David Smith (Western Australian politician)

Smith was born in Bunbury, Western Australia. He attended Marist Brothers' St Francis Xavier's boys school in Bunbury and St Ildephonsus college in New Norcia. After graduating from high school he studied law at the University of Western Australia.^[1] A member of the Labor Party since 1967, he contested the seat of Bunbury at the 1977 state election, but lost to the sitting Liberal member, John Sibson.^[2] Smith served on the City of Bunbury council from 1979 to 1983,^[1] before being elected to the seat of Mitchell at the 1983 state election.^[2] After the 1989 election, he was appointed to the Dowding ministry as Minister for Justice, Minister for Community Services, and Minister for the South-West. Smith was retained in the ministry when Carmen Lawrence succeeded Peter Dowding as premier in February 1990, with the same titles. Following a reshuffle in February 1991, he was replaced as Minister for Community Services by Eric Ripper, but was additionally made Minister for Lands, Minister for Planning, and Minister for Local Government.^[1] Smith lost his ministerial titles after Labor's defeat at the 1993 election, but remained in parliament until his retirement at the 1996 election.^[1] Between 2005 and 2013, he was the mayor of Bunbury.^[3] In 2023, Smith was honoured as a freeman of the City of Bunbury.^[4]

Smith's mother was Evelyn Smith, who was renowned for her special relationship with local dolphins. He was married to Tresslyn Smith, a councillor with the City of Bunbury. Smith had three children. He was a Catholic.^[1]

Smith died on 16 April 2026, at the age of 82.^[5][6]