Martin Hamilton-Smith MP
Martin Hamilton-Smith was born in Mitcham, within the seat of Waite, the second eldest of six children.
As an officer in the Australian Army and as a State MP, Martin Hamilton-Smith has devoted his working life to serving the nation and the State. He spent 23 years in the Army, serving in the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS), Commanding Officer of the 1st Commando Regiment and as Commander of Australia's multi-national Peacekeepers in Egypt.
As a State MP, Martin has represented the seat of Waite for 12 years and was a Cabinet Minister in the previous Liberal Government. Martin served as Leader of the Opposition from 2007 to mid 2009.
Family is the centrepiece of Martin’s life. Married to Stavroula, they have a five year-old son, Thomas, while Martin is step-father to two adult children. The family resides in Mitcham where the Hamilton-Smiths have lived for generations.
Martin understands the value of a public school education. He was educated at Marion High School before entering the Royal Military College Duntroon. He has Bachelor and Masters degrees from the University of NSW and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Adelaide University.
Unlike many in Labor, Martin knows the challenge of running a small business. After leaving the Army, he developed private child care centres in South Australia, delivering real assistance to working families and employing over 120 people in six businesses in two states.
Martin understands how high payroll, land tax and State Government red-tape can impede business and employment growth. He is campaigning to support the Liberal policy to reduce Land Tax to create more economic and employment opportunities for South Australia.
He is not a career politician or a one-time political staffer. He has worked hard to make a difference, whether that was in the Army or in private business. Now he is using those skills and experience to assist South Australian families and businesses as the Member for Waite and Shadow Minister for Economic Development, Industry and Trade, Defence Industry Development, Science and Information Economy and Substance Abuse.
Peter Waite (1834-1922) arrived in South Australia in 1859 and acquired property at Urrbrae in 1874. He was Chairman of Elder's Wool and Produce Company in 1883 and Chairman of Directors of Elder Smith and Co. in 1888. He donated his Urrbrae estate to the University of Adelaide in 1913 and further land in 1915. He also gave 45 hectares to the SA government for the establishment of an agricultural high school. In 1923 the Waite Agricultural Research Institute was named after him.