Murray Thompson


Murray Hamilton Ross Thompson is a former member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. He was the member for Sandringham in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1992 until his retirement in 2018. He is the son of former Liberal Premier of Victoria Lindsay Thompson.

Early life and education

Thompson was educated at Caulfield Grammar School in Melbourne where he served as captain of football and member of debating team, and was school captain in 1972. He was a member of the Caulfield Grammarians Cricket Club from 1973 to 1980. Thompson earned both a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University where he was Student Representative on the Law Faculty Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Practice and Law Student Society Committee Member. His postgraduate study earned him a Diploma of Education from Melbourne University.
Thompson was an Australian rules footballer who played as a midfielder for Richmond in the VFL until three knee operations caused him to retire after 14 senior games.

Career

Thompson was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1982, and set up his own suburban legal practice, working as a solicitor before entering politics in 1992.
In 1999, Thompson attended a function where he heard people speaking about the Costello Abbott defamation case.
As a member of Parliament, he served on the Liberal frontbench in a range of portfolios in opposition, between December 2002 and February 2008.
Thompson unsuccessfully contested the Liberal Party leadership against then Major Projects Minister Denis Napthine in the ballot resulting from the resignation of Premier Ted Baillieu.
In 2008, Thompson voted against legalising abortion in Victoria, and in 2015, voted against banning anti-abortion groups from protesting outside abortion clinics.
He retired from parliament at the 2018 Victorian state election.