Brendan John Nelson (born 19 August 1958) is a former Australian politician and former federal Opposition leader. He served as a member of the
Australian House of RepresentativesThe House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house, the upper house being the Senate.-Origins and role:The House is presided over by the Speaker....
from 1996 federal election until 16 September 2009 as the
LiberalThe 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 competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
member for
BradfieldThe Division of Bradfield is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Dr John Bradfield, the designer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is located in the upper North Shore, and includes the suburbs of Chatswood, Killara, St Ives and...
, a northern
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
seat. A doctor by profession, he came to public prominence as the Federal President of the
Australian Medical AssociationThe Australian Medical Association is a professional association for Australian doctors and medical students.-Presidents of the Australian Medical Association:# Cecil Colville # Angus Murray...
(1993–1995), and served as a Minister in the third and fourth terms of the
Howard GovernmentThe Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections.The Howard Government...
, serving as Minister for Education, Science and Training (2001–2006) and
Minister for DefenceThe Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Senator John Faulkner is the current Minister....
(2006–2007). Following the 2007 federal election, at which the Howard Government was defeated, Nelson was elected leader of the federal Liberal parliamentary group in a contest against former
Minister for Environment and Water ResourcesThe current Australian Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts is Peter Garrett, who took over from Malcolm Turnbull once the Rudd Labor Government is sworn in on 3 December2007...
Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician, the current Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Parliament, and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party, succeeding Brendan Nelson on 16 September 2008....
, and became the Leader of the Opposition on 3 December 2007. On 16 September 2008, in a second contest following a
spill motionAn election for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia was held on 16 September 2008. The successful candidate was Malcolm Turnbull who defeated former leader Brendan Nelson...
, Nelson lost the leadership of the Opposition and the Liberal Party to Turnbull. On 25 August 2009 he announced his retirement from politics, sparking a
2009 Bradfield by-electionA by-election is expected to be held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Bradfield in late 2009. This will be triggered as a result of the resignation of former minister and ex-Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson, who vacated his seat on 16 September 2009.The by-election will be...
.
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia, holding office on commission from the Governor-General. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in Australia...
Kevin RuddKevin Michael Rudd is the 26th and current Prime Minister of Australia and federal leader of the centre-left Australian Labor Party . Under Rudd's leadership, the Labor Party won the 2007 federal election on 24 November against the incumbent centre-right Liberal/National coalition government led...
in September 2009 announced Nelson as the next Ambassador to the
European UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...
,
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
,
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
and
LuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a small, landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany...
as well as Australia's special representative at the World Health Organisation.
Early life
Nelson was born in
CoburgCoburg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
, a suburb of
MelbourneMelbourne is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne city centre is the anchor of the larger geographical area and statistical division known as the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area – of which Melbourne is...
,
VictoriaVictoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales to the north, South Australia to the west, and Tasmania to the south, across the Bass Strait. Victoria is the most densely populated state, with over 70% of...
, as the eldest of three children of Des Nelson, a marine chief steward active in the Seamen's Union, and his wife Patricia. In his infancy, his family moved to his mother's home town of
LauncestonLaunceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia, with a population of 103,325 located at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers...
,
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
. In his early teenage years they relocated again to
AdelaideAdelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth-largest city in Australia, with a population of more than 1.1 million. It is a coastal city situated on the eastern shores of Gulf St. Vincent, on the Adelaide Plains, north of the Fleurieu...
,
South AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories....
, where he matriculated at
Saint Ignatius' CollegeSaint Ignatius' College is an independent, Early Years to Year 12 school in Adelaide, South Australia.The College has two campuses, the Junior school and Early Childhood Centre in Norwood and the Senior campus in Athelstone....
before going on to study economics at the
University of AdelaideThe University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
. However, he dropped out in his first year, working in various casual jobs in retail and hospitality before returning to university to study medicine. He switched to
Flinders UniversityFlinders University, or The Flinders University of South Australia, is a public university in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of navigator Matthew Flinders, who explored and surveyed the South Australian coastline in the early 19th century.The university has...
to complete his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS). He married his first wife, Deanna, while a student at Flinders, but they lasted only a year together.
