About Llew O'Brien
Llew O’Brien is the Federal Member for Wide Bay. He was elected to the Australian Parliament at the 2016 Federal Election, and re-elected in May 2019 and May 2022.
Before entering Parliament, Llew served as a police officer in the Wide Bay region for 16 years and specialised in criminal intelligence and traffic accident investigation.
During his time as a road crash investigator, Llew became a passionate advocate for road safety. His experiences motivated him to stand for public office in Wide Bay where he could continue to campaign for improved roads, particularly the Bruce Highway.
Following his election, Llew took his fight for safer roads to Canberra, and in 2018 he convinced his colleagues in Parliament to fast-track delivery of the $1 billion Section D of the Cooroy to Curra Bruce Highway upgrade, which will save countless lives.
He continues his work to reduce road death tragedies in his role as Joint Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Road Safety.
Llew is a very strong advocate for aged care and mental health and has worked with the community to secure Federal funding for more than 721 new aged care places in Wide Bay, as well as new headspace youth mental health services for Gympie and Maryborough.
He is committed to strengthening the economy to create jobs and has delivered significant projects to drive job growth in Wide Bay, including:
- $268.8 million for the four lane Tiaro bypass which the Queensland State Government must fast track and prioritise
- $28.5m for the Nioa Rheinmetall projectile forging plant in Maryborough creating 178 jobs
- $18 million to secure a water supply to sustain Maryborough’s cane industry securing 600 jobs – this funding was subsequently withdrawn by the Albanese Labor Government
- $1.75 million to create new jobs at DTM Timber
- An Industry Training Hub to be located in Maryborough
- $5 million towards the Nolan Meats upgrade at Gympie, creating 200 jobs
- $267,000 for Teys Murgon Beef cattle hide processing facility expansion, creating jobs in the South Burnett
- $2.5 million to reconstruct the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club boosting local jobs in Noosa
- $2.5 to expand the Digital Hub at Peregian Beach to foster creativity and entrepreneurship.
Llew works hard to engage with all levels of government and deliver better services to Wide Bay to ensure that every local family, household, and business has the opportunity to share in our nation’s prosperity.
QUICK FACTS:
- Llew is married to Sharon and they chose to raise their three children in Wide Bay because they love the region.
- Llew has received State and National Medals for his police service, as well as the Queensland Police Service Medal, the Queensland Flood and Cyclone Citation, a 15-year clasp to the Queensland Police Service Medal, the National Medal for ethical and diligent service, and in 2016 Llew was awarded the National Police Service Medal.
- Llew’s hobbies are motorcycling, photography and fitness.
- He is a member of community organisations including;
– Gympie Chamber of Commerce, Cooroy Chamber of Commerce, and Murgon Business Development
– QLD Retired Police Association
– Noosa Tourism
– Murgon, Gympie, Tewantin and Cooroy RSL Clubs; and Patron of:
- Mary Valley Show Society
- Gympie Show
- Gympie State High School P&C
- Tin Can Bay Men’s Shed
- Sunshine Beach Surf Lifesaving Club
