Parliamentary Representation

Karlene Maywald is currently a National Party Member in the SA Parliament. Karlene first won the State seat of Chaffey, which encompasses the Riverland and Northern Mallee regions of South Australia, on 11 October 1997. She was elected for a second term on 9 February 2002, with 64 per cent of the vote (after preference distribution). In March 2006, she was elected for a third term, with 58 per cent of the primary vote (rising to 67 per cent with preferences).
Since 1997, Karlene has been Leader of The SA Nationals. As an MP, she has worked on many parliamentary committees: including the chairmanship of the Natural Resource Management Committee; and membership of the Economic and Finance Parliamentary Committee, the Environment, Resources and Development Committee, the Murray River Select Committee, the Emergency Services Select Committee and the Heroin Rehabilitation Select Committee, to name only a few.
In August 2004, Karlene was invited to become a Minister in the SA Government, and was appointed as SA’s Minister for The River Murray, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Small Business and Minister for Consumer Affairs. In March 2005, Science and Information Economy was added and, in March 2006, she also became Minister Assisting the Minister for Industry & Trade. In February 2007, she was appointed to the new portfolio of Water Security, relinquishing the Consumer Affairs and Science and Information Economy portfolios.
Karlene also became a mother for the first time in 1998, during her first term in Parliament. Giving birth - to the first baby born to a sitting MP - ranks as one of her proudest achievements. Karlene's husband Dean Maywald is also a very proud parent and Karlene's greatest supporter, and has twice been elected as Mayor of the Loxton-Waikerie Council.