Gary Humphries
| Gary Humphries | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senator for the Australian Capital Territory | |
| In office 18 February 2003 – 6 September 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Margaret Reid |
| Succeeded by | Zed Seselja |
| 4th Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory | |
| In office 18 October 2000 – 5 November 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Kate Carnell |
| Succeeded by | Jon Stanhope |
| Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 4 March 1989 – 18 February 1995 Serving with Berry, Collaery/Carnell, Duby/Cornwell, Follett, Grassby, Jensen/De Domenico, Kaine, Kinloch/Ellis, Maher/Lamont, Moore, Nolan/McRae, Prowse/Westende/Stuzy, Stefaniak, Stevenson, Whalan/Connolly, Wood | |
| Succeeded by | multi-member multiple constituencies |
| In office 18 February 1995 – 25 November 2002 Serving with Follett/Corbell, Connolly/Reilly/Quinlan, Carnell/Burke/Quinlan, Cornwell, Tucker, Moore/Cross | |
| Preceded by | multi-member single constituency |
| Succeeded by | Jacqui Burke |
| Constituency | Molonglo |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Alma mater | Australian National University |
| Profession | Solicitor |
Gary John Joseph Humphries (born 6 July 1958) was a member of the Australian Senate representing the Australian Capital Territory for the Liberal Party of Australia 2003-13. He was the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 2000 to 2001; and was elected to the first parliament of the Australian Capital Territory, in 1989, later representing the Molonglo electorate until 2003.[1]
Early career
Humphries was born in Sydney in 1958 and graduated from the Australian National University in Canberra with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws.[2] In 1977 he was elected President of the ANU Students' Association. He worked as a solicitor, a legal office in the ACT Administration, prior to self-government, and political advisor to Senator Amanda Vanstone.[1]
Political career
Australian Capital Territory politics
Humpries was elected to the unicameral ACT Legislative Assembly at the 1989 election. This election formed the first self-government of the Australian Capital Territory. Humphries represented the Liberal Party in a multi-member electorate covering the whole of the ACT.[3] Humphries was re-elected at the 1992 (again in a single electorate), and at the 1995, 1998, and 2001 elections, in the multi-member electorate of Molonglo.[3]
Humphries variously served in a range of shadow ministerial roles in the Kaine and Carnell oppositions.[4][1] In late 1989, when Trevor Kaine became the Chief Minister in a hung parliament, Humphries was appointed Minister for Health, Education, and the Arts. He held this position until the Labor Party led by Rosemary Follett regained government in mid-1991.[1] Humphries became the Leader of the Opposition for a short time in 1991, and again in 2001–02.[4]
In 1995, when Carnell became the Chief Minister, Humphries was appointed to the following portfolios:
- Minister for Arts and Heritage; Environment, Land and Planning; Police and Emergency Services; and Fair Trading (1995–1998)
- Attorney-General (1995–2000)
- Deputy Chief Minister (1997–2000)
- Minister for Health and Community Care (1998)
- Minister Assisting the Treasurer (1998–1999)
- Treasurer (1999–2001)[1]
In 2000, Humphries succeeded Carnell as Chief Minister, retaining the portfolio of Treasurer.[1] At the 2001 election, another hung parliament was the result, but the Liberal Party, led by Humphries, was defeated by the Australian Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope after Labor formed Government with the support of the ACT Greens and Democrats.[1]
Federal politics
In December 2002, Humphries was elected by the party membership as nominee to fill a forthcoming casual vacancy in the Senate caused by the announced resignation of Margaret Reid. Reid formally resigned on 14 February 2003, and Humphries was elected by the ACT Legislative Assembly on 18 February to fill the casual vacancy. The appointment made him the 500th person to serve in the Senate.
In 2004 there was speculation the Liberals would reject his preselection for the Senate spot, but he won the ballot unopposed 97 votes to 43 votes (43 people voted for 'none of the above').[5][6] Humphries was re-elected at the 2004 federal election with 1.1361 quotas.[7] Unopposed in the pre-selection ballot held on 26 June 2007, Humphries was chosen to contest the election later that year, and was again re-elected to the Senate at the 2007 federal election, receiving 1.03 quotas.[7] Humphries' Senate seat was targeted by online activist organisation GetUp, as part of a campaign to prevent any one political party from having a majority of the seats in the federal upper house.[8] The profile of the campaign was bolstered by polling that suggested that, for the first time, a coalition Senator might struggle to retain their seat in the ACT.[9][10]
Humphries was the first Liberal senator to vote against the Howard Government in its 11.5 years in office,[11] when he voted to reverse the Federal Government's ban on the ACT's civil unions law in the Senate, claiming that the Commonwealth should not be able to automatically overturn ACT legislation.[12]
Humphries has served on several Australian Senate committees, including the Select Committee on Mental Health (2005–2006). In 2006, he became Chairman of the Standing Committee on Community Affairs.[1] and is currently the Deputy Chair of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs—Legislation Committee and Chair of the Privileges—Standing Committee with an active involvement in many others.
In 2009, after the election of Tony Abbott as the Leader of the Opposition, Humphries was promoted to the front bench as the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families, Housing and Human Services and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship.[1] He was re-elected at the 2010 federal election, with 1.0118 quotas[13] and was retained on the Opposition frontbench as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Materiel in September 2010.[14]
On 23 February 2013 Humphries lost Liberal pre-selection to one of his successors as ACT Liberal Leader, Zed Seselja. His term as a senator came to end on 6 September 2013, the day before the 2013 election.
See also
External links
- Parliament of Australia - Biography for HUMPHRIES, Gary John Joseph
- Senator Gary Humphries - website
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Biography for HUMPHRIES, Gary John Joseph". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ↑ "Senator Gary Humphries". Liberal Party of Australia. 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Members of the ACT Legislative Assembly". Education. Legislative Assembly for the ACT. 2008. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "About Gary". Senator Gary Humphries - Liberal Senator for the ACT. Liberal Party of Australia. 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ↑ Hannaford, Scott (2004-04-21). "Humphries may face rebel Liberals". Canberra Times (Fairfax Media).
- ↑ Fraser, Andrew (2004-04-27). "Humphries to recontest poll". Canberra Times (Fairfax Media).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Green, Antony (2010). "Australian Capital Territory - Senate". The Green Guide. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
- ↑ Walsh, Kerry-Anne (2007-10-28). "Trio gang up to beat Senate majority". Sun Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ↑ Macdonald, Emma (2007-10-15). "Battle to break Senate control begins in ACT". Canberra Times (Fairfax Media).
- ↑ "Result of the Transfer and Distribution of Preferences, ACT Senate". 2007 Federal Election. Australian Electoral Commission. 2007. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
- ↑ Maley, Paul (2007-12-13). "I do, more or less". The Australian (News Limited). Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ↑ "Humphries 'willing to cross the floor' on civil ceremonies". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 2009-09-25. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ↑ Green, Antony (2010). "Australian Capital Territory - Senate results 2010". The Green Guide. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
- ↑ "Shadow Ministry". The 43rd Parliament. Commonwealth of Australia. 2010-09-14. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
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