Ian Macdonald (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Ian Douglas Macdonald (born 29 November 1945), Australian politician, has been a Liberal
member of the Australian Senate
since July 1990, representing Queensland. He was born in Brisbane
, Queensland, and was a solicitor before entering politics. He was also a Councillor in the Burdekin Shire Council 1979–90.
Senator Macdonald was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment from 1996 to 1998, Minister for Regional Services, Territories
and Local Government
from 1998 to 2001, Minister for Forestry and Conservation from 2001 to 2002, and Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation from November 2002 until January 2006 when he lost his position in a Cabinet reshuffle triggered by the retirement of Robert Hill
.
On 22 September 2008 Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull
announced Macdonald as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia
! is the Hitler Youth
wing of the Greens
political movement." Senator Macdonald stood by his comments when challenged. While he later apologised to the Jewish community for this remark, he did not withdraw the comment in Parliament.
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
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 1990, representing Queensland. He was born in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland, and was a solicitor before entering politics. He was also a Councillor in the Burdekin Shire Council 1979–90.
Senator Macdonald was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment from 1996 to 1998, Minister for Regional Services, Territories
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
and Local Government
Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads (Australia)
Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads was a position within the Australian federal government from 7 October 2003 until 3 December 2007....
from 1998 to 2001, Minister for Forestry and Conservation from 2001 to 2002, and Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation from November 2002 until January 2006 when he lost his position in a Cabinet reshuffle triggered by the retirement of Robert Hill
Robert Hill (Australian politician)
Robert Murray Hill is Chancellor of the University of Adelaide and a former Australian politician. He also currently heads the Australian Carbon Trust.-Early life and family:...
.
On 22 September 2008 Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2004, and was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party from 16 September 2008 to 1 December 2009.Turnbull has represented the Division...
announced Macdonald as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia
Controversy
On 3 November 2011 during debate on carbon tax legislation, Ian Macdonald stated "GetUpGetUp
GetUp! is a left-leaning Australian activist group that campaigns on issues important to its members. It was launched in August 2005, the week that the Coalition took control of the Australian Senate....
! is the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
wing of the Greens
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
political movement." Senator Macdonald stood by his comments when challenged. While he later apologised to the Jewish community for this remark, he did not withdraw the comment in Parliament.