Alex Hawke

The Honourable
Alex Hawke
MP
Hawke in 2016
Special Minister of State
Assumed office
28 August 2018
Prime Minister Scott Morrison
Preceded by Mathias Cormann
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Mitchell
Assumed office
24 November 2007
Preceded by Alan Cadman
Majority 22.08 points (2013)[1]
Assistant Minister for Home Affairs
In office
20 December 2017 – 28 August 2018
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison
Preceded by Himself (as Assistant Minister to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection)
Succeeded by Linda Reynolds
Assistant Minister to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
In office
19 July 2016 – 20 December 2017
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by James McGrath
Succeeded by Himself (as Assistant Minister for Home Affairs)
Assistant Minister to the Treasurer
In office
21 September 2015 – 19 July 2016
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Kelly O'Dwyer
Succeeded by Michael Sukkar
Personal details
Born Alexander George Hawke
(1977-07-09) 9 July 1977
Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Political party Liberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s) Rebecca Davie (2010 - Divorced 2013), Amelia McManus (2013 - Present)
Children 2
Alma mater University of Sydney
Website alexhawke.com.au

Alexander George Hawke MP (born 9 July 1977) is an Australian politician currently serving as Special Minister of State. He previously served as the Assistant Minister for Home Affairs in the Second Turnbull Ministry from December 2017 to August 2018.[2] Hawke is a member of the Australian House of Representatives representing Mitchell, in north-western metropolitan Sydney, for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2007. Hawke is a former national and state president of the Young Liberals.

Early years and background

Hawke's maternal grandparents migrated from Greece in 1953 as part of the post World War II migration to Australia from Europe.[3] He attended Hills Grammar School then Cumberland High School. Hawke then studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in Government and Public Affairs.[4] At university he joined the Australian Army Reserve and served for six years, commissioning into the Royal Australian Armoured Corps and serving as a Lieutenant with the 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers.[4][5]

On 3 September 2005, The Sydney Morning Herald journalist Mike Carlton described Hawke as an Anglican. However, in a correction published a week later, Carlton reported that Hawke was not an Anglican and that Hawke attends Hillsong Church.[6]

Young Liberal Movement and early working career

Hawke joined the Liberal Party in 1995, and was elected vice-president of the NSW Division of the Young Liberal Movement in 2001, and became President in 2002. He served on the Liberal Party NSW State Executive from 2002 to 2005, and in 2005 was elected Federal President of the Young Liberal Movement. He remains a member of the Liberal Party campaign Committee, and a Delegate to the Liberal Party State Council.[4]

Hawke worked part-time in the private sector whilst studying at university in 1998, becoming an assistant-manager for Woolworths in the Hills District.[3] Following graduation, he has exclusively worked as a political advisor, firstly as an electorate officer to Ross Cameron MP, Member for Parramatta. In 2001, he commenced work as an adviser to the Senator Helen Coonan, then Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, advising on taxation, superannuation and insurance matters during the time of the HIH liquidation. Hawke has also worked as an adviser to David Clarke MLC and Ray Williams MP.

Early political views

Drawing attention to his political ideology, in 2005 Hawke made it known that he believed the Liberal Party to be the home of conservative values, and claimed that "Nobody joins the Liberal Party to be left-wing. If you stand for compulsory student unionism, drug-injecting rooms and lowering the [homosexual] age of consent, you can choose the Greens, Labor or the Democrats."[7]

A few months later, Hawke attracted some significant controversy. Former NSW opposition leader John Brogden blamed Hawke for contributing to his downfall by leaking information to the media and political enemies – a claim that Hawke denied.[8][9] The next day on 30 August 2005, Brogden was admitted to hospital after committing an apparent attempt at suicide in his electoral office.[10] Brogden's claims were strongly denied by Hawke, who stated "I have not spoken to a single journalist, on or off the record, about this matter until now and I was not in attendance at the function where Brogden committed these acts. To ascribe any role to me in this embarrassing episode is false and I reject it totally".[8]

Preselection reaction

On 16 June 2007, Hawke gained Liberal Party preselection for the seat of Mitchell by a margin of 81 votes to 20[11] against David Elliott, then deputy chief of the Australian Hotels Association.[12] Paul Blanch, a grazier from Orange, received 8 votes. Alan Cadman, who had been the member for Mitchell since 1974, chose not to contest the preselection,[11] but was later quoted as saying that this was due to "relentless branch-stacking within the electorate."[13] After his preselection, The Sydney Morning Herald reported Hawke's comments that he believes that Australia will move increasingly towards an American model of conservatism and that "The two greatest forces for good in human history are capitalism and Christianity, and when they're blended it's a very powerful duo."[5] Hawke strongly rejected various reports and allegations that he is a "right-wing extremist", saying he represents the values of his electorate.[14][15]

Split from the Right

In 2009 Alex Hawke and supporters left the NSW Right faction of the Liberal Party over disputes over conflicting preselection influences with NSW Upper House MP David Clarke. Hawke then proceeded to go into an alliance with the NSW Moderates, ending the Right's control over the Party. Hawke in the following years used his balance of power position on state executive to coerce the Moderates into parachuting factional allies as Liberal Candidates despite the wishes of local branch members.[16]

Political career

Hawke was elected to Parliament as Member for Mitchell on 24 November 2007 with a swing against the Liberals of 7.9 points; however Hawke won the seat with 61.6 per cent of the vote on a two-party-preferred basis.[17]