Medical career
Nelson then relocated to
HobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1803 as a penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2008, the city had a greater area population of approximately 209,287...
,
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
, taking up practice as a
general practitionerA general practitioner or GP is a medical practitioner who provides primary care and specializes in family medicine. A general practitioner treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes...
from 1985 until 1995. In 1986, he married for a second time, and became a father to twins. In 1987, he and Dr
David CreanDavid Crean is a former Labor member of the Parliament of Tasmania. He is the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Crean and brother to former Australian federal opposition leader Simon Crean....
, brother of
LaborThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party.Known as the ALP for short, the party is the current governing party of Australia, since the 2007 federal election...
politician
Simon CreanSimon Findlay Crean is an Australian politician, and current Minister for Trade in the Australian Federal Government. He was leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition at the Federal level, from November 2001 to 2 December 2003. He is the member for the Division of...
and later a Tasmanian state Labor minister, established an after-hours locum service which he worked in until 1991.
In 1988, he joined the
Australian Medical AssociationThe Australian Medical Association is a professional association for Australian doctors and medical students.-Presidents of the Australian Medical Association:# Cecil Colville # Angus Murray...
, and in 1990 became the Tasmanian State president of the organisation, taking a reformist approach to the role, and assisted the State branch in growing its membership. In 1991, he replaced Dr Michael Jones, a former AMA president from Western Australia, as federal AMA vice-president. He took a strong public stand against sponsorship of sports events by cigarette companies, lobbying politicians directly for legislative change, and also encouraged airlines to increase the number of non-smoking seats.
On 30 May 1993, Nelson was elected unopposed as federal president of the
Australian Medical AssociationThe Australian Medical Association is a professional association for Australian doctors and medical students.-Presidents of the Australian Medical Association:# Cecil Colville # Angus Murray...
, at 34 being the youngest ever holder of the office. He came to the office after significant hostility between the AMA and the federal Labor government, which peaked at the 1993 election under former AMA president Dr Bruce Shepherd and former Health Minister
Brian HoweBrian Leslie Howe, AO , Australian politician, was Deputy Prime Minister in the Labor government of Paul Keating from 1991 to 1995....
. Nelson attempted to establish better relations with the government and its new Health Minister,
Graham RichardsonGraham Frederick Richardson is a former Australian politician for the Australian Labor Party.-Early life:Richardson was born in Sydney and spent his early life in Kogarah, New South Wales...
, and pledged to make
AboriginalIndigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands, and these peoples' descendants. Indigenous Australians are distinguished as either Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders, who currently together make up about 2.6% of Australia's...
health and the effects of unemployment on health a high priority during his term, and would appoint a full-time worker based in Canberra to look after these issues.
In an address to the
National Press ClubThe National Press Club is one of the world's leading professional organizations for journalists. It is located in Washington, D.C. Its membership consists of journalists, former journalists, government information officers, and those considered to be regular news sources. It is well-known for its...
on 30 September 1993, acknowledging the AMA's reputation for conservatism, he said he would not "lead the AMA safely", but believed doctors should "lead the way in showing that national progress can be made by placing the welfare and consideration of other human beings ahead of their own," asserting their obligation to speak out on issues for the public good. In the address, he advocated gay law reform, greater concern for the environment, more attention to Aboriginal and unemployed health, and greater co-operation between the medical profession and politicians of all sides to build a better health system. In November, he told a national Aboriginal conference in Sydney that he was ashamed of the medical profession's track record on Aboriginal health, arguing that "doctors need to ask themselves how a person can be well when they've been denied their land, their hunting grounds, their citizenship and freedom and even their own children. Of course Aboriginal people's health has suffered when you look at this litany of misery". As president, while personally opposing
euthanasiaEuthanasia refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many different forms of euthanasia can be distinguished, including animal euthanasia and human euthanasia, and within the latter, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia...
