Sid Sidebottom

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Sid has lived on the North West Coast since 1975, is married to Bronwyn (a college teacher) and has two sons, Julian and William. He resides in the village of Forth - between Devonport and Ulverstone - in a cottage built in 1875.

Always actively involved in community affairs, Sid is currently a life member and patron of the Devonport Choral Society, and patron of the Leven Yacht Club, the Ulverstone Repertory Society, and the Burnie and Leven sub-branches of the National Servicemen’s Association. He is also an experienced director of musical theatre and an enthusiastic thespian – a passion he continues to pursue. A keen sportsperson and supporter of community sport and recreation, Sid has been chairman of the Ulverstone Basketball Association (the Hoppers) for the past ten years.

Sid has always been particularly interested in education and learning and was a senior secondary college teacher and administrator until 1998 when he was elected to Federal Parliament as the Labor MP for Braddon – a seat held by the Liberals for 25 years. He held the seat of Braddon between 1998 and 2004 and was appointed a Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Industry, Resources and Energy, and for the Arts. In 2004, Sid and Labor lost the seat of Braddon but regained it in 2007 under the leadership of Kevin Rudd who first entered the Federal Parliament with Sid in 1998 along with Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard. In the interim Sid worked for Kim Beazley and Senator Nick Sherry and successfully completed post-graduate studies in International Relations through Deakin University.

Since the election of the Rudd Labor Government in November 2007, Sid has been appointed to the Speakers’ Panel of the House of Representatives as well as membership of the Parliament’s committees related to Primary Industries and Resources, Education and Training, and the Joint Committee on Publications. He is also an active member of Labor’s Caucus committees associated with primary industries, resources, regional development, education and training, and health and social policy.

With his enthusiastic, dedicated staff and the opportunities afforded by being in Government, Sid is working hard to roll out Labor’s significant 2007 election promises in Braddon and to listen to and represent the views and aspirations of this most beautiful part of the world.