Meet Ray

Hi, I'm Ray Stevens, your LNP member for Mermaid Beach.

Born in Townsville in 1953, Ray Stevens is married to Ruth with two children, Louis and Jess.

After completing his university degree in accounting and financial studies from Macquarie University, Ray started work at Price Waterhouse accountants in Sydney. In 1979 he and Ruth moved to the Gold Coast. On the Gold Coast, he owned and started up several successful businesses in Surfers Paradise, Pacific Fair and Nerang, where he realised the importance of cost of living pressures on businesses and young families.  In 1994 he became the Mayor of the Albert Shire which, one year later, was amalgamated with Gold Coast City Council where he became the first Mayor of the enlarged Gold Coast City Council.  

In 2006 his selection as the candidate for the seat of Robina which had been vacated at short notice by the former leader of the Liberal Party, Bob Quinn led to him becoming the Member for Robina which was later re-aligned as the seat of Mermaid Beach which he has held to the present day. 

Over his parliamentary term, he has been deputy-chair of the Economics and Governance committee for many years and now also serves on the Committee of the Legislative Assembly as the Opposition Leaders representative; the Ethics committee and the Opposition Leaders representative on the Australian Study of Parliamentary Government Group. When in government for the period 2012-2015, Ray was the Assistant Minister to the Premier and the Leader of the House.   Ray believes in the strong vision for an LNP Government in October 2024 and has built solid and firm relationships with his sporting clubs, schools, volunteer groups, community interest groups, and business representative groups in his electorate.  He has worked closely with his local Broadbeach Police Station and Neighbourhood Watch Groups to address the growing incidence of youth crime in the electorate and has helped many in the electorate with housing issues through his direct contact with the Department of Public Housing on their behalf.

Ray has also assisted many constituents with several and varied health problems over his parliamentary representation and continues to fight for local people on local issues, through his strong relationship with Gold Coast Health administrators and professionals.  He has also built strong connections to the six schools in his electorate and has supported them both collegiately and financially.