, he supported the right of doctors to withdraw treatment from consenting critically ill patients, and supported euthanasia campaigner Dr
Philip NitschkeDr. Philip Nitschke is an Australian medical doctor, humanist and founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International. He successfully campaigned to have a legal euthanasia law passed in Australia's Northern Territory and assisted four people in ending their lives before the law...
's case against the
Royal Darwin HospitalRoyal Darwin Hospital is an 345-bed teaching hospital located in the northern suburbs of Darwin, Northern Territory.-History:The first hospital of the settlement of Palmerston was built in 1874. The hospital was built on Packard Street overlooking Doctor's Gully. By 1878, the hospital was...
.
The role of private health in the health care mix, Aboriginal health, the AMA's ongoing campaign against cigarette sponsorship of sports events, and the size of the Medicare levy were other significant issues which occupied a lot of Nelson's time and attention as federal president, as they did the various Ministers for Health in the final years of the
Keating GovernmentThe Hawke-Keating Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia of the Australian Labor Party from 1983 to 1996. The government was led initially by Bob Hawke as Prime Minister, who was succeed by Paul Keating in 1991....
. Nelson took ministers and shadow ministers around Central Australia to view Aboriginal communities. In October 1994, the World Conference on Tobacco and Health in Paris unanimously adopted an AMA resolution calling for a formal United Nations strategy on tobacco control.
Political career
Nelson's father's strong involvement in the
union movementThe Australian labour movement has its origins in the early 19th century and includes both trade unions and political activity. At its broadest, the movement can be defined as encompassing the industrial wing, the unions in Australia, and the political wing, the Australian Labor Party and minor...
and the
Australian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party.Known as the ALP for short, the party is the current governing party of Australia, since the 2007 federal election...
influenced his early political development, and he joined Labor at the age of 13. However, he resigned from the Labor Party in 1991 before accepting a role on the AMA executive, on account of his perception of it as an apolitical position. At a rowdy pre-election rally during the 1993 election campaign in
ToorakToorak is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Toorak had a population of 13,127....
, as vice-president of the AMA, he declared via a loud-hailer that "I have never voted Liberal in my life!" On 25 November 1993, he told journalist and medical writer Steve Dow that Labor governments generally were better for Australia but not always in their handling of health care.
In January 1994, Nelson had joined the
Liberal Party of AustraliaThe 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 competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, at first joining the Tasmanian branch. After initially being tipped for the South Australian seat of
BoothbyThe Division of Boothby is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia. The division was created in 1903 and is named for William Boothby, who was the chief electoral officer in South Australia at the time of the first federal election in 1901...
, being vacated by outgoing Liberal MP
Steele HallRaymond Steele Hall was, from 1968 to 1970, the 36th premier of South Australia, senator for South Australia from 1974 to 1977 and federal member for the Division of Boothby from 1981 to 1996....
, he sold his Tasmanian home, and moved to
LindfieldLindfield is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lindfield is located 13 kilometres north-west of the Sydney Central Business District in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council...
in the affluent
North ShoreThe North Shore is an informal term used to describe a primarily residential area of northern metropolitan Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The term usually refers to the suburbs located on the north shore of Sydney Harbour between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River, although...
region of
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
, establishing a surgery at
The RocksThe Rocks is an inner-city suburb, tourist precinct and historic area of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour, immediately north-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of...
and switching his membership to the
PymblePymble is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Pymble is located 18 kilometres north-west of the Sydney Central Business District in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council....
branch. On 30 January 1995, he announced his nomination for the preselection contest for
BradfieldThe Division of Bradfield is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Dr John Bradfield, the designer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is located in the upper North Shore, and includes the suburbs of Chatswood, Killara, St Ives and...
, a safe Liberal seat in which Pymble was located and held since 1974 by shadow minister
David ConnollyDavid Miles Connolly is an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he attended the University of Sydney before becoming private secretary to Senator Alister McMullin, the President of the Senate, in 1963, holding the position until 1965. In that year he joined the Australian Diplomatic Service, and...
