David Ridgway (politician)

David Wickham Ridgway (born 14 November 1960) is a South Australian politician, and current Leader of the Opposition in the South Australian Legislative Council, representing the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia.

David was elected state president of the South Australian Rural Youth Movement in 1982-83. In 1984 he won a six-month youth study tour to the UK. This experience heightened David's interest in politics, especially in primary industries and regional development.

David began working on the family farm and at 19 he took on management of the family's horticultural business. After purchasing the business in 1997 with his wife Meredith, they expanded the operation to become the largest producer of gladioli corms in Australia and New Zealand.

Ridgway was elected from fourth position on the Liberal ticket at the 2002 election and from first position on the Liberal ticket at the 2010 election.

Ridgway was appointed a Shadow Parliamentary Secretary in 2005, and after the 2006 election was appointed Shadow Minister for Environment and Conservation, the River Murray and Urban Development & Planning, under the leadership of Iain Evans. A leadership change in April 2007, in which Martin Hamilton-Smith assumed Liberal Party leadership, prompted a re-shuffle of the Party’s Shadow Cabinet, at which point Ridgway was made Shadow Minister for Police and Mineral Resources Development, whilst retaining his Shadow Urban Development & Planning post. David Ridgway also assisted the Leader of the Opposition with the Multicultural Affairs portfolio. In February 2013, David was further promoted to the crucial portfolios of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Forests and Tourism.

He currently resides in Adelaide and has three children.