Michael Lee (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael John Lee is an Australian Labor
politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives
1984–2001, a minister in Paul Keating
's government, and a member of the City of Sydney
Council 2004–08.
Lee was born in Sydney and grew up in the beach side suburb of Cronulla
and attended De La Salle College Cronulla
. His immediate classmates included Steve Hutchins
, now an Australian Senator, and John Della Bosca
, formerly the NSW Minister for Health and now a backbencher in the NSW Legislative Council.
After graduating in electrical engineering from the University of New South Wales
, Lee was employed as an engineer at the Munmorah Power Station and Vales Point Power Station on the Central Coast of New South Wales
. He was subsequently elected as an Labor
member of the Australian House of Representatives
for the seat of Dobell
, at the 1984 election, serving until being defeated at the 2001 Federal Election by Liberal candidate
Ken Ticehurst
.
In March 1993, Lee was appointed Minister for Tourism
and Minister for Resources
in the second Keating Ministry
. In December 1993, he replaced Bob Collins and David Beddall as Minister for Communications
. In January 1994 he gained responsibility for the arts. He lost his ministerial responsibility with the defeat of the Keating
government at the 1996 election. He was Shadow Minister for Health from 1996 to 1998 and shadow Minister for Education from 1998 to 2001. Following his defeat in the 2001 election, he ran as the Labor candidate for Lord Mayor of Sydney in 2004, and was defeated by Clover Moore
, but was elected to the Council.
He is now the President of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party, following the resignation of Bernie Riordan.
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...
politician. He was a member of the 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....
1984–2001, a minister in Paul 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...
's government, and a member of the City of Sydney
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
Council 2004–08.
Lee was born in Sydney and grew up in the beach side suburb of Cronulla
Cronulla, New South Wales
Cronulla is a beachside suburb, in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Cronulla is located 26 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Sutherland Shire....
and attended De La Salle College Cronulla
De La Salle College (Cronulla, NSW)
De La Salle College Cronulla is a Catholic systemic, senior secondary, co-educational day school, located in Cronulla, a southern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. His immediate classmates included Steve Hutchins
Steve Hutchins
Stephen Patrick Hutchins , Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales since October 1998, representing the Australian Labor Party.Hutchins was born in Sydney...
, now an Australian Senator, and John Della Bosca
John Della Bosca
John Joseph Della Bosca is a former Australian politician, representing the Australian Labor Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council...
, formerly the NSW Minister for Health and now a backbencher in the NSW Legislative Council.
After graduating in electrical engineering from the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Lee was employed as an engineer at the Munmorah Power Station and Vales Point Power Station on the Central Coast 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...
. He was subsequently elected as an 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 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....
for the seat of Dobell
Division of Dobell
The Division of Dobell is an Australian electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Sir William Dobell, the painter. It is located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales and includes the towns of The Entrance, Tuggerah and Wyong...
, at the 1984 election, serving until being defeated at the 2001 Federal Election by Liberal candidate
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...
Ken Ticehurst
Ken Ticehurst
Kenneth Vincent Ticehurst is an Australian politician, and was a member of the Australian House of Representatives from November 2001 to 2007, representing the Division of Dobell in New South Wales for the Liberal Party of Australia.- Biography :Ticehurst has a qualification in electrical...
.
In March 1993, Lee was appointed Minister for Tourism
Minister for Tourism (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Tourism is Martin Ferguson, appointed on 3 December 2007. The Minister administers his portfolio through the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.-List of Ministers for Tourism:...
and Minister for 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:...
in the second Keating Ministry
Second Keating Ministry
The Second Keating Ministry was the sixtieth Australian Commonwealth ministry. It was led by Paul Keating of the Australian Labor Party, and held office from 24 March 1993 to 11 March 1996...
. In December 1993, he replaced Bob Collins and David Beddall as Minister for Communications
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Australia)
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is currently Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy. He replaced Senator the Hon Helen Coonan on 3 December 2007.-Portfolio:...
. In January 1994 he gained responsibility for the arts. He lost his ministerial responsibility with the defeat of 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...
government at the 1996 election. He was Shadow Minister for Health from 1996 to 1998 and shadow Minister for Education from 1998 to 2001. Following his defeat in the 2001 election, he ran as the Labor candidate for Lord Mayor of Sydney in 2004, and was defeated by Clover Moore
Clover Moore
Clover Moore , is an Australian politician, the Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney and an independent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the electorate of Sydney. Moore is the first publicly elected female Lord Mayor of Sydney. Prior to the 2007 NSW state election, she...
, but was elected to the Council.
He is now the President of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party, following the resignation of Bernie Riordan.