| The Honourable Joe Hockey BA, LLB, MP |
|
|---|---|
| Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | |
| In office 30 January 2007 – 3 December 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Kevin Andrews |
| Succeeded by | Julia Gillard |
| Constituency | North Sydney |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for North Sydney | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office March 1996 |
|
| Preceded by | E C (Ted) Mack |
| Shadow Treasurer | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 16 February 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Julie Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 August 1965 North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse(s) | Melissa Babbage[1] |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Joseph Benedict "Joe" Hockey (born 2 August 1965), is an Australian politician and member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of North Sydney for the Liberal Party of Australia since 1996.
Hockey was a Minister in the Howard Government and is currently the Shadow Treasurer under Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in the Liberal/National Coalition. Unlike Abbott, he is a republican.[2]
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Hockey was born in North Sydney as the youngest of four children. His father, Richard Hockey was born in Bethlehem (then in the British Mandate of Palestine) and migrated to Australia in 1948. Hockey is of Armenian and Palestinian background and the family name was originally Hokeidonian.[3][4] Hockey attended St Aloysius' College in Milson's Point and the University of Sydney, residing at St John's College, where he graduated with degrees in Arts and Law. While at university he was President of the Student Representative Council.[5] He was a banking and finance lawyer, and Director of Policy to the Premier of New South Wales, before entering politics.
Hockey was Minister for Financial Services and Regulation 1998–2001 and Minister for Small Business and Tourism 2001–04. With the return of the Howard Government in 2004, Hockey was appointed Minister for Human Services and was elevated to the Cabinet in January 2007, when appointed Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.
Hockey regularly appeared on the Seven Network's morning program Sunrise in the 'Big Guns of Politics' section debating Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd until the arrangement was mutually terminated on 16 April 2007, following controversy over plans to stage a pre-dawn Anzac Day service in Vietnam.[6][7]
In December 2007, Joe Hockey was made Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, and Manager of Opposition Business in the House. In September 2008 he became Shadow Minister for Finance, Competition Policy and Deregulation. Hockey became Shadow Treasurer in February 2009 when Julie Bishop stepped down from the portfolio.[8]
Hockey's popularity among voters grew under the leadership of Malcolm Turnbull, and in October 2009 polls showed him as the preferred liberal leader. However Hockey announced that he had no intentions to challenge for the leadership.[9]
On 9 November 2009, Hockey gave a speech, In Defence of God, at the Sydney Institute. "Australia has embraced religious diversity. It must always remain so, and as a Member of Parliament I am a custodian of that principle of tolerance. That is why it is disturbing to hear people rail against Muslims and Jews, or Pentecostals and Catholics. Australia must continue, without fear, to embrace diversity of faith provided that those gods are loving, compassionate and just."[10][11]
On 1 December 2009, Hockey chose to include his candidacy in a party room ballot to determine the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia. The ballot was between Hockey, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott. Hockey was eliminated in the first round of the ballot, with the eventuating winner being Tony Abbott. Following the change of leadership, Hockey remained Shadow Treasurer.
Hockey told ABC TV's Q&A audience on 7 March 2011 that corporate Australia had fallen behind in female boardroom representation, and if companies failed to meet a reasonable target within a period of time, then "more punitive measures" needed to be taken by parliament.[12] He later said that, "quotas must be a last resort".[13]
Hockey is married to investment banker Melissa Babbage and has three children, Xavier, Adelaide and Ignatius.[14] Hockey has ventured the Kokoda Track[15] and has climbed Mt Kilimanjaro to raise funds for medical equipment.[16] In February 2010, Hockey appeared on the television program Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation where he was involved in a segment that required him to hold up a tutu and wave a magic wand[17] which attracted criticism from Treasurer Wayne Swan.[18] Hockey was the first Australian politician invited on to the show.[19] He plays rugby union and is a loosehead prop.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Warren Truss |
Minister for Financial Services and Regulation 1998–2001 |
Succeeded by Ian Campbell |
| Preceded by Ian Macfarlane |
Minister for Small Business and Tourism 2001–2004 |
Succeeded by Fran Bailey |
| New title | Minister for Human Services 2004–2007 |
Succeeded by Ian Campbell |
| Preceded by Kevin Andrews |
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations 2007 |
Succeeded by Julia Gillard |
| Parliament of Australia | ||
| Preceded by Ted Mack |
Member for North Sydney 1996–present |
Incumbent |