Tony Crook
Candidate for O’Connor
About Tony
Tony, 50, was born, raised and educated in Merredin in the Eastern Wheatbelt of Western Australia by Paddy and Joan (Giles) Crook. The Crook and Giles families were pioneer farmers of the Nukarni and Nokaning district north of Merredin and are well known for their community and sporting involvement.
On completion of the TEE in 1976, Tony moved to Woolibar Station, a 140,000 hectare sheep station 45kms south of Kalgoorlie that was owned by his father and brother, Brett. In 1982, Tony joined his brother Brett in the business. Tony married Karen Symes in 1986, the same year that he and Karen took over the ownership and management of Woolibar Station.
Tony and Karen have 3 daughters, Cassie, 22, Jemma, 20, and Georgia, 16.
In November 2006, Tony and Karen sold Woolibar Station and now live in Kalgoorlie where Tony along with his brother Brett, run Goldfields Rangeland Services, a pastoral consultant and management business.
Tony has had a long and dedicated involvement with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) serving as Chairman of RFDS Western Operations Board for the past 10 years including 3 years as the RFDS National President. He was awarded a Centenary Medal for services to Emergency Medicine, Life Membership of the RFDS and named Kalgoorlie / Boulder Citizen of the Year in 2004.
Tony cites the recent launch of the first RFDS jet aircraft in Australia, “Rio Tinto Life Flight” as one of his most satisfying achievements with the RFDS. “The arrival of this aircraft is the culmination of years of hard work and will have a profound positive effect on health outcomes for critically ill patients, particularly from afar. I am very proud to be a part of this great project”.
Tony has also chaired the St Mary’s Primary School and John Paul College Boards, President of the Eastern Goldfields Highland Dancing Association and Goldfields Equestrian Committee.
Tony’s active involvement in the community has given him a great insight into regional and remote life particularly in the area of health and education.
Tony believes strongly in the regeneration and rejuvenation of the electorate of O’Connor and that for too long WA Parliamentarians have been a voice in the wilderness with little respect from their Canberra colleagues.
“The Nationals have at last given regional WA a voice in Parliament and Royalties for Regions has allowed regional and remote communities to finally share in the riches that they produce. There has long needed to be a point of difference between the two major parties. The Nationals are clearly that difference, unashamedly representing regional Australia”, Tony says.
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About O’Connor
O'Connor covers an area of approximately 908 954 sq km from the Gibson Desert in the north to Albany in the south.
The Division of O’Connor includes the local government areas of: Albany, Boyup Brook, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Brookton, Broomehill, Bruce Rock, Coolgardie, Corrigin, Cranbrook, Cuballing, Denmark, Dumbleyung, Dundas, Esperance, Gnowangerup, Jerramungup, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Katanning, Kent, Kojonup, Kondinin, Kulin, Lake Grace, Laverton, Leonora, Manjimup, Menzies, Narembeen, Narrogin, Ngaanyatjarraku, Pingelly, Plantagenet, Quairading, Ravensthorpe, Tambellup, Wagin, Wandering, West Arthur, Westonia, Wickepin, Williams, Woodanilling, and Yilgarn.
Elector enrolment as at 14 December 2007: 93,719