Kevin Andrews (politician)

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The Honourable
Kevin Andrews
BA, LLB (Melb), LLM (Monash)
Minister for Social Services
Incumbent
Assumed office
18 September 2013
Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Preceded by Jenny Macklin
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
In office
30 January 2007 – 3 December 2007
Prime Minister John Howard
Preceded by Amanda Vanstone
Succeeded by Chris Evans
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
In office
7 October 2003 – 30 January 2007
Prime Minister John Howard
Preceded by Tony Abbott
Succeeded by Joe Hockey
Minister for Ageing
In office
26 November 2001 – 7 October 2003
Prime Minister John Howard
Preceded by Bronwyn Bishop
Succeeded by Julie Bishop
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Menzies
Incumbent
Assumed office
11 May 1991
Preceded by Neil Brown
Personal details
Born Kevin James Andrews
(1955-11-09) 9 November 1955
Sale, Victoria
Political party Liberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s) Margaret
Profession Lawyer
Religion Roman Catholic
Website kevinandrews.com.au

Kevin James Andrews (born 9 November 1955) is an Australian politician and member of the Liberal Party of Australia, first elected to the House of Representatives seat of Menzies at the 1991 by-election. He has been the Minister for Social Services in the Abbott Government since 18 September 2013.[1]

In the Howard Government, Andrews served as Minister for Ageing from 26 November 2001 to 7 October 2003, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations from 7 October 2003 to 30 January 2007 during which time he implemented the controversial WorkChoices labour market reforms, and Minister for Immigration and Citizenship from there on until the defeat of the incumbent government at the November 2007 election. He then served in the Abbott Shadow Cabinet portfolio of Families, Housing and Human Services.[2]

Early life

Andrews was born on 9 November 1955 in Sale, Victoria, and was educated at Melbourne University where he lived at Newman College. He completed a Master of Laws (LLM) at Monash University and practised as a barrister.

He was co-ordinator of Continuing Legal Education for the Law Institute of Victoria from 1981 to 1983 and an associate to Sir James Gobbo, Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, from 1983 to 1985.

While practising law he was involved with the St Vincent's Bioethics Centre, the Mercy Hospital for Women, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Lincoln School of Health Sciences.[3] He was also a board member of Caritas Christi Hospice.[3]

Political career

Andrews was elected to the House of Representatives at a 1991 by-election for the Division of Menzies in Victoria, representing the Liberal Party of Australia.

As a backbencher, Andrews authored the Euthanasia Laws Bill 1996 to overrule Northern Territory legislation that legalised euthanasia (the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995). It is one of only fifteen Private Member's Bills passed into law in Australian parliamentary history.

Andrews has called for an end to trials of the RU-486 drug and voted against a bill that took away the Health Minister's power to veto applications to allow the drug to be used.[4]

In taking a stance against stem cell research in 2002, he stated that it was the "first time" that "human beings can be treated as a commodity".[5] He also took a stance against stem cell research during a debate in 2006, which resulted in the overturning of a previous ban on the research.[6]

Andrews introducing WorkChoices to the public in 2005

After the Coalition's third victory in 2001, Andrews was brought into the outer ministry as Minister for Ageing, a portfolio in which he served from 26 November 2001 to 7 October 2003. He was subsequently appointed to Cabinet as the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and was responsible for introducing the Howard Government's major changes to industrial relations law in 2005, commonly known as WorkChoices. In a reshuffle in early 2007, Andrews was made Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, a position which he held until the swearing-in of the First Rudd Ministry on 3 December 2007, following the defeat of the Howard Government in the 2007 election.

During 2008 and 2009 he served as Chairman of the Coalition's Policy Review Committee, reviewing and developing the Opposition's policies, until he was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet (to the position of Shadow Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services) in December 2009 by the newly elected Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott. He was also appointed Deputy Chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee.

