Brenton Best

Who is Brenton Best?

Brenton Roy Best is an Australian politician. He was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1996 as a Labor member for Braddon. He continues to represent the seat.

Born in Devonport, Tasmania, his early childhood was spent at Railton as his father Ken was originally employed as a mechanic by the Goliath Cement Company, later Ken became a small business operator. Uniquely Railton raised two other Labor politicians being Hon Michael Field and Senator Kay Denman. After leaving Latrobe High School, Brenton began work in Devonport as an apprentice Engine Driver and Mechanic, he quickly became politically active at the Industrial work site in 1983 at age 20 he was elected to the position of Shop Steward for the Federated Engine Drivers and Firemans Union. This Union maintained the basic principles of ensuring workers are treated fairly, it had very left leanings towards Marxism–Leninism and supported Fidel Castro during the Cuban revolution.

Since being elected a Shop Steward in those early days he has spent nearly all of his working life representing people in the community.

He first began working with the union full-time on secondment in 1986 and was elected in 1987 Tasmanian as an Organiser for Federated Engine Drivers and Fireman's Association of Australasia. In 1992 during one of the worst Industrial disputes in Tasmania's history, the 'Battle of Burnie' where North Broken Hill had acquired control of APPM paper mills at Burnie and Wesley Vale. The company, utilising HR Nicholls Society philosophy, believed 'every employee should come to work fearing that they will be sacked', subsequently sacking its entire workforce and attempted to bring scab labor onto the Burnie site to operate the mill. Brenton was picket line captain at the Burnie mill main gates and protecting fellow workers from professionally hired and trained union busters. It was during this dispute that Brenton met and formed a strong friendship with Jim Bacon who was Secretary of the Tasmanian Trades and Labour Council. Jim championed the defence of workers and called Tasmanians to support each other in a campaign called 'We Won't Be Torn Apart'. In a combined effort the unions were to win this dispute, which ultimately had significant ramifications on a National level in turning back the tide of anti worker attacks by the HR Nicholls Society. In 1994 Brenton was elected Alderman on the Devonport City Council.