NSW Parliament
In 1981, popular actor Elisabeth Kirkby was elected to the NSW Upper House and held her seat continuously until retirement in 1998. She was joined in 1988 by Richard Jones, founder of Greenpeace Australia and editor of Simply Living magazine taking the number in the NSW upper house to two. Richard Jones was re-elected in 1995 but resigned to sit as an independent shortly after. Elisabeth Kirkby was replaced by former Non-Smokers Movement President, Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans.
Arthur is an experienced political activist. He
was a member of the group BUGA UP, who used satirical graffiti on
billboards and street theatre to disrupt tobacco promotion. (He was
eventually arrested for spray-painting on a Rothmans billboard, and was
convicted but released on appeal.) He also broadcasted radio programs
and produced the award winning video, Confessions of a Simple
Surgeon during the same period.
He was on the Board of NADA (Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies) and also joined the Doctors' Reform Society, becoming NSW President in 1994 and arguing for the continuation of Medicare and the need for a strong public health system.
Since being elected to Parliament Arthur has been a progessive voice in the Upper House campaigning for:
- drug law reform
- open, accountable government
- public education
- public transport








