From Club to Chamber: Robert Dwyer’s Journey to Parliament

In 1993, fresh out of university with a Bachelor of Business and plans to travel, Dwyer took a job at the Laurieton United Services Club. 

“Initially, I just hoped to save enough to travel the world,” he said in his inaugural speech to Parliament. But what began as a temporary role quickly became that of a lifelong commitment to his local community.

Guided by Club finance manager Margot Bryant, whom he credited as a pivotal mentor, Dwyer rose swiftly through the organisation. He became finance manager at just 26 years old and was appointed general manager by the age of 30 — a role he would go on to hold for the next 24 years.

As general manager, Dwyer led an award-winning business with two venues, an annual turnover of $15 million, 80 staff and vital community infrastructure including a golf course, bowling greens and services club. But more than the numbers, it was the Club’s role in community life that left a lasting impact.

During the devastating 2019 bushfires and 2021 floods, the Club became an evacuation centre for the local community. 

“We sheltered over 400 people and 65 pets, from birds to dogs to lizards, and we even had a cow visit for four nights,” Dwyer recalled. 

“In those moments I saw first hand the extraordinary outcomes possible when locals, community groups, volunteers and government work together selflessly for others.”

Beyond his professional leadership, Dwyer was deeply involved in the community. From coaching junior sport to volunteering in surf lifesaving and chairing the Slice of Haven Food and Wine Festival, he has long been a familiar face in civic life. He also held key roles in the broader club sector, including Treasurer of the ClubsNSW Southern Subregion and Past President of the Great Lakes Club Managers’ Association.

In his inaugural speech, Dwyer spoke passionately about the role that clubs play in regional communities. 

“Leading an award-winning business… while navigating regulatory requirements and protecting vital community assets was no small feat,” he said. 

“The challenges we faced. whether fires, floods, or storms, revealed the true character of our community and the importance of clubs in it.”

Now, as the Member for Port Macquarie, Dwyer brings that same ethos to State Parliament. He has already begun meeting with key stakeholders to address the region’s pressing challenges from health care and housing to roads and policing.

“My journey here has not been a straight path,” he told the Chamber, acknowledging the weight of community trust behind his election. 

“Politics is not just a political exercise but a human one… Every vote is not just a number but a story, a belief and a hope.”

For Robert Dwyer, Parliament is simply the next chapter in a life already spent in service — one shaped by years of hands-on leadership and a deep belief in the power of strong local communities.