Hon Dean Brown AO

Dean Craig Brown AO

Liberal Party

Former Member

Finniss

House of Assembly

10 March 1973

Master of Rural Science - University of New England

Research Scientist

Dean Brown was educated at the University of New England in NSW and worked in the South Australia Department of Agriculture before his election to the House of Assembly in 1973 as the Member for Davenport. He served in Premier Tonkin's ministry, holding the portfolios of Public Works and Industrial Affairs, before a term in opposition during Bannon's Premiership. After losing the seat of Davenport at the 1985 election, he worked in business for 6 years before re-entering Parliament as the Member for Alexandra in 1992. Two days after his re-election to Parliament, Brown was elected Leader of the Opposition.

Brown led the Liberal Party to victory with a record majority in 1993, he being elected to the newly named seat of Finniss. He served as Premier and Minister for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs. Under his Premiership the government cut spending in various areas in an attempt to reduce the State's debt. His Government was also the first in the world to outsource its data processing for the whole of government and was thus responsible for a new information technology industry being development in the State.

A leadership challenge in November 1996 saw his loss of the Premiership to John Olsen. He became Minister for Human Services in the Olsen government and Deputy Premier to Premier Kerin on the resignation of Premier Olsen in October 2001. Following the victory of the Labor Party at the General Election of February 2002 he became Deputy Leader of the Opposition, serving until 2005. He retired from Parliament at the 2006 Election.