Andrews is a member of the Lyons Forum, a socially conservative Christian faction within the Coalition. He has served as the Forum Secretary and is credited with suggesting the name for the faction.[7][8]

In the 2010 Federal election, Andrews was re-elected to the seat of Menzies with a 2.70% swing against the Labor Party.[9]

Haneef affair

As Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Andrews attracted controversy after he revoked on character grounds the visa of Dr Mohamed Haneef, who had been granted bail on charges of aiding terrorists.[10][11] This was criticised as a move to keep Haneef in detention; upon posting bail, Haneef would have been transferred from Brisbane's Wolston Correctional Centre to Sydney's Villawood Detention Centre.[12] Andrews defended his actions as being in accordance with the Migration Act and Haneef's lawyers challenged his interpretation of the Act in the Federal Court.[12][13]

After the Director of Public Prosecutions dropped all charges against Haneef, Andrews refused calls to reinstate Haneef's visa, stating that his personal evidence was still valid.[10][14] Andrew's refusal resulted in calls for a public inquiry into the incident by then Queensland Premier Peter Beattie.[15][16][17]

Andrews' justification of his decision, on the basis that he had a reasonable suspicion that Haneef had associated with suspected terrorists and therefore failed the test of good character that a person must pass to keep a visa, was rejected in the Federal Court, and the revocation of Haneef's visa was overturned.[18] However in November, e-mails released under the Freedom of Information act appeared to indicate that Andrews' office had a plan to revoke the visa before the case went to court, in the case that bail was granted.[19]

On 23 December 2008 the government-ordered inquiry report was released. Mr Clarke, the head of the judicial inquiry, determined Mr Andrews did not act for an improper motive.[citation needed]

Publications record

Following Andrews' criticism of irregularities discovered in the CV of an Indian doctor working on the Gold Coast,[20] various media organisations carried reports disputing Andrews' claim on parliamentary and ministerial websites to have co-authored three books, having contributed only a chapter to each.[21] Andrews argued in his own defence that

"In common, everyday parlance, as one of the authors (of a chapter) I presumed you called yourself a co-author – that's all I've simply done. I wasn't aware, to be frank, of some publishing convention that someone's referred to (that suggests otherwise). If that offends people's sensibilities well so be it, basically."[21]

2007 immigration controversy

In October 2007 Kevin Andrews came under fire over his handling of his immigration portfolio.

Andrews' decision to cut Australia's refugee intake from African nations was branded by some critics as "racist", [22] and pulling out the race card before the 2007 Australian Federal election. [23] Andrews defended the decision, saying: "Some groups don't seem to be settling and adjusting into the Australian way of life as quickly as we would hope."[24] Andrews accused Sudanese refugees of fighting in bars and congregating in parks to drink alcoholic beverages, but did not provide statistics to back up his claims.[22]

The Queensland Labor Premier, Anna Bligh, described Andrews' criticism of Sudanese as "disturbing". She said: "It has been a long time since I have heard such a pure form of racism out of the mouth of any Australian politician."[22] Labor politician Tony Burke branded Andrews' decision as "incompetent".[25] However, Andrew's actions were applauded by the former One Nation politician, Pauline Hanson.[22]

Feiz Muhammad

When it was discovered that Australian Islamic fundamentalist preacher Feiz Muhammad had published a box set of DVDs of his sermons in which he urged young Muslims to kill infidel non-believers, called on Muslim parents to offer their children as soldiers to sacrifice their lives for Allah, said the children should be taught that there is "nothing more beloved to me than wanting to die as a Muhajid [holy warrior]," and that the parents should "put in their soft, tender heart the zeal of jihad and the love of martyrdom", preach jihad, Andrews called the DVDs "offensive, unacceptable and outrageous" and "importations of hatred."[26][27]

Leadership challenge against Malcolm Turnbull

Kevin Andrews declared his candidacy against Malcolm Turnbull in a vote for a leadership spill, in opposition to Turnbull's support for the government's emissions trading scheme. He had declared himself a climate change sceptic, saying that 'the jury is still out' on human contributions to global warming.[28] The party room however voted down having a leadership spill 41 votes to 35 and the Andrews challenge did not eventuate.[29] After continued leadership speculation, a second Party Room meeting was held, at which point the leadership was declared vacant. Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey and Malcolm Turnbull all stood for the leadership, and Tony Abbott was ultimately successful. Following his election as Leader, Abbott promoted Andrews to the Shadow Cabinet as Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services.

