John Faulkner
Encyclopedia
John Philip Faulkner is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor
member of the Australian Senate
since 1989, representing the state of New South Wales
. Following a period serving on various Senate Committees and as Deputy Whip, he was a Minister in the Keating
Labor government 1993-96. Following several years in opposition as a Shadow Minister, he was appointed in 2007 as Vice-President of the Executive Council
and Special Minister of State
in the Rudd
Government. He was Minister for Defence
from June 2009 to September 2010.
He announced in July 2010 that he would return to the backbench after the 2010 election, and subsequently was replaced as Defence Minister by Stephen Smith
on 13 September 2010.
Within Labor circles, Faulkner's elder statesman status is virtually unrivalled by any presently active politician.
, New South Wales on 12 April 1954, and was educated at Macquarie University
, Sydney, where he graduated in Arts and Education (BA, DipEd). He worked as a Special Education teacher in government schools before entering politics from 1977 to 1979. In 1980 he was employed as a Research officer to the New South Wales Minister for Sport and Recreation
, Ken Booth
. Gaining prominence within the ALP, he was made Assistant General Secretary of the NSW party in 1980, serving for nine years and became a member of the ALP National Executive in 1989.
A leading member of the Socialist Left faction of the ALP, Faulkner was appointed to the Senate in 1989 to succeed the former left-wing minister Arthur Gietzelt
, who had resigned mid-term. In the Keating
Labor government, Faulkner was Minister for Veterans' Affairs
and Minister for Defence Science and Personnel
1993–94, and Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories
, with a seat in the Cabinet, 1994–96.
After the defeat of the Keating government in 1996, Faulkner became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1996–2004. He was at various times Shadow Minister for Social Security, Public Administration and Home Affairs. He was a key Labor strategist in the 1998, 2001 and 2004 federal elections, and was a particularly close advisor to Mark Latham
during the 2004 election. In the wake of Labor's defeat in that election, he resigned his positions.
In October 2006 John Faulkner was elected as the National President of the Australian Labor Party until February 2008. Three people are elected to the rotating position of Party President every three years, each serving one year. Faulkner chaired the ALP's National Conference in 2007, and each of the rotating Presidents will chair the National Executive for one year.
, Special Minister of State
and Cabinet Secretary
in the Rudd Ministry.
In his role he introduced new rules for ministerial conduct and fundraising aimed at reducing the influence of lobbyists on government decisions. He also introduced new guidelines reducing the overt political control of government funded advertising.
On 5 June 2009, John Faulkner was announced as the new Minister for Defence, replacing Joel Fitzgibbon
, who had stepped down the previous day. He was sworn in on 9 June. He has retained this portfolio in the First Gillard
Government.
On 7 July 2010 Faulkner announced that he would step down as Defence Minister and return to the backbench after the next election.
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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 1989, representing the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Following a period serving on various Senate Committees and as Deputy Whip, he was a Minister in the Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
Labor government 1993-96. Following several years in opposition as a Shadow Minister, he was appointed in 2007 as Vice-President of the Executive Council
Vice-President of the Executive Council
The Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council is a position in Australian federal governments, whose holder acts as presiding officer of the Federal Executive Council in the absence of the Governor-General....
and Special Minister of State
Special Minister of State
The Special Minister of State , currently the Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity is a ministerial portfolio in the Australian Government Department of Finance and Deregulation responsible for various parliamentary, electoral, financial and oversight affairs.Other areas...
in the 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...
Government. He was Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
from June 2009 to September 2010.
He announced in July 2010 that he would return to the backbench after the 2010 election, and subsequently was replaced as Defence Minister by Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith (Australian politician)
Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia....
on 13 September 2010.
Within Labor circles, Faulkner's elder statesman status is virtually unrivalled by any presently active politician.
Early career
Faulkner was born in LeetonLeeton, New South Wales
Leeton is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Leeton is situated approximately 550 km west of Sydney and 450 km north of Melbourne in the productive Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Leeton is administered by Leeton Shire Council...
