Background
Smith was born in Southport in Queensland to Allen and Leila Smith.
Smith was born in Southport in Queensland to Allen and Leila Smith.
He attended Fort Street Boys" High School before studying at Balmain Teachers" College, from which he graduated in 1956.
He was the Liberal member for Glen Waverley in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1985 to 2002. Ross taught at primary schools in New South Wales from 1957 to 1959 before working at the Immigration Department at Australia House in London in 1960. In 1961 he became a journalist, writing for the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Sun.
In 1964 he enlisted in the army and served two tours of duty in Vietnam, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In 1964 he also joined the Liberal Party. Smith left the army in 1984, and in 1985 was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the Liberal member for the new seat of Glen Waverley.
He became Government Whip in 1996, and Opposition Whip in 1999 when the Coalition lost government. He retired in 2002, when his seat was abolished.