Advocacy

A member of the Catholic Pontifical Council for the Laity, Andrews is an Adjunct Lecturer in Politics and in Marriage Education in the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Melbourne.[3]

Andrews is an advisor to the Board of Life Decisions International (LDI),[30] a (non-denominational) religious[31] pro-life group that is primarily concerned with opposing the pro-choice Planned Parenthood organisation. LDI campaigns for chastity,[32] boycotts corporations and names individual celebrities[33] who support abortion, euthanasia, or embryonic stem cell experimentation or who, in their opinion, support sexual promiscuity.[34] These include GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson and Johnson, Time Warner and Disney.[35]

Andrews has described his role as "honorary patronage". He was criticised by the Sydney Morning Herald for failing to declare his wife's membership of Life Decisions International's Board of Advisors on his entry in the Parliamentary Register of Pecuniary Interests.[36] Life Decisions International fired back by accusing the Sydney Morning Herald of great bias and having no regard for the truth. [.http://www.fightpp.org/downloads/pubs/November-December.pdf]

Andrews made a speech to the Endeavour Forum on 9 April 2003[37] a group focusing on women's issues, opposing abortion, equal opportunity and affirmative action.[38]

He has also spoken at the Family Council of Victoria,[39] an organisation which regards homosexuality as the manifestation of a psychiatric disorder.[40] The Family Council of Victoria also opposes sex-education and anti-homophobia policies in public schools, which it claims is "pro-homosexual indoctrination" of students.[41]

Andrews supports immigration as a way to slow population ageing in Australia.[42] During an address to the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia, he said that "The level of net overseas migration is important as net inflows of migrants to Australia reduce the rate of population ageing because migrants are younger on average than the resident population. Just under 70% of the migrant intake are in the 15–44 age cohort, compared to 43% of the Australian population as a whole. Just 10% of the migrant intake are 45 or over, compared with 38% of the Australian population."[42]

In 2011, as a Liberal Shadow Cabinet frontbencher Andrews published a critique of the Greens policy agenda for Quadrant Magazine in which he wrote that the Australian Greens' "objective involves a radical transformation of the culture that underpins Western civilisation" and that their agenda would threaten the "Judeo-Christian/Enlightenment synthesis that upholds the individual" as well as "the economic system that has resulted in the creation of wealth and prosperity for the most people in human history."[43]

