]

Rising through the refereeing ranks, Annesley became a first grade referee in 1982. Between 1982 and 1997 he controlled 244 first-grade matches and six finals matches. He is ranked number 12 in the list of all-time first grade matches refereed.[5]

Annesley's notable representative appointments include the 1994 State of Origin and test matches between Great Britain and Australia, also in 1994.[6]

Annesley's business career included appointments with DHL, McWilliams Wines, Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) and the Roads & Traffic Authority. He became a full-time sports administrator in 1995 as director of football for the NRL, promoted to chief operating officer in 2002.[2]

Annesley is credited with introducing the video referee system in 1996.[7]

Since 2019, Annesley has been the NRL head of elite football operations.[8]

Away from rugby league, Annesley is an Australia Day ambassador for Liverpool Shire Council.[2][9]

Politics

Pre-selected by the Liberal Party to contest Miranda at the 2007 state election, Annesley was defeated by the sitting Labor member Barry Collier by a margin of 603 votes.[10] He again contested the seat at the March 2011 elections and was elected, receiving a swing of 21.8% in the traditionally Liberal seat, winning 71.0% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis.[11] As Collier retired at the election, Annesley's main competitor was Therese Cook, representing Labor.

Annesley was subsequently appointed Minister for Sport and Recreation in the O'Farrell–Stoner coalition government.[12][13][14] On 28 August 2013 he announced his resignation as Minister for Sport and Recreation and his intention to resign from Parliament to become CEO of the Gold Coast Titans, triggering a 2013 Miranda by-election on 19 October.[15] In his resignation speech to parliament, Annesley said he never regarded himself as a politician and that there were many aspects of politics he did not care for. He said that he had always felt more at home as a sports administrator.[16][17]

In October 2013, Annesley said that he arranged for Telstra to put in mobile reception, six months prior and without charge, for a new property at Yowie Bay he bought with his wife, claiming he couldn't do his job as a minister otherwise.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Reilly, Tom (7 May 2011). "Newsmaker Graham Annesley". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "Graham Annesley". Australia Day Ambassadors. Australia Day Council of NSW. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  3. ↑ "Past Executive Committee Members". History. Parramatta District Rugby League Referees' Association. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  4. ↑ "Past Honours". History. Parramatta District Rugby League Referees' Association. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  5. ↑ "Referees 1939–2013". rleague.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  6. ↑ Hadfield, Dave (24 October 1994). "Rugby League: Edwards left on tenterhooks". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  7. ↑ Jessup, Peter (17 July 1999). "Rugby: Only time before video used". New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  8. ↑ "Annesley to join NRL football department in 2019". National Rugby League. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  9. ↑ "Irving honoured". Warren Advocate. Fairfax Media. 27 January 2010. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  10. ↑ "State Electoral District of Miranda". 2007 State Election Results. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 3 January 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  11. ↑ Green, Antony (4 April 2011). "Miranda". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  12. ↑ "Mr Graham Annesley (1957- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  13. ↑ Rothfield, Phil (3 April 2011). "Annesley will get to referee all sports now". The Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  14. ↑ "New faces in Barry O'Farrell's Cabinet". The Australian. News Limited. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  15. ↑ Graham Annesley, Minister for Sport and Recreation (28 August 2013). "Resignation of Minister for Sport and Recreation". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Assembly. p. 22932. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ↑ Barry O'Farrell announces Sports Minister Graham Annesley has resigned Daily Telegraph 28 August 2013
  17. ↑ Graham Annesley resigns from NSW ministry to take up role as Gold Coast Titans chief ABC News 29 August 2013
  18. ↑ Former MP Greg Annesley sends the wrong signal to the electorate by quitting parliament early The Australian 18 October 2013

 

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