Ian Macfarlane (politician)
Encyclopedia
Ian Elgin Macfarlane is an Australian politician. He was elected as a member of the Australian House of Representatives
in October 1998, representing the Division of Groom
, Queensland for the Liberal National Party. As a minister in the Coalition Government under John Howard
he held the portfolio of Minister for Small Business
from January 2001, before being promoted to the Cabinet role of Industry, Tourism and Resources
in November 2001
. Since the defeat of the Coalition in the 2007 federal election he has served in the shadow portfolios of Trade as well as Infrustructure and Water, and is currently Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources
He was born in Kingaroy, Queensland, and was a farmer and president of the Queensland Graingrowers Association before entering politics. He acquired the nickname "Chainsaw" due to his raspy voice from ABC rural reporter Judy Kennedy. He now attributes the moniker to his ability to "cut through red tape", and it was alluded to in his 1998 election campaign through the slogan "The Right Voice for Groom".
In a speech given in Adelaide on 20 February 2006, Clive Hamilton
(director of The Australia Institute
) identified Macfarlane as one of Australia's climate change "dirty dozen" (or Greenhouse Mafia
), a group of climate change sceptic
s with considerable influence over Australian Government policy.
However, in an interview with Four Corners on 9 November 2009, Macfarlane admitted that he had changed his stance on climate change, conceding that he now recognised man's role in the process. Acting as Climate Change Spokesman for the Coalition in 2009, he spent 5 weeks in negotiations around a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
with Minister for Climate Change
Penny Wong
, before a leadership spill
deposed party leader Malcolm Turnbull
and replaced him with current leader Tony Abbott
, and the policy was overturned.
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
in October 1998, representing the Division of Groom
Division of Groom
The Division of Groom is anAustralian Electoral Division in Queensland.The division was created in 1984, when the old Division of Darling Downs was abolished, and is named in honour of Sir Littleton Groom, a long-serving member for Darling Downs....
, Queensland for the Liberal National Party. As a minister in the Coalition Government under John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
he held the portfolio of Minister for Small Business
Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Small Business is Nick Sherry, appointed on 14 September 2010. The Minister administers his portfolio through the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research...
from January 2001, before being promoted to the Cabinet role of Industry, Tourism and Resources
Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Australia)
The current Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research is Kim Carr, appointed on 3 December 2007. He administers his portfolio through the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.-List of Ministers for Industry :...
in November 2001
. Since the defeat of the Coalition in the 2007 federal election he has served in the shadow portfolios of Trade as well as Infrustructure and Water, and is currently Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources
Minister for Resources and Energy (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Resources and Energy is Martin Ferguson, appointed on 3 December 2007. The Minister administers his portfolios through the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.-List of Ministers for Resources:...
He was born in Kingaroy, Queensland, and was a farmer and president of the Queensland Graingrowers Association before entering politics. He acquired the nickname "Chainsaw" due to his raspy voice from ABC rural reporter Judy Kennedy. He now attributes the moniker to his ability to "cut through red tape", and it was alluded to in his 1998 election campaign through the slogan "The Right Voice for Groom".
In a speech given in Adelaide on 20 February 2006, Clive Hamilton
Clive Hamilton
Clive Charles Hamilton AM FRSA is an Australian public intellectual and Professor of Public Ethics at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics and the Vice-Chancellor's Chair in Public Ethics at Charles Sturt University. He is the Founder and former Executive Director of the The...
(director of The Australia Institute
The Australia Institute
The Australia Institute is a left wing Australian think tank conducting public policy research, funded by grants from philanthropic trusts, memberships and commissioned research....
) identified Macfarlane as one of Australia's climate change "dirty dozen" (or Greenhouse Mafia
Greenhouse Mafia
Greenhouse Mafia is allegedly the "in house" name used by Australia’s carbon lobby for itself. It was also the title of a program aired by the ABC on the 13 February 2006 episode of its weekly current affairs program Four Corners....
), a group of climate change sceptic
Global warming controversy
Global warming controversy refers to a variety of disputes, significantly more pronounced in the popular media than in the scientific literature, regarding the nature, causes, and consequences of global warming...
s with considerable influence over Australian Government policy.
However, in an interview with Four Corners on 9 November 2009, Macfarlane admitted that he had changed his stance on climate change, conceding that he now recognised man's role in the process. Acting as Climate Change Spokesman for the Coalition in 2009, he spent 5 weeks in negotiations around a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
Emissions trading
Emissions trading is a market-based approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants....
with Minister for Climate Change
Minister for Climate Change and Water (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency is Greg Combet. Penny Wong was the first minister with this title, appointed on 3 December 2007 and amended on 26 February 2010. The Minister administers his portfolio through the Department of Climate Change and Energy...
Penny Wong
Penny Wong
Penelope "Penny" Ying-yen Wong , is an Australian Labor Party senator for South Australia and the Federal Minister for Finance and Deregulation. Wong was the first Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water. Her appointment was amended on 26 February 2010, by the Prime Minister, to the...
, before a leadership spill
Liberal Party of Australia leadership election, 2009
An election for the federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party of Australia was held on 1 December 2009. The incumbent, Malcolm Turnbull, was defeated by Tony Abbott in a three-way vote of Liberal Party Members of Parliament . Joe Hockey also stood as a candidate...
deposed party 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...
and replaced him with current leader Tony Abbott
Tony Abbott
Anthony John "Tony" Abbott is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election...
, and the policy was overturned.