David Feeney
Encyclopedia
David Ian Feeney is an Australia
n politician. He has been a Labor
member of the Australian Senate
since July 2008.
Feeney was born in Adelaide
. His father is a immigrant from Northern Ireland
. Raised Catholic, he attended Mercedes College
, Adelaide before moving to Melbourne
, where he attended Monash University
, gaining a Master's degree in Public Policy. He worked in the national office of the Transport Workers Union
, and for Ian Baker, a Labor member of the Victorian Parliament. A prominent member of the right-wing Labor Unity faction, Feeney served as Victorian State Secretary of the Labor Party and State Labor Campaign Director from March 1999 to December 2002, where he enjoyed considerable success as a fund-raiser and campaign director. Despite this, he was dismissed in 2002 as a result of a change in factional alignments within the party.
Feeney then worked for the Labor Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks
, as Director of Strategy, and was the Campaign Director for Labor during the 2006 South Australian state election. The re-elected Labor Premier, Mike Rann
, referred to him in his victory speech as "my Eisenhower". During the 2007 federal election campaign Feeney was Labor's Assistant National Secretary, in charge of marginal seat campaigning. In December 2006 he supported Kevin Rudd
's successful challenge to the leadership of Kim Beazley
.
In March 2006 Feeney was endorsed as a Labor candidate for the Australian Senate
from Victoria
for the 2007 federal election. It was initially expected that he would succeed Robert Ray
as the lead Labor Senate candidate, but as a result of factional agreements involving the powerful Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
(SDA) this position went to former Senator Jacinta Collins
, and Feeney was given the third position on the Labor ticket, which he narrowly won, ahead of the Australian Greens
candidate.
Feeney took his Senate seat on 1 July 2008. In 2010, as the Rudd government declined in opinion polls, was one of the factional leaders, along with Mark Arbib
, Don Farrell
and Bill Shorten
, involved in the replacement of Rudd as leader of the Labor Party and Prime Minister by Julia Gillard
. It was Arbib and Feeney who persuaded Gillard to agree to challenge Rudd for the Labor leadership. This group became known in the media as "the faceless men."
At the 2010 federal election Labor narrowly retained government with the support of the Greens and indepenent members. On 14 September 2010, Feeney was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Defence in the Gillard Government. He faces re-election to the Senate at the 2013 federal election.
Feeney is married to Liberty Sanger, a principal and board member of Maurice Blackburn lawyers.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He has been a Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
since July 2008.
Feeney was born in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. His father is a immigrant from Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Raised Catholic, he attended Mercedes College
Mercedes College (Adelaide)
Mercedes College is a Catholic, co-educational day school located in Springfield a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia.It was established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1954. Originally a boarding school for girls, it is now a coeducational school...
, Adelaide before moving to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, where he attended Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, gaining a Master's degree in Public Policy. He worked in the national office of the Transport Workers Union
Transport Workers Union of Australia
The Transport Workers Union of Australia is a trade union with over 80,000 members throughout Australia. It has 5 main branches in Australia* Australian Capital Territory/New South Wales* Queensland* Victoria/Tasmania...
, and for Ian Baker, a Labor member of the Victorian Parliament. A prominent member of the right-wing Labor Unity faction, Feeney served as Victorian State Secretary of the Labor Party and State Labor Campaign Director from March 1999 to December 2002, where he enjoyed considerable success as a fund-raiser and campaign director. Despite this, he was dismissed in 2002 as a result of a change in factional alignments within the party.
Feeney then worked for the Labor Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
, as Director of Strategy, and was the Campaign Director for Labor during the 2006 South Australian state election. The re-elected Labor Premier, Mike Rann
Mike Rann
Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...
, referred to him in his victory speech as "my Eisenhower". During the 2007 federal election campaign Feeney was Labor's Assistant National Secretary, in charge of marginal seat campaigning. In December 2006 he supported Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
's successful challenge to the leadership of Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
.
In March 2006 Feeney was endorsed as a Labor candidate for the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
from Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
for the 2007 federal election. It was initially expected that he would succeed Robert Ray
Robert Ray
Robert Ray may refer to:* Robert D. Ray , Governor of Iowa 1969 to 1983* Robert Ray * Robert Ray , the final Whitewater Special Counsel* Robert Ray , baseball pitcher...
as the lead Labor Senate candidate, but as a result of factional agreements involving the powerful Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association is the largest trade union in Australia with more than 230,000 members and branches in every state and one in the Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Central Coast region. The SDA is the union for retail and fast-food workers, but does have other...
(SDA) this position went to former Senator Jacinta Collins
Jacinta Collins
Jacinta Mary Ann Collins , is an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian Senate. She served from May 1995 to 2005, and again from May 2008, representing the state of Victoria....
, and Feeney was given the third position on the Labor ticket, which he narrowly won, ahead of the Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
candidate.
Feeney took his Senate seat on 1 July 2008. In 2010, as the Rudd government declined in opinion polls, was one of the factional leaders, along with Mark Arbib
Mark Arbib
Mark Victor Arbib is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of New South Wales. He was the Australian Labor Party State Secretary of the New South Wales branch from 2004 to 2007...
, Don Farrell
Don Farrell
Donald Edward Farrell is an Australian politician and former trade union leader. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since 1 July 2008, representing the state of South Australia. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water on 14 September 2010...
and Bill Shorten
Bill Shorten
William Richard "Bill" Shorten is an Australian politician, the Member for Maribyrnong in the Australian Parliament, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Superannuation and Financial Services. He was the Parliamentary Secretary for Disability and Children's Services in the Rudd/Gillard Government...
, involved in the replacement of Rudd as leader of the Labor Party and Prime Minister by Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
. It was Arbib and Feeney who persuaded Gillard to agree to challenge Rudd for the Labor leadership. This group became known in the media as "the faceless men."
At the 2010 federal election Labor narrowly retained government with the support of the Greens and indepenent members. On 14 September 2010, Feeney was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Defence in the Gillard Government. He faces re-election to the Senate at the 2013 federal election.
Feeney is married to Liberty Sanger, a principal and board member of Maurice Blackburn lawyers.