18 Facts About Mal Bryce

Malcolm John Bryce was an Australian politician, who served as a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1971 to 1988, representing the seat of Ascot.

Mal Bryce was deputy leader of the Labor Party from 1977 to 1980 and from 1981 to 1988, and served as deputy premier under Brian Burke.

Mal Bryce attended Bunbury Senior High School before going on to study teaching at Claremont Teachers College and the University of Western Australia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Mal Bryce married fellow Claremont Teachers College alumna Elizabeth in 1965.

Mal Bryce joined the Australian Labor Party as a member of the University of WA Branch in 1961.

Mal Bryce held a variety of positions in ALP Branches, Electorate Councils, and the State Executive of the Western Australian ALP during the 1960s.

Mal Bryce stood unsuccessfully as endorsed ALP candidate for the House of Representatives Division of Moore in the 1966 Australian federal election, and as an ALP Senate Candidate for Western Australia in the 1970 Australian Senate election.

At the age of 28, Mal Bryce was elected to the state Legislative Assembly at the 1971 Ascot by-election caused by the death of Merv Toms, and held the seat continuously until his resignation from State Parliament in 1988.

In 1983 Mal Bryce was appointed Deputy Premier of Western Australia under Premier Brian Burke, serving until his and Burke's resignations from parliament in 1988.

Unlike Burke, Mal Bryce was not embroiled in the WA Inc scandal.

Mal Bryce was instrumental in legislating the Western Australian Technology and Industry Development Act, and the Electoral Reform Bill of 1987, a comprehensive reform of the Western Australian Parliamentary System.

Mal Bryce's career focussed on developing companies, communities and public policy to harness the power of Information and Communications Technology.

Mal Bryce was the architect of Australia's first Internet enabled online communities in Ipswich Queensland, and he led the team that implemented Australia's first community driven eCommerce Project.

Mal Bryce's book Australia's First Online Community is a case study in IT led Economic Development.

Since 2001, Mal Bryce served as Chairman of iVEC, the Pawsey Supercomputer Project at Technology Park in Perth Western Australia, the Western Australian ICT Industry Development Forum, the Western Australian Tele-Centre Advisory Council, and the Governing Council of Perth Central TAFE.

Mal Bryce was a member of the Australian eResearch Infrastructure Council, and the Australian Square Kilometre Array Project Steering Committee, Director of Yilgarn Infrastructure Ltd.

Mal Bryce was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1989 for services to the WA parliament.

Mal Bryce was admitted as a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 1990, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Technology at Curtin University in 1994, and an Honorary Life Membership of the Australian Computer Society in 2011.