. He was supported in his bid by former AMA president Dr Bruce Shepherd, who served as his campaign treasurer. On 1 March 1995 at a Liberal gathering, he renounced his view that Labor governments had been better for Australia, and stated that he believed Medicare was unsustainable and that voluntary work programs for the unemployed would build self-esteem, and advocated a consumption tax. He declared that "if all I wanted to do was be a parliamentarian, a seat-warmer, I would have gone for a marginal seat." A bitter preselection campaign ensued, and on 13 May 1995 he gained the party's endorsement on a 96-to-93 vote against incumbent MP and shadow minister
David ConnollyDavid Miles Connolly is an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he attended the University of Sydney before becoming private secretary to Senator Alister McMullin, the President of the Senate, in 1963, holding the position until 1965. In that year he joined the Australian Diplomatic Service, and...
, despite the latter having the support of Liberal leader
John HowardJohn Winston Howard, AC was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He is the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
and deputy leader
Peter CostelloPeter Howard Costello is an Australian lawyer and former politician. Elected to the seat of Higgins in 1990, he was Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party from 1994 to 2007, and served as Treasurer of Australia from 1996 to 2007, making him the longest serving treasurer in Australian history.On 18...
. Nelson claimed his win was "a victory for liberalism". After the preselection, Nelson worked on an Aboriginal health program for the
Cape York PeninsulaCape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. This remote peninsula contains some of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth, though about half of the land area is used for grazing cattle and much has been damaged by feral pigs, weeds, and other...
, and in June, following his retirement as president of the AMA, went to the slums of
NairobiNairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi Province. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters"...
,
KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
, on behalf of
World VisionWorld Vision, founded in the United States in 1950, is an international Christian relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good...
to hear about that country's struggles with
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus ....
—only three months after losing his younger brother to the disease.
On 14 July 1995, as master of ceremonies for a fundraising dinner supporting Howard, he was criticised for his risque humour concerning then-current entertainment and political events, not having realised that Lady Fairfax, Lady McMahon and conservative business leaders were in the audience. The incident gained considerable publicity and there were calls from inside the Liberal Party to reverse his preselection, but he was supported by key decision-makers including the president of the NSW Liberal Party.
Member for Bradfield
After being elected as the member for Bradfield in the federal election on 2 March 1996, at which the Keating government was defeated and
John HowardJohn Winston Howard, AC was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He is the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
became
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia, holding office on commission from the Governor-General. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in Australia...
, Nelson worked as a government backbencher.
Nelson was a vocal opponent of the views of Independent MP
Pauline HansonPauline Lee Hanson is an Australian politician and former leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation, a political party with a populist and anti-immigration platform. In 2006, she was named by The Bulletin as one of the 100 most influential Australians of all time.-Early life:Hanson was raised in...
following her maiden speech on 10 September 1996, challenging her to visit
Palm IslandPalm Island, also known as Great Palm Island, or by the Aboriginal name Bwgcolman, is a tropical island with a resident community of about 4,000 people. The settlement is named variously Palm Island, the Mission, Palm Island Settlement or Palm Community...
and other Aboriginal communities with him. On 6 October, he proposed a bipartisan condemnation of her statements along lines already suggested by Labor Opposition leader
Kim BeazleyKim Christian Beazley, AC , son of Kim Edward Beazley, is an Australian politician and academic, who was Leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1996 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2006. As of 2007 he is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the...
, saying that politicians had an obligation to show leadership on the issue. He questioned the Prime Minister, who offered to cooperate and negotiate, but indicated he would not support the Opposition's motion in full. On 19 October, Nelson said he believed the Government needed to more clearly repudiate Hanson's claims, and that she was "appealing to a primeval instinct" in her statements on Aboriginals and Asian migrants. On 30 October 1996, a bipartisan motion on tolerance, nondiscriminatory immigration and Aboriginal reconciliation was moved and passed.
