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Samuel Birrell (born 5 April 1975) is a member of the Australian House of Representatives for the division of Nicholls in northern Victoria and a member of the National Party. In the 2022 Australian federal election, Birrell won a race between a Liberal Party candidate and independent candidate Rob Priestly.

Early life

Birrell grew up on a property on Victoria's Goulburn River between the towns of Murchison and Toolamba. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a schoolteacher. He attended Shepparton High School for two years then completed his secondary education as a boarder at Assumption College, Kilmore. After leaving high school, Birrell worked on a farm in Ardmona for two years before completing a degree in agricultural science at the University of Melbourne's Dookie campus. He later completed an MBA at La Trobe University's Shepparton campus in 2017.

Career

After graduating university, Birrell worked as an agronomist for a rural supplies business, specialising in pest identification and soil and leaf analysis. He later worked for irrigation supplier Netafim.

Birrell was appointed CEO of the Committee for Greater Shepparton in 2016. He resigned the position in 2021 to run for parliament.

Politics

In January 2022, Birrell won Nationals preselection for the seat of Nicholls at the 2022 federal election, following the retirement of incumbent Nationals MP Damian Drum. He retained Nicholls for the Nationals on a substantially reduced primary vote, with significant swings to the Liberal candidate Steve Brooks and independent candidate Rob Priestly.

Political views

Birrell supported a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) for the Goulburn Valley. In 2021 he appeared before a parliamentary inquiry into skilled migration, advocating for "an immediate global recruitment campaign to attract migrants with in-demand skills" to help fill job shortages in regional areas.

References

1. "QUALIFICATION CHECKLIST" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
2. "Shepparton's Sam Birrell puts his hand up for Nationals". North Central Review. North Central Review Pty.Ltd. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
3. "Nicholls was the safest Coalition seat in Victoria. But the Nationals just learnt a hard lesson". ABC News. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
4. ^ "Sam Birrell". The Nationals. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
5. "Have you met Sam Birrell?". Shepparton Adviser. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
6. "Birrell seeks Nats seat as pre-selection looms". Shepparton Adviser. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
7. "Fresh look for the Nats: Birrell locked in for federal election". Shepparton Adviser. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
8. Allison, Charmayne; Howe, Courtney. "Nicholls election result sees Coalition stronghold collapse in northern Victorian seat". ABC News. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
9. Grant, Gemma (16 May 2022). "Coalition partners battle to control Nicholls". The Junction. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
10. Howe, Courtney (24 April 2021). "Shepparton business, industry leaders urge global campaign for skilled migrants". Retrieved 26 June 2022.

• 1975 births
• Living people
• National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Nicholls
• 21st-century Australian politicians
• University of Melbourne alumni
• Australian agronomists
• La Trobe University alumni
• People educated at Assumption College, Kilmore