Laurie Ferguson
Encyclopedia
Laurie Donald Thomas Ferguson (born 7 July 1952), Australia
n politician, has been an Australian Labor Party
member of the Australian House of Representatives
since March 1990, representing Reid
until 2010 and Werriwa
thereafter, both in New South Wales
. He was born in Sydney
, New South Wales
, and grew up in the Sydney suburb of Guildford
. He was the son of Jack Ferguson
, who was Deputy Premier of New South Wales
1976-84. He is the brother of Martin Ferguson
, also a federal MP, and both attended at St Patrick's College, Strathfield
. His younger brother Andrew Ferguson is the NSW Secretary of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (Construction and General Division). He is married to Maureen Walsh, a former councillor at Parramatta City Council in the Woodville Ward.
Ferguson was educated at Sydney University and was a Research Officer with the Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union before entering politics. He was the member for Granville
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
1984-90.
In the federal Parliament, Ferguson was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry in March 1996 and was Shadow Minister for Immigration in 2004-05. His handling of the debate around Petro Georgiou
's private member's bill on asylum seekers was severely criticised, and he was shifted to become Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs; Population Health and Health Regulation in June 2005. Upon the election of the Rudd Labor Government in 2007, Ferguson became Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services.
Ferguson is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Global Panel Foundation-Australasia.
Ferguson was preselected to contest the south-western Sydney seat of Werriwa
at the 2010 federal election after his existing seat of Reid was merged with neighbouring Lowe
. Lowe MP John Murphy
contested the redistributed Reid. He was not re-appointed to the executive of the Gillard Ministry after the election.
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, has been an Australian Labor Party
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 House of Representatives
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....
since March 1990, representing Reid
Division of Reid
The Division of Reid is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the western suburbs of Sydney, and includes the suburbs of Abbotsford, Auburn , Berala , Breakfast Point, Burwood , Cabarita, Canada Bay, Chiswick, Concord, Concord West, Croydon , Drummoyne,...
until 2010 and Werriwa
Division of Werriwa
The Division of Werriwa is a Federal Electoral Division for the Australian House of Representatives.The name Werriwa derives from a local Aboriginal name for Lake George, which was located in the division when it was established in 1900. The division was one of the original 75 divisions first...
thereafter, both in 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...
. He was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, 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...
, and grew up in the Sydney suburb of Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
. He was the son of Jack Ferguson
Jack Ferguson
Laurie John Ferguson was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.-Early life:...
, who was Deputy Premier 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...
1976-84. He is the brother of Martin Ferguson
Martin Ferguson
Martin John Ferguson AM , Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Batman, Victoria. He was born in Sydney, the son of Jack Ferguson, who was Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 1976...
, also a federal MP, and both attended at St Patrick's College, Strathfield
St Patrick's College, Strathfield
St Patrick's College is an independent, Roman Catholic, day school for boys, located in Strathfield in the inner west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. His younger brother Andrew Ferguson is the NSW Secretary of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (Construction and General Division). He is married to Maureen Walsh, a former councillor at Parramatta City Council in the Woodville Ward.
Ferguson was educated at Sydney University and was a Research Officer with the Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union before entering politics. He was the member for Granville
Electoral district of Granville
Granville is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's West. It is currently represented by Tony Issa of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
1984-90.
In the federal Parliament, Ferguson was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry in March 1996 and was Shadow Minister for Immigration in 2004-05. His handling of the debate around Petro Georgiou
Petro Georgiou
Petro Georgiou , Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from November 1994 to July 2010, representing the Division of Kooyong, Victoria.-Early life:...
's private member's bill on asylum seekers was severely criticised, and he was shifted to become Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs; Population Health and Health Regulation in June 2005. Upon the election of the Rudd Labor Government in 2007, Ferguson became Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services.
Ferguson is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Global Panel Foundation-Australasia.
Ferguson was preselected to contest the south-western Sydney seat of Werriwa
Division of Werriwa
The Division of Werriwa is a Federal Electoral Division for the Australian House of Representatives.The name Werriwa derives from a local Aboriginal name for Lake George, which was located in the division when it was established in 1900. The division was one of the original 75 divisions first...
at the 2010 federal election after his existing seat of Reid was merged with neighbouring Lowe
Division of Lowe
The Division of Lowe was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It was located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney, on the south shore of the Parramatta River...
. Lowe MP John Murphy
John Murphy (Australian politician)
John Paul Murphy , Australian politician, is an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since October 1998, representing Lowe and then Reid, New South Wales. He was born in Dunedoo, New South Wales...
contested the redistributed Reid. He was not re-appointed to the executive of the Gillard Ministry after the election.