The Chancellor
The Hon Dr Richard Torbay, Hon.D. Univ., MP
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of NSW
Member for Northern Tablelands
Dr Richard Torbay was elected to the office of Chancellor of the University of New England on December 11 2008.
Richard Torbay was elected as an Independent Member for Northern Tablelands on 27 March 1999 and he was elected as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of NSW on 8 May 2007. He is also the Regional Representative for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
Before entering Parliament Dr Torbay served the local community of Armidale:
He is a former Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Armidale, serving on the Armidale City Council from 1991 to 1999.
Dr Torbay has acted as:
Chairman of the NSW Country Mayors’ Association
Chairman of the New England Local Government Group
Patron of many organisations in the Northern Tablelands,
including the Armidale District Chamber of Commerce;
the National Servicemen’s Association of Australia NSW inc, Northern Tablelands and New England Sub-Branch;
and both the Armidale and Inverell Sanctuary Humanitarian Settlement organisations.
Since 1996 Dr Torbay has been a Member of the Council of the University of New England and on 6 October 2007 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University.
Dr Torbay became a Member of the Public Accounts Committee on 3 June 1999.
He has served as a Member of the:
Speaker’s Technology Advisory Group
Joint Committee on the Office of the Valuer-General
Regional Investment Taskforce
Joint Select Committee on Bushfires
Standing Committee on Public Works
And chaired the Joint Committee on Tobacco Smoking in NSW
Dr Torbay is married to Rosemary and has three children, Leah, Angie and Joel.