26 Facts About Robyn Parker

Robyn Mary Parker was born on 3 August 1958 and is an Australian former politician.

Robyn Parker was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Maitland for the Liberal Party from 2011 to 2015 and was previously a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales between 2003 and 2011.

Robyn Parker was succeeded by Rob Stokes in the Baird cabinet.

Robyn Parker's family has its origins in the dairy farming district of Taranaki, New Zealand.

Robyn Parker studied at the Palmerston North Teachers' College at Massey University, New Zealand and obtained a Diploma of Teaching.

Robyn Parker subsequently worked as a development officer with a focus on Children's Services for the City of Sunshine between 1979 and 1980; a Family Day Care Co-ordinator for the City of Oakleigh between 1981 and 1982, and for Queensland Centacare between 1982 and 1983.

Robyn Parker pursued a science-based approach to recovery of threatened species and secured additional funding for these programs.

In three years as heritage minister Robyn Parker delivered a record number of Maitland buildings to the state heritage register including Maitland's Jewish Cemetery.

Robyn Parker refused to apologise for why there was a delay in informing the public of the spill claiming she was left off of a crucial departmental email.

Ms Robyn Parker has been criticised for not notifying the public about the incident until Thursday afternoon, three days later, despite being informed on Wednesday evening.

In November 2011, NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson called on the Premier to sack Robyn Parker saying "the job of a minister is to take responsibility for protecting the community and from day one, Ms Robyn Parker has clearly failed to live up to that standard".

On 11 October 2011, Robyn Parker introduced the Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment Bill into the Parliament aimed at strengthening the ability of the Environment Protection Authority to regulate serious pollution incidents by significantly improving notification requirements and pollution incident response management provisions and increase penalties for non-compliance.

Foley said "Robyn Parker is allowing a national icon to be endangered thanks to her 'unsound ecological approach' ".

In one of her last acts as Minister for Environment, Robyn Parker launched a master plan for Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating criticised the plan saying "While the government is spending a lot of money on a cultured headland park at Barangaroo to the west, the same government, with the authority of environment minister Robyn Parker, is spending money to destroy the gardens to the east".

Robyn Parker served as the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Aboriginal Affairs and was Chair of the NSW Opposition's Hunter Taskforce.

Robyn Parker supported the introduction of closed circuit television for victims to give their evidence in court as she had been a victim when she was nineteen in New Zealand.

Robyn Parker decided to seek election to the Legislative Assembly to fulfil a desire to become involved in politics at a more local level and was elected as the first female Member for Maitland in March 2011 Robyn Parker was appointed Minister for Environment and Minister for Heritage in April 2011.

On 19 February 2010, Robyn Parker was pre-selected by the Liberal Party to contest the semi-marginal Lower House seat of Maitland.

At the 2011 election, Robyn Parker was elected with a swing of 20.3 per cent and won the seat with 56.3 per cent of the two-party vote.

Robyn Parker lobbied and achieved funding for a complete school rebuild for Hunter River Community School, and Rutherford Technology High School received a $15 million upgrade.

In 2015 Robyn Parker was appointed as Chief Executive Officer ageing and disability services, Delphis Australia.

Robyn Parker has been appointed as a non-executive director to a number of not-for-profit and government boards including: Taronga Conservation Society, NextSense, Hume Community Housing, Hunter Local Land Services, The Heritage Council of New South Wales.

Robyn Parker is married to David and has three children Dylan, Chelsea and Heath and two stepchildren Ben and Tim.

Robyn Parker's husband stood for the seat of Newcastle in the 2003 election.

Robyn Parker's story was broadcast in an episode of the ABC TV program Australian Story.