Alex Somlyay
Alexander Michael Somlyay (18 January 1946—) is a retired Australian politician.
Born in Budapest, Hungary, Somlyay emigrated to Australia as a child. In 1975 he gained a Bachelor of Economics from Australian National University, Canberra, before starting a consultancy business ("The Hon. Alexander Somlyay", n.d.; Parliament of Australia, n.d.).
Somlyay was elected to the seat of Fairfax in 1990 and held it safely for the Liberal party for the next 23 years. He was Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government from October 1997 to October 1998 (Parliament of Australia, n.d.), and in this capacity addressed the Northern Territory Government prior to the Territory's referendum on statehood - uncarried, 51% against - in August 1998 (Johns, 2011). Somlyay retired from politics prior to the 2013 general election (Parliament of Australia, n.d.).
Somlyay was a member of the conservative Lyons forum; he is opposed to voluntary euthanasia law reform, and voted in support of the Federal Euthanasia Laws Bill that overturned the Northern Territory's Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. Speaking to the Courier-Mail on the news of Somlyay's retirement in 2013, Marshall Perron said his influence had been negative:
"While reflecting on the highs and lows of his political career Alex Somlyay should think about the hundreds of people who have died a miserable, lingering death since he voted to overturn the Northern Territory voluntary euthanasia law. Despite his professed respect for democracy, he voted on that occasion against the wishes of 75% of the Australian population. Mr Somlyay is a politician who 'made a difference'; unfortunately it was a negative one."
Somlyay defended his position, saying it was a conscience issue and claiming that euthanasia would have become an industry in the Northern Territory, with people "flocking there to die" (Hoffman, 2013).
Hoffman, B. (2013, September 13). Pro-euthanasia campaigner slams Somlyay as 'negative'. The Courier-Mail. https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/proeuthanasia-campaigner-slams-somlyay-as-negative/news-story/d694d1ba69e9dcbff34114bc337ea714
Johns, G. (2011). Statehood Stalemate: a modest proposal. Public Policy Institute, Australian Catholic University. 9pp. https://shanestone.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/file/1527/Federalism_and_the_Northern_Territory.pdf
The Hon. Alexander Somlyay. [n.d.]. College of Business and Economics: Australian National University. https://cbe.anu.edu.au/alumni/alumni-hall-fame/hon-alexander-somlyay
Parliament of Australia. [n.d.]. Biography for SOMLYAY, the Hon. Alexander Michael. ParlInfo. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22handbook/allmps/ZT4%22