In his maiden speech in the House of Representatives, Hawke described his political beliefs as follows: "My brand of Liberalism is more interested in what we support than what we oppose. I want not just to resist those things that are harmful but to support those things that are good. I derive no satisfaction from opposing the growth of state sponsored welfare if I cannot fan the spark of family, enterprise, self-reliance and human dignity",[3] for which he was praised by Liberal politician Tony Abbott for "a splendid maiden speech which managed to combine a robust expression of political philosophy and a hymn of praise to his splendid electorate."[18]

Hawke increased his margin at the 2010 federal election. With Gould again running against him, Hawke recorded a swing of 7.9 points and won the seat with 67.2 per cent of the vote on a two-party-preferred basis.[19]

Hawke has called for a free conscience vote on same-sex marriage in Australia in Parliament, despite not supporting same-sex marriage himself he voted 'yes' although his electorate was a majority 'no' vote.[20]

In September 2015, Hawke was promoted to Assistant Minister to the Treasurer in the First Turnbull Ministry.[21] Following the re-election of the Turnbull Government, Hawke served as the Assistant Minister to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection between 19 July 2016 and 20 December 2017.

In November 2017, it was asked whether he might be a citizen of Greece through his mother and therefore had been ineligible for election to the federal parliament; he has denied that he is ineligible.[22]

Controversity

Hawke said he strongly supported new rules to allow religious schools to expel students who are gay, bisexual or transgender, warning that people of faith were under attack in Australia: "I don't think it's controversial in Australia that people expect religious schools to teach the practice of their faith and their religion [...] We’re mostly talking about the primary system and very very young people who are below the age of consent. So this is a manufactured issue that the left is raising to try and circumvent religious freedom".[23][24][25]

References

  1. ↑ "Mitchell, NSW". Election 2013. Australian Electoral Commission. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Turnbull, Malcolm (19 December 2017). "Ministerial Arrangements" (Press release). Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018. Peter Dutton will become Minister for Home Affairs, for the first time bringing together the nation’s security, border and intelligence agencies under one department. As Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton will be supported by two Ministers: Angus Taylor as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity and Alan Tudge as Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. He will also continue to have the assistance of Alex Hawke as Assistant Minister for Home Affairs. The Department of Home Affairs will keep Australians safer by ensuring full coordination between ASIO, the AFP, Australian Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and AUSTRAC. It will also contribute enormously to nation building through its focus on our immigration program.
  3. 1 2 3 "Mr Alex Hawke MP, Member for Mitchell (NSW) – First Speech To Parliament". Hansard – Australian House of Representatives. Parliament of Australia. February 2008. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 "Biography of Alex Hawke MP". Members of the House of Representatives. Parliament of Australia. March 2008. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  5. 1 2 Murphy, Damien (23 June 2007). "A young gun doing the right thing". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  6. ↑ Carlton, Mike (3 September 2005). "Ah, the tears of crocodiles – Correction". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  7. ↑ Mascarenhas, Alan (18 May 2005). "Young Lib taunts the wets: go to the Greens". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  8. 1 2 Pearlman, Jonathan; Clennell, Andrew (30 August 2005). "Brogden's parting swipe at Lib enemy". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  9. ↑ "'Rumour mill' blamed for Brogden demise". Archived from the original on 2 February 2008.
  10. ↑ Wainright, Robert; Pearlman, Jonathan (31 August 2005). "Shattered Brogden's suicide bid". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  11. 1 2 Clennell, Andrew (18 June 2007). "Age does not worry him, says Lib hopeful". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  12. ↑ "Hawke secures Liberal preselection for Mitchell". ABC News. Australia. 17 June 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  13. ↑ Maley, Paul; Salusinszky, Imre (24 September 2007). "Veteran Lib slams party's far Right". The Australian. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  14. ↑ "Liberal Hawke rejects extremist claims". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 17 June 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  15. ↑ "PM defends Liberal Hawke's preselection". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 18 June 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  16. ↑ Crawford, Barclay. "Liberal dose of damage". The Daily Telegraph.
  17. ↑ Green, Antony (21 December 2007). "Mitchell". Australia votes 2007. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  18. ↑ "Social Security and Veterans' Affairs Legislation amendment (Enhanced Allowances) Bill 2008" (PDF). Hansard – Australian House of Representatives. Parliament of Australia. 2: 2008: 949. 20 February 2008. Archived from the original (PDF transcript) on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  19. ↑ Green, Antony (7 September 2010). "Mitchell". Australia votes 2010. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  20. ↑ "Conscience vote on the cards for gay marriage". The Australian.
  21. ↑ "Mitchell MP Alex Hawke given key economic role in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's new ministry". Hills Shire Times. 21 September 2015.
  22. ↑ Remeikis, Amy (5 November 2017). "Coalition MPs say citizenship audit could create 'witch hunt'". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  23. ↑ "PM says laws to discriminate already exist". Financial Review. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  24. ↑ "PM says discrimination exemptions 'already existed'". NewsComAu. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  25. ↑ "Alex Hawke says there's nothing controversial in expelling gay students | OUTInPerth – LGBTIQ News and Culture". www.outinperth.com. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Alan Cadman		 Member for Mitchell
2007–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Mathias Cormann		 Special Minister of State
2018–Present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Himself
as Assistant Minister to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection		 Assistant Minister for Home Affairs
2017–2018		 Succeeded by
Linda Reynolds
Preceded by
James McGrath		 Assistant Minister to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
2016–2017		 Succeeded by
Himself
as Assistant Minister for Home Affairs
Preceded by
Kelly O'Dwyer		 Assistant Minister to the Treasurer
2015–2016		 Succeeded by
Michael Sukkar
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