19 Facts About Rod Welford

Rodney Jon Welford was born on 30 September 1958 and is an Australian former politician from Queensland.

Rod Welford served as a Labor Party Member of Parliament in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 1989 to 2009.

Rod Welford attended St Paul's Anglican School in Bald Hills.

Rod Welford was a prominent solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and barrister of the High Court of Australia prior to entering parliament.

Rod Welford's qualifications are Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Graduate Diploma in Industrial Relations and a Master of Science and Certificate in Permaculture Design.

Rod Welford was the first honorary State Education Officer of the Surf Life Saving Association and Technical Director of the Royal Life Saving Society in the early 1980s.

Rod Welford worked as a professional lifeguard for the Gold Coast City Council while completing university studies.

Also during his university studies Rod Welford served on the student union of the University of Queensland.

Rod Welford entered state parliament as the member for Stafford at the 1989 state election.

Rod Welford switched to the district of Everton at the 1992 state election, which he held until his decision not to stand for re-election at the State election in 2009.

Rod Welford served in a number of portfolios in the Labor governments of Premiers Peter Beattie and Anna Bligh.

Rod Welford was the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice from 2001 to 2005.

Rod Welford was the Minister for Education and Minister for the Arts from 2005 to 2009, as well as the Minister for Training from 2006 to 2009.

Rod Welford was the Australian State Government representative at the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development in 2000.

Since leaving Parliament, Rod Welford has been chief executive of the Australian Council of Recycling Inc, the national peak industry body for the recycling industry in Australia.

Rod Welford was an honorary member of the board of the International River Foundation, honorary interim board member of the National Centre of Excellence for Desalination at Murdoch University and patron of the Centre for Research, Innovation and Future Development at St Paul's School, his former high school.

Rod Welford is board chairman of the Electrogroup group of companies, a non-profit enterprise that operates a group training and apprenticeship service for the electrotechnology industry and chairman of the Energy Management Institute, a non-profit company established to train and accredit electrical contractors with skills in energy efficiency design and retrofitting.

Rod Welford was the patron of the Albany Creek Junior Rugby League Football Club, the Pine Hills Sports Club and the Mitchelton Senior Citizens Association.

Rod Welford is the sole parent of a daughter who has Down's Syndrome.