Michael Keenan
The Honourable Michael Keenan MP | |
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Minister for Human Services | |
In office 20 December 2017 – 22 August 2018 | |
Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull |
Preceded by | Alan Tudge |
Succeeded by | vacant |
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation | |
Assumed office 20 December 2017 | |
Prime Minister |
Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison |
Preceded by | Angus Taylor (as assistant minister) |
Minister for Justice | |
In office 18 September 2013 – 20 December 2017 | |
Prime Minister |
Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull |
Preceded by | Jason Clare |
Succeeded by | Angus Taylor (as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity) |
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Counter-Terrorism | |
In office 28 May 2015 – 20 December 2017 | |
Prime Minister |
Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull |
Preceded by | New ministerial post |
Succeeded by | Angus Taylor (as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity) |
Member of the Australian Parliament for Stirling | |
Assumed office 9 October 2004 | |
Preceded by | Jann McFarlane |
Personal details | |
Born |
Michael Fayat Keenan 19 March 1972 Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
Political party | Liberal |
Other political affiliations | Coalition |
Spouse(s) | Georgina Bower |
Children | 3 |
Education | Trinity College, Perth |
Alma mater |
Murdoch University Charles University, Prague Australian National University University of Cambridge |
Website |
www |
Michael Fayat Keenan (born 19 March 1972) is an Australian politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives since the 2004 federal election, representing the Division of Stirling for the Liberal Party. He is the current Minister for Human Services and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation in the Morrison Government, in office since December 2017. He previously served as Minister for Justice from 2013 to 2017.
Early life
Keenan was born in Perth. His father Peter was born in County Durham, England. During the parliamentary eligibility crisis of 2017, it came to public attention that Keenan had acquired British citizenship by descent at birth, which he renounced before the 2004 election. Some media outlets had incorrectly reported that he had never renounced his citizenship; in response, he wrote "I am an Australian citizen and I do not hold citizenship of any other country. Fairfax is aware of this, yet in a cheap grab for a headline they have ignored this".[1][2]
Keenan went to school at Trinity College, Perth. He later attended Murdoch University, the Australian National University, and Cambridge University, where he obtained a master's degree in philosophy. He was a property consultant with a real estate firm before entering politics. He had previously worked as an adviser to Senator Amanda Vanstone and was deputy director of the Liberal Party of Western Australia.[3]
Politics
Keenan was elected to parliament at the 2004 federal election, defeating the incumbent Labor member Jann McFarlane. He was promoted to the shadow ministry after the 2007 election, serving as Shadow Assistant Treasurer (2007–2008), Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (2009–2009), and finally Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection (2009–13).[3] He was identified by the media as a supporter of Malcolm Turnbull in the 2009 leadership spill.[4]
Government minister
Following the 2013 federal election, Keenan was appointed Minister for Justice in the Abbott Government. He was also made Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Counter-Terrorism in May 2015.[5] In the 2015 leadership spill, Keenan was again identified as one of Turnbull's supporters.[6] He retained both his positions in the new ministry.[3]
As justice minister, Keenan oversaw the first national firearms amnesty since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. It ran from July to September 2017, allowing people to hand in unregistered or unwanted firearms.[7] The amnesty had been approved in March 2017 by the Firearms and Weapons Policy Working Group (FWPWG) to reduce the number of unregistered firearms in Australia that were being used in Islamic terrorist attacks.[8][9]
In a ministerial reshuffle in December 2017, Keenan was promoted to cabinet as Minister for Human Services and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation.[10][11]
References
- ↑ Justice Minister Michael Keenan denies he is a dual citizen of UK and Australia
- ↑ Justice Minister Michael Keenan says he renounced British citizenship before entering Parliament
- 1 2 3 Hon Michael Keenan MP
- ↑ Shock result as Abbott wins Liberal leadership by one vote ... ETS dead
- ↑ "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry". smh.com.au. AAP. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ↑ Liberal leadership spill: The faces of Tony Abbott’s executioners emerge
- ↑ Minister for Justice Michael Keenan (16 June 2017). "National Firearms Amnesty starts on July 1" (Press release). Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ↑ "National gun amnesty called amid 'deteriorating national security environment'". Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ↑ "Terms of Reference for the 2017 National Firearms Amnesty in Victoria". Victoria Police. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
- ↑ Turnbull, Malcolm (20 December 2017). "Ministerial Arrangements" (Press release). Government of Australia. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
Michael Keenan will join Cabinet as Minister for Human Services and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation - a central role in ensuring all Australians get the services they expect when dealing with the Government, particularly as more and more services shift online.
- ↑ "Australian Government Ministry List as at 20 December 2017" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia. 20 December 2017.
External links
Parliament of Australia | ||
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Preceded by Jann McFarlane |
Member for Stirling 2004–present |
Incumbent |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Jason Clare |
Minister for Justice 2013–2017 |
Succeeded by Angus Taylor as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity |
New ministerial post | Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Counter-Terrorism 2015–2017 | |
Preceded by Alan Tudge |
Minister for Human Services 2017–present |
Incumbent |
Preceded by Angus Taylor as Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation |
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation 2017–present |