Quick Facts
Biography
Ronald Alexander "Ron" Best (born 3 October 1949) is a former Australian politician and Australian rules footballer. He was a National Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1988 to 2002, representing North Western Province.
Best was born in Ivanhoe, Victoria, and was a businessman before entering politics. He was a motel and hotel owner and manager, and also owned Golden City Frozen Foods. He was on the Board of Directors of the Glacier Food Group. He contested the federal seat of Bendigo for the National Party at the 1987 federal election, but was defeated.
In 1988, Best was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council for North Western Province. He was the National Party's spokesman for Housing, Construction and Small Business until 1990, and Secretary of the Parliamentary National Party from 1992 to 2002. Following the Coalition's defeat in 1999, he was promoted to the front bench as Minister for Housing, but he retired in 2002.
He married Liberal MP Louise Asher on 10 February 2001.
Football
Best kicked 1624 goals in country football, mostly in the Bendigo Football League. He topped 100 goals in a season on 13 occasions.
- 1968: 102 Golden Square
- 1969: 137 Golden Square
- 1970: 107 Golden Square
- 1971: 111 Golden Square
- 1973: 108 Sandhurst
- 1974: 135 Sandhurst
- 1975: 145 Sandhurst
- 1976: 108 Sandhurst
- 1978: 124 Golden Square
- 1979: 137 Golden Square
- 1980: 145 Golden Square
- 1981: 100 Boort
- 1983: 124 Northern United