References

  1. ↑ "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry". smh.com.au. AAP. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013. 
  2. ↑ "The Hon Kevin Andrews MP, Member for Menzies (Vic)". House of Representatives – members – biography. Parliament of Australia. 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Hon Kevin Andrews MP". Adjunct Lecturers. John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family. Archived from the original on 8 September 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  4. ↑ "For the biggest loser it's just bad memories". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 February 2006. Retrieved 3 October 2007. 
  5. ↑ "Politicians prepare to vote on stem cell issue". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 15 August 2002. Retrieved 31 August 2007. 
  6. ↑ "Stem cell cloning ban overturned". News.com.au. 6 December 2006. Retrieved 31 August 2007. 
  7. ↑ "The Lyons Forum". Censorship and Free Speech. Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc. 1998. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  8. ↑ Bradford, John. "Autobiography". John Bradford, former Liberal MP representing Division of McPherson. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  9. ↑ "Australian Electoral Commission summary of Menzies, Federal Election 2010.". Australian Electoral Commission. 25 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2011. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Dr Haneef" (Press release). Kevin Andrews MP, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. 30 July 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  11. ↑ Viellaris, Renee; Jason Gregory and Jasmin Lill (18 July 2007). "Haneef moved to prison". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Roberts, Kathryn (18 July 2007). "Lawyers launch campaign to restore Haneef's visa". ABC News and Current Affairs#ABC Radio programs – PM. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  13. ↑ Coorey, Phillip; Joel Gibson and Craig Skehan (18 July 2007). "India raises concern over detention". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  14. ↑ "Haneef decision due today". The Australian. 27 July 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  15. ↑ "Beattie wants Andrews carpeted over Haneef". News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 29 July 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  16. ↑ "I was never a threat: Haneef". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  17. ↑ Menon, Parvathi (29 July 2007). "Debate over detention, departure continues". Chennai, India: The Hindu. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  18. ↑ [2007] FCA 1273 Haneef v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
  19. ↑ Welch, Dylan (2 November 2007). "'Secret plan' to keep Haneef in jail". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  20. ↑ "Andrews calls for Beattie's assurance on foreign doctors". Local news for Gold and Tweed Coasts (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 23 August 2007. Retrieved 28 August 2007. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Minister Andrews denies fudging CV". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 28 August 2007. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Heywood, Lachlan; Philip, Martin; Wray, Michael (5 October 2007). "Pauline Hanson backs Kevin Andrews on migrants". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 2 December 2007. 
  23. ↑ "Hardgrave backs call to cut African refugee intake". The World Today (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 5 October 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2007. 
  24. ↑ Collins, Sarah-Jane (10 October 2007). "Murder 'shame on entire community'". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  25. ↑ "Andrews' handling of African refugees 'incompetent'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 October 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  26. ↑ "Sheik Feiz Mohammad: 'I'm no hater'". SBS World News. Retrieved 22 April 2013. 
  27. ↑ "Outrage at sheikh's pig jibe". The Age. 18 January 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2013. 
  28. ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752834.htm?section=justin
  29. ↑ Sharp, Ari (25 November 2009). "Malcolm Turnbull survives leadership challenge". The Age (Melbourne). 
  30. ↑ "Boards of Directors/Advisors". About LDI. Life Decisions International. Retrieved 2 December 2009. 
  31. ↑ "Prayer Project". Projects. Life Decisions International. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  32. ↑ "Celebrating Chastity". Projects. Life Decisions International. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  33. ↑ "Celebrity Watch". Projects. Life Decisions International. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  34. ↑ "Organization Watch". Projects. Life Decisions International. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  35. ↑ "New Boycott Targets Named" (Press release). Life Decisions International. 24 July 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  36. ↑ Walsh, Kerry-Anne; Michelle Singer (7 August 2007). "Andrews in radical group that boycotts Disney". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 August 2007. 
  37. ↑ "Endeavour Forum's 24th Birthday Dinner". Important Coming Events, April 2003. Endeavour Forum. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  38. ↑ "Introduction 1". What we are about. Endeavour Forum. Archived from the original on 29 October 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  39. ↑ Martin, Chloe. "The Hon Kevin Andrews MP" (PDF). BewareOfTheGod.Com. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  40. ↑ ""Homosexual Vilification Legislation "The Bill" is Wrong"". Issues. Family Council of Victoria. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  41. ↑ "Why the Prime Minister is Right on Public Schools Values". Issues. Bill Muehlenberg, Family Council of Victoria. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Andrews, Kevin (17 May 2007). "Address to the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia". Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2007. 
  43. ↑ http://www.quadrant.org.au/magazine/issue/2011/1/the-greens-agenda-in-their-own-words

Further reading

External links

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Neil Brown		 Member for Menzies
1991–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Bronwyn Bishop
as Minister for Aged Care		 Minister for Ageing
2001–2003 		Succeeded by
Julie Bishop
Preceded by
Tony Abbott		 Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
2003–2007 		Succeeded by
Joe Hockey
Preceded by
Amanda Vanstone		 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
2007 		Succeeded by
Chris Evans
Preceded by
Jenny Macklin
as Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs		 Minister for Social Services
2013–present 		Incumbent
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