Martin Hamilton-Smith

Martin Leslie James Hamilton-Smith was the parliamentary leader of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party of Australia and the Leader of the Opposition in South Australia from 2007 to 2009, and member for the electoral district of Waite in the House of Assembly since 1997. Graduating from Royal Military College, Duntroon as an Officer in the Australian Army, he then went on to begin a career in the Australian Special Air Service Regim... more

Martin Leslie James Hamilton-Smith was the parliamentary leader of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party of Australia and the Leader of the Opposition in South Australia from 2007 to 2009, and member for the electoral district of Waite in the House of Assembly since 1997. Graduating from Royal Military College, Duntroon as an Officer in the Australian Army, he then went on to begin a career in the Australian Special Air Service Regiment for many years. He specialised in counter-terrorism and spent many years in the UK commanding one of the first counter-terrorism units. He toured in the Middle East while part of the SASR and then took command of the 1st Commando Regiment until his retirement with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in 1994. Hamilton-Smith first won Waite in the 1997 election by six percent against the Democrats on a two party preferred (2PP) basis. Hailing from the conservative faction, his preselection win in Waite over Robert Lawson from the moderate faction... less