Fiona Nash

Senator The Honourable
Fiona Nash
Assistant Minister for Health
Incumbent
Assumed office
18 September 2013
Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Senator for New South Wales
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 July 2005
Personal details
Born 6 May 1965
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party National Party of Australia
Spouse(s) David Nash
Children Two
Residence Young, New South Wales
Alma mater Mitchell College of Advanced Education
Occupation Politician
Website www.fionanash.com.au

Fiona Nash (born 6 May 1965) is an Australian politician. She has represented the National Party of Australia in the Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales since 1 July 2005 and has served as the Deputy Leader of the party since 2008. Nash was appointed as Assistant Minister for Health in the Abbott Government on 18 September 2013.[1]

Career

Between 1999 and 2004, she worked as staff member for National Party federal ministers, Mark Vaile, Larry Anthony, and De-Anne Kelly before her election to the Senate. In 2008, she was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources and Conservation on the Opposition frontbench, but was asked to resign by Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull when she expressed her support for a motion by the Australian Greens to block the introduction of up-front tax breaks for carbon sinks. She did so, and subsequently crossed the floor with four other National senators to vote for the motion.[2] After the 2010 election she returned to the Opposition frontbench when appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in September 2010.[3]

Following the 2013 federal election, Nash was appointed as Assistant Minister for Health in the Abbott Government. In February 2014 she came under scrutiny after it was revealed that her chief of staff, Alastair Furnival, held shares in a lobby group, which culminated with his resignation the same month.[4] In March the Senate formally censured Nash after she missed a deadline to produce a letter Furnival apparently wrote, outlining how he would avoid conflicts of interest, given that his wife owned a lobbying company, Australian Public Affairs, which represented junk food clients.[5]

Personal life

Nash was born in Sydney and was educated at Mitchell College of Advanced Education in Bathurst, New South Wales, where she graduated in arts.[3] Nash is married to David Nash, a farmer, and has two children. They live in the Young district in the south-west region of southern New South Wales.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry". smh.com.au. AAP. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Arup, Tom (2 December 2008). "Nats senator axed then crosses floor". The Age.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Senator Fiona Nash - Biography". Senators and Members. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  4. ↑ Metherell, Lexi (13 February 2014). "Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash admits chief of staff holds shares in lobby group". PM (ABC Radio) (Australia). Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  5. ↑ Jabour, Bridie (2014-03-05). "Senate votes to censure Fiona Nash after she fails to hand over document". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  6. ↑ Nash, Fiona (2009). "About Senator Fiona Nash". self. Retrieved 15 February 2014.

External Links

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
 Senator for New South Wales
2005–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
 Assistant Minister for Health
2013–present 		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
Ron Boswell		 Deputy Leader of the National Party in the Senate
2008–present 		Incumbent