While at university Southwick started his business career including being founding and serving as managing director of The Body Collection. In this business, he employed 50 staff. Southwick has also been the director or managing director of The Market Stars Group, ICE Events Pty Ltd and David James Investments Pty Ltd.
Political career
Southwick was the Liberal candidate for the Division of Melbourne Ports in the 2004 federal election, achieving a swing of almost 2 points against the incumbent MP Michael Danby. In the 2006 state election he was a Liberal candidate for the Southern Metropolitan Region, narrowly missing out on being elected. He was elected in 2010 as the Member for Caulfield and delivered his first speech on 8 February 2011. He is also Chair of the Parliament's Education and Training Committee and one of the Parliament's inaugural representatives on the board of the Victorian Responsible Gaming Foundation. In November 2012, it was revealed that Southwick had misleading personal information on his website. He claimed to have been an 'Adjunct Professor' at RMIT, and that he had a graduate diploma in marketing from Monash University, despite being a few units short. Both universities stated that Southwick had never obtained the qualifications referred to. The information was subsequently removed from his website. Southwick responded to the claims by saying that 'Adjunct Professor' was a title used to refer to him while undertaking teaching overseas on behalf of the RMIT Graduate School of Business in Hong Kong, when he was an Adjunct Lecturer. During July 2013, in a first for Victorian members of parliament, Southwick launched . The purpose of the website was to provide video updates to Caulfield residents about local events and issues in Victorian politics. At the time Southwick said: "As a fan of technology and emerging new media I have established this website so that local residents can access up to date and engaging video content including what is going on in their own neighbourhood. This content is delivered in a way that the viewer can watch in their own time as if they are part of the action"
Policy positions
In 2015, Southwick was one of 13 MLAs who voted against banning anti-abortion campaigners from protesting outside abortion clinics. This vote was a conscience vote that a majority of Liberal members supported. Southwick has been critical of the Victorian education department for allowing repeated anti-Semitic bullying following an incident at a school in Melbourne where students and teachers refused to acknowledge Israeli heritage and demanding the students remove their kippah. jwire.com.au/antisemitic-bullying-mps-say-enough-is-enough/. Southwick has also accused the Victorian Department of education for “systemic failings… that has enabled repeated cases of anti-Semitic bullying to occur” https://www.jwire.com.au/antisemitic-bullying-mps-say-enough-is-enough/ Prior to the 2018 election, Southwick expressed his opposition to Safe Schools, the aim of which is to stop bullying towards LGBT students. Southwick has objected to aggressive renewable energy targets, and promised to stop Labor's target. In the vote to legalise voluntary assisted dying, which was a conscience vote, Southwick voted against the legislation. Southwick, who is of the Jewish faith, has been targeted by Aleph Melbourne, a Jewish LGBT group for his opposition to legislation to assist them. This includes vocal opposition to the Safe Schools program. In 2019 Southwick spoke in parliament against the bill that would allow transgender people to change their gender on their birth certificate.