In December 1996, Liberal MP
Kevin AndrewsKevin Andrews may refer to:* Kevin Andrews , former Australian federal minister* Kevin Andrews , American writer and archaeologist...
raised a private members' bill to overturn the
Northern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
's euthanasia legislation, which had been championed by Dr
Philip NitschkeDr. Philip Nitschke is an Australian medical doctor, humanist and founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International. He successfully campaigned to have a legal euthanasia law passed in Australia's Northern Territory and assisted four people in ending their lives before the law...
. Nelson, along with former New South Wales premier
John FaheyJohn Joseph Fahey, AC is the former Premier of New South Wales and Federal Minister for Finance in Australia. John Fahey is currently the chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1984 to 1996 and the federal House of...
, were accused of convincing the son of the first man to die under the law, who had previously been a euthanasia advocate, to change his mind. The man, a branch secretary of a rural Liberal branch, ended up in hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown following the publicity surrounding the matter. When the bill went through the House of Representatives on 10 December, Nelson was one of 88 MPs who voted for Andrews' bill on a conscience vote. Nelson also had to apologise to Parliament in March 1997 when it was found that 11 parts of a speech he had given matched a paper on overseas doctors by immigration expert Dr Bob Birrell of
Monash UniversityMonash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Australia. It is Australia's largest university with about 55,000 students.The University has a total of eight campuses: six in Victoria, Australia , one in Malaysia and one in South Africa...
published the previous year.
Nelson was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence in 2001.
Minister for Education, Science and Training
After the 2001 federal election he was promoted directly to Cabinet with the senior portfolio of Minister for Education, Science and Training. He introduced a series of radical changes to Australia's higher education system that simultaneously imposed more direct government control over the management of universities while also allowing them to earn more revenue by charging higher fees to students. He extended the government's policy of directing more federal funding to non-government schools, as well as becoming more involved in reviewing the state education systems. In 2005 he introduced
Voluntary Student UnionismVoluntary student unionism is a policy, notable in Australia, under which membership of – and payment of membership fees to – university student organisations is voluntary....
. He was a popular target for student activism because of these changes.
In 2005 Nelson expressed support for giving parents the option of having students exposed to the controversial subject of
intelligent designIntelligent design is the assertion that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a modern form of the traditional teleological argument for the existence of God, but one which...
. However he emphasized that
evolutionIn biology, evolution is change in the genetic material of a population of organisms from one generation to the next. Though changes produced in any one generation are normally small, differences accumulate with each generation and can, over time, cause substantial changes in the population, a...
should always hold first place saying, "I'd be quite concerned if intelligent design were to replace evolution." He later said intelligent design should only be taught in religion or philosophy classes.
Minister for Defence
After his rapid promotion to Cabinet, Nelson was spoken of as a possible future Liberal leader. On 24 January 2006, then Prime Minister
John HowardJohn Winston Howard, AC was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He is the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
announced Nelson's promotion from the Education, Science and Training portfolio to the high profile Defence portfolio.
As Defence Minister, he made the controversial decision to purchase
BoeingThe Boeing Company is a major aerospace and defense corporation, founded by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Its international headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois, since 2001...
's
Super HornetThe Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a 4.5+ generation carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry...
aircraft instead of a fighter perceived by some to be more capable.
Leader of the Opposition
Following the defeat of the Howard government at the 2007 federal election, he was
elected Liberal party leaderAn election for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia was held on 29 November 2007. At the same time an election for the deputy leadership of the party was held, as under Liberal Party rules, all leadership positions are declared vacant after a general election, no matter what the...
and therefore Leader of the Opposition, narrowly defeating
Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician, the current Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Parliament, and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party, succeeding Brendan Nelson on 16 September 2008....
in a 45 to 42 vote, after the withdrawal from the race of
Tony AbbottAnthony John "Tony" Abbott , Australian politician, is the current Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs in the Australian federal opposition. From 2004-2007 he was Minister for Health and Ageing in the Howard government, and Leader of the House of Representatives...
