Kevin Hogan (politician)

Kevin John Hogan (born 11 August 1963) is an Australian politician. He has been a Nationals member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of Page in New South Wales, since September 2013.

Early life

Hogan was born in Port Augusta in regional South Australia. After completing a Bachelor of Economics at Flinders University^[1] in 1984 he began a career in Finance. He moved to Sydney and worked for an official Money Market Dealer, GIO Securities, dealing with the Reserve Bank of Australia^[2] on a daily basis. Hogan then went on to work with Colonial State Bank for ten years. In this role he managed a multibillion-dollar portfolio and appeared on Sky News every morning giving an economic update. Hogan married his wife Karen in 1993. They returned to Karen's home town of Lismore in 1998. He then completed a Graduate Diploma in Education in 1998 at Southern Cross University.^[3] He took up a position at St Mary's High ^[4] in Casino where he taught Business Studies and Commerce from 1999 till 2006. Hogan has also been a director of the industry superannuation fund CSRF,^[5] and was their investment officer from 2006 for a number of years. He then operated his own consultancy business and runs a small cattle property outside Lismore.

Career

Hogan ran as the Nationals candidate for the Division of Page at the 2010 election, but was defeated by the incumbent Australian Labor Party candidate Janelle Saffin. He re-contested the bellwether seat at the 2013 election and campaigned heavily on cost of living issues, jobs and the duplication of the Pacific Highway. He secured a two-party-preferred swing of 6.7 points^[6] – almost twice the national average of 3.6 points, finishing with a margin of 2.5 points. The redistribution prior to the 2016 election saw Kevin re-elected. Upon entering Australia’s 44th Federal Parliament^[7] as a member of the Coalition government, Hogan was appointed to the Finance Select Committee^[8] where, at its first meeting, he urged Australian Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens to consider appointing a regional representative to the 11-member interest-rate setting board. Hogan has served on Lismore City Council’s Wastewater Advisory Committee, was vice-president of his local state primary school Parents & Citizens Committee, and has coached junior sporting teams.

On 26 March 2018, the House of Representatives elected Hogan as Deputy Speaker.^[9]

Following Peter Dutton's unsuccessful attempt to oust Malcolm Turnbull as leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister, Hogan announced that he would move to the crossbench if the Liberals called for another spill before the next election.^[10] He made good on his promise on 24 August, when Turnbull resigned the leadership rather than face a second spill, which resulted in Scott Morrison becoming Prime Minister. Hogan calls himself an "Independent National"; while he sits on the crossbench, he maintains support for the Coalition on confidence and supply matters, and continues to sit in the National party room.^[11] Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said that Hogan remains a member of the Nationals in good standing, and would have the party's full support if he runs as a National in Page in the next election.^[12]

Achievements

First Term

• Casino Hospital emergency department $3m ^[13]
• Casino Saleyards upgrade $3.5m ^[14]
• Crowley Village, Ballina 20 beds $1.18m ^[15]
• 36 new beds for Whiddon Group, Grafton $2.1m ^[16]
• Harwood Mill and refinery $4.15m ^[17]
• Trade Training Centre Trinity College Lismore $1.3m ^[18]
• Lismore Quadrangle project $2.85m ^[19]

Second Term

• Solaris Pharmaceuticals – medicinal cannabis facility $2.5m ^[20]
• Southern Cross Uni assisting disabled students $3.5m
• Oakes Oval redevelopment $1.4m ^[21]
• Headspace expansion in Lismore and Casino $1.4m ^[22]
• Adaptapack relocation and establishment in Northern Rivers $1.5m ^[23]
• Bridge replacements in Kyogle shire $10m ^[24]
• Expansion of Whiddon Group Aged Care in Kyogle $4.7m ^[25]
• New boat for Minnie Waters Wooli Surf Club $17k ^[26]
• Clarence Valley Aged Care $9.36m ^[27]
• CCTV cameras in Grafton $200k ^[28]
• Disaster assistance for Clarence Valley and Lismore after November/December 2017 storms and March 2017 flood. ^[29]
• Woodburn Riverside precinct upgrade $700k ^[30]
• Maclean Riverside precinct upgrade $2.3m ^[31]
• Kyogle Memorial Hall revitalisation $270k ^[32]
• Toonumbar Dam access road upgrade $1.1m ^[33]
• Heating of Kyogle pool $250k ^[34]
• Major upgrade of Culmaran Creek Road $1.7m ^[35]
• Upgrade of Raw Food Hub at Nana Glen $200k ^[36]

References