Brian Gibson (politician)

Brian Francis Gibson AM (4 November 1936 – 15 August 2017) was an Australian politician and businessman who held senior appointments in Australian companies and industry bodies.

Gibson had a career in business that included being Managing Director of Australian Newsprint Mills Ltd from 1980 to 1983, and Chair of what was then the Hydro-Electric Commission of Tasmania from 1989 to 1993. He was also National President of the forest industry peak representative body, the , from 1987 to 1991.

Gibson was elected to the Australian Senate at the 1993 election, as a member of the Liberal Party of Australia representing the state of Tasmania.^[1] After the 1996 election, Gibson was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer. However, following concerns raised regarding a conflict of interest, he lost the portfolio from 15 October 1996 and did not hold a further ministerial position.

Gibson was re-elected in the 1998 election for a second six-year term, but resigned from parliament on 22 February 2002, having indicated to his party some months previously that he wished to move on to other things.^[2]

After resigning from parliament, Gibson was a board member of Concept Systems, a payroll and human resource management company; Director of the Tasmanian Advisory Board of the AMP Society; Australian Government nominated director to the Board of the Australian Stem Cell Centre;^[3] director of the Australian National Maritime Museum, and several other companies.^[4]

Gibson was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June 1988, and received the Centenary Medal in 2000.

Gibson died from cancer on 15 August 2017 at the age of 80.^[5]

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