Australian politician
Andrea Gail West (née Kaus; 16 September 1952 – 20 April 2010) was an Australian politician. She was a member of the Liberal Party and served a single term in the House of Representatives, representing the Queensland seat of Bowman from 1996 to 1998.
Early life
West was born in Brisbane on 16 September 1952.[1] She was the daughter of Bill Kaus, who was elected to the Parliament of Queensland as a Liberal in 1966.[2] She held the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland and a diploma from the Mount Gravatt Teachers' College. Prior to entering parliament she worked as a primary school teacher.[3] Afterwards she became a teacher at Qatar International School.[citation needed]
Politics
West served as chairman of the Liberal Party's Cleveland–Ormiston branch.[3] She was elected to the Division of Bowman in the Coalition's landslide victory at the 1996 federal election, defeating the incumbent Australian Labor Party (ALP) member Con Sciacca.[4]
In parliament, West served on the Joint Statutory Committee on the National Crime Authority and the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs.[3] She spoke of the need to "safeguard the sanctity of the family" and supported reforms to child support and Australian family law.[5] According to George Brandis, she supported the Howard government's introduction of goods and services tax (GST) despite the impact it was likely to have on her re-election campaign in a marginal seat.[2] Con Sciacca reclaimed Bowman for the ALP at the 1998 federal election.[4]
After her defeat, West remained active in the Liberal Party.[4] In 2000 she unsuccessfully sought preselection for a casual vacancy in the Senate caused by the resignation of Warwick Parer.[2]
Personal life
West lived at Wellington Point with her husband Jeremy and had three children.[4] She died of breast cancer on 20 April 2010, aged 57, at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.[6][failed verification]
References
