Ben Small
Counted against the divisions held while they sat, not the whole parliament. Absence from a division is not abstention: pairing arrangements, leave and parliamentary duties are not distinguished in the official record. How these figures are computed.
Background
| Born | 11 Jun 1988, Perth, Western Australia |
|---|---|
| Entered parliament | 25 Nov 2020 |
| Parliaments | 46th, 48th |
| Honours | Graduated as Dux of Class with citation to the UTas/AMC Roll of Excellence, 2012.; Awarded the Captain Thomas Swanson Prize for Highest Academic Achievement by an Undergraduate Degree Student, UTas/AMC, 2012.; Graduated as Dux of Class with citation to the UTas/AMC Roll of Excellence, 2009.; Awarded the Peter Muirhead Prize for Best Overall Performance, UTas/AMC, 2009. |
| Qualification | Institution |
|---|---|
| Master of Business Administration (Innovation and Leadership) | University of Canberra |
| Bachelor of Applied Science (Maritime Operations), University of Tasmania | Australian Maritime College |
| Advanced Diploma in Applied Science (Nautical Science), University of Tasmania | Australian Maritime College |
Occupations before parliament
| Role | Organisation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Manager | Woodside Energy Limited | 2020 |
| Marine Operations Manager | Woodside Energy Limited | 2018 – 2020 |
| Marine Operations Superintendent | Woodside Energy Limited | 2017 – 2018 |
| Operations Manager | Farstad Shipping | 2016 – 2017 |
| Chief Officer | Farstad Shipping | 2013 – 2016 |
| Second Officer | Farstad Shipping | 2009 – 2013 |
| Deck Officer Cadet | BP Shipping Limited | 2006 – 2009 |
Positions held
| Role | Ministry | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Electoral Matters | Taylor Shadow Ministry | 17 Feb 2026 | current |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure | Taylor Shadow Ministry | 17 Feb 2026 | current |
| Member of the Speaker's Panel | current |
Committee service
| Committee | Role | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education and Employment: Legislation Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing | Member | 13 May 2021 | 15 Apr 2022 |
| Education and Employment: References Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing | Member | 13 May 2021 | 15 Apr 2022 |
| Human Rights Joint Statutory | Member | 13 May 2021 | 15 Apr 2022 |
| Migration Joint Standing | Member | 13 May 2021 | 15 Apr 2022 |
| Public Works Joint Statutory | Member | 13 May 2021 | 15 Apr 2022 |
| Road Safety Joint Select | Member | 16 Mar 2021 | 25 Mar 2022 |
| Job Security Senate Select | Member | 10 Dec 2020 | 30 Mar 2022 |
Memberships as the Parliamentary Handbook records them; current means no end date is recorded.
Election history
| Election | Electorate | Party | First pref % | Swing | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 federal election | Forrest | Liberal | 31.18 | -11.89 | Elected |
| 2022 federal election | Senate, Western Australia | Liberal | 31.67 | Not elected |
First-preference share of the formal vote at each event, matched by name within the member's state. A Senate row gives the whole group's share of the state's formal vote, since most Senate votes are cast for a group above the line.
Parliamentary expenses
| Category | Apr-Jun 2026 | Jan-Mar 2026 | Oct-Dec 2025 | Jul-Sep 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Administration | $116,712 | $67,317 | $71,310 | $44,318 |
| Office Facilities | $38,771 | $44,807 | $44,673 | $54,772 |
| Employee Travel | $33,024 | $27,314 | $24,431 | $25,879 |
| Scheduled Commercial Transport | $34,155 | $30,595 | $21,605 | $23,412 |
| Travel Allowance | $13,859 | $8,171 | $7,839 | $7,837 |
| Other Car Costs | $8,620 | $8,509 | $7,573 | $3,138 |
| Family or Nominee Travel | $5,943 | $0 | $0 | $10,782 |
| Telecommunications | $905 | $1,432 | $915 | $1,265 |
| Unscheduled Commercial Transport | $696 | $0 | $0 | $398 |
| Total | $252,685 | $188,146 | $178,346 | $171,802 |
Expenditure as the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority publishes it each quarter, in its own categories, rounded to the dollar. Travel distances, office locations and roles differ, so totals do not compare between members. IPEA's reports and notes.
Voting record 156 divisions
Sources: Wikidata, Parliamentary Handbook, AEC (CC BY 4.0), IPEA (CC BY 3.0 AU), They Vote For You (ODbL). Errors? Request a correction.