, New South Wales on 12 April 1954, and was educated at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, Sydney, where he graduated in Arts and Education (BA, DipEd). He worked as a Special Education teacher in government schools before entering politics from 1977 to 1979. In 1980 he was employed as a Research officer to the New South Wales Minister for Sport and Recreation
New South Wales Department of the Arts, Sport and Recreation
The New South Wales Department of the Arts, Sport and Recreation is a former department of the Government of New South Wales and was previously responsible for a number of cultural and sporting institutions...
, Ken Booth
Ken Booth (politician)
Kenneth George Booth was a New South Wales politician, Treasurer, and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Neville Wran and Barrie Unsworth. From 1981 to 1988 he was the Treasurer of New South Wales...
. Gaining prominence within the ALP, he was made Assistant General Secretary of the NSW party in 1980, serving for nine years and became a member of the ALP National Executive in 1989.
A leading member of the Socialist Left faction of the ALP, Faulkner was appointed to the Senate in 1989 to succeed the former left-wing minister Arthur Gietzelt
Arthur Gietzelt
Arthur Thomas Gietzelt, AO is a former Australian politician and minister.Gietzelt was educated at Hurstville High School. He served in the armed forces in New Guinea during World War II from 1941 to 1945....
, who had resigned mid-term. In the Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
Labor government, Faulkner was Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs oversees income support, compensation, care and commemoration programs for more than 400,000 veterans and their widows, widowers and dependants....
and Minister for Defence Science and Personnel
Minister for Defence Science and Personnel (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Defence Science and Personnel is Warren Snowdon, who was appointed on 14 September 2010, following the 2010 election. The ministry is part of the porfolio of the Minister for Defence and is administered through the Department of Defence.-Ministers for Defence Personnel:...
1993–94, and Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts (Australia)
The current Australian Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities is Tony Burke, who took over from Peter Garrett . The Minister and department change took effect in the Second Gillard Ministry on 14 September 2010...
, with a seat in the Cabinet, 1994–96.
After the defeat of the Keating government in 1996, Faulkner became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1996–2004. He was at various times Shadow Minister for Social Security, Public Administration and Home Affairs. He was a key Labor strategist in the 1998, 2001 and 2004 federal elections, and was a particularly close advisor to Mark Latham
Mark Latham
Mark William Latham , an author and former Australian politician, was leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005....
during the 2004 election. In the wake of Labor's defeat in that election, he resigned his positions.
In October 2006 John Faulkner was elected as the National President of the Australian Labor Party until February 2008. Three people are elected to the rotating position of Party President every three years, each serving one year. Faulkner chaired the ALP's National Conference in 2007, and each of the rotating Presidents will chair the National Executive for one year.
Government minister
John Faulkner was the Vice-President of the Executive CouncilVice-President of the Executive Council
The Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council is a position in Australian federal governments, whose holder acts as presiding officer of the Federal Executive Council in the absence of the Governor-General....
, Special Minister of State
Special Minister of State
The Special Minister of State , currently the Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity is a ministerial portfolio in the Australian Government Department of Finance and Deregulation responsible for various parliamentary, electoral, financial and oversight affairs.Other areas...
and Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
in the Rudd Ministry.
In his role he introduced new rules for ministerial conduct and fundraising aimed at reducing the influence of lobbyists on government decisions. He also introduced new guidelines reducing the overt political control of government funded advertising.
On 5 June 2009, John Faulkner was announced as the new Minister for Defence, replacing Joel Fitzgibbon
Joel Fitzgibbon
Joel Andrew Fitzgibbon is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Hunter in New South Wales. From December 2007 to June 2009 he was the Minister for Defence in the Rudd Ministry...
, who had stepped down the previous day. He was sworn in on 9 June. He has retained this portfolio in the First 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...
Government.
On 7 July 2010 Faulkner announced that he would step down as Defence Minister and return to the backbench after the next election.
Personal life
Faulkner has two children from his former marriage to fellow Labor politician Sandra Nori. He is also known for his distinctive 1980s-style glasses.Publications
John Faulkner has authored or co-authored several books on the subject of representative government and the history of the Australian Labor Party.External links
- Personal website
- Senator The Hon. John Faulkner - Parliament of Australia
- John Faulkner – Senator for New South Wales – ALP profile
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