Merri Rose

Merrilyn Miriam Rose (born 24 January 1955) was a minister in the Beattie government and member for Currumbin in the Queensland Parliament.

Early life She was born Merrilyn Miriam Gittins in Kilcoy, Queensland in 1955 and attended Kilcoy State High School and St Rita's Clayfield. At that election, Jann Stuckey of the Liberal Party soundly defeated Rose, who suffered a massive 17.7 percent swing against her.

Blackmail conviction Rose had trouble finding a job after the election, and sought an appointment in the Queensland public sector. On 30 May 2007, she pleaded guilty to demanding benefit with threats in October 2006, in relation to her efforts to gain such an appointment. Rose was sentenced to 18 months' jail the following day.

Documenting her experiences after three months in jail, Rose appeared on ABC Television's Australian Story series on 20 October 2008.