. After Nelson's election, his political past resurfaced, with him claiming he came from a Labor family.
Nelson became the first person since
Billy SneddenSir Billy Mackie Snedden, KCMG, QC was an Australian politician representing the Liberal Party. He was Leader of the Opposition at the 1974 federal election, failing to defeat the Labor incumbent Gough Whitlam.-Early life:...
in 1972 to become Opposition Leader without prior experience in Opposition. Nelson is also the first
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
to lead the Liberal Party.
On 1 December 2007 Nelson attempted to distance himself from some of the conservative policies of his predecessor, saying "I don't support gay marriage, adoption or IVF. But I believe in addressing the social and economic injustices affecting homosexuals."
Nelson declared that the Liberal Party had "listened and learned" from the Australian public and that
WorkChoicesThe Workplace Relations Act 1996, as amended by the Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005, or WorkChoices, which came into effect in March 2006, was a comprehensive change to industrial relations in Australia....
is "dead", and called on the Government to move quickly to introduce draft industrial relations legislation.
In January 2008, Nelson opposed making any formal apology to the
indigenous AustraliansIndigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands, and these peoples' descendants. Indigenous Australians are distinguished as either Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders, who currently together make up about 2.6% of Australia's...
known as the "Stolen Generations". Nelson said such an apology would fuel guilt among middle Australia, and cause a mentality of "victimhood" among indigenous Australians. In early February 2008, Nelson changed his stance, and declared that he supported the apology, first personally, then also on behalf of his party:
I, on behalf of the Coalition, of the alternative government of Australia, are [sic] providing in-principle support for the offer of an apology to the forcibly removed generations of Aboriginal children.
Nelson's leadership came under increased pressure in January 2008, after an MP shifted loyalties to Turnbull, and taking into consideration that former MP David Tollner was still allowed to vote, the leadership vote would now be deadlocked at 43-43.
NewspollNewspoll Market Research is an Australian company providing opinion polling and other market research services. Its chief executive is Martin O'Shannessy.Newspoll's frequent surveys of voter opinion are published in The Australian....
polling in February 2008 set a record low "Preferred Prime Minister" rating for any opposition leader at 9 percent, with March polling setting another record of 7 percent, with two party preferred setting another Newspoll record at 37-63 percent. Nelson responded by declaring himself the underdog. In response to increased speculation about his leadership Nelson commented in April that he "will keep fighting and standing up for everyday Australians.".
Nelson used his 2008 budget reply to declare the
Rudd governmentThe Rudd Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia during Kevin Rudd's prime ministership. It is made up of members of the Australian Labor Party....
budget a "tax and spend" budget, as well as arguing for a 5 cent reduction in petrol excise, and pledging to block an increase in the "
alcopopAlcopop is a term describing certain flavored alcoholic beverages, including:#malt beverages to which various fruit juices or other flavorings have been added,...
" tax.. Nelson's performance prompted Deputy Leader
Julie BishopJulie Isabel Bishop is an Australian politician and the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Australia. She holds this title as the deputy leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. She is the party's first female Deputy Leader and the third woman in Australian history to...
to declare that Nelson's leadership was "not in question"
In May 2008, Nelson gave his approval to a merger occurring between the Queensland Liberal Party and Queensland National Party.
Support for Nelson as leader within the Liberal Party had all but collapsed by the end of July 2008, in part due to repeated gaffes on emissions trading and climate change. Expected to challenge him was either
Peter CostelloPeter Howard Costello is an Australian lawyer and former politician. Elected to the seat of Higgins in 1990, he was Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party from 1994 to 2007, and served as Treasurer of Australia from 1996 to 2007, making him the longest serving treasurer in Australian history.On 18...
or
Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician, the current Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Parliament, and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party, succeeding Brendan Nelson on 16 September 2008....
, upon the release of Costello's book,
The Costello MemoirsThe Costello Memoirs is a collection of writings by Australian politician and long-standing treasurer Peter Costello and co-authored by former politician and Costello's father-in-law, Peter Coleman...
. Costello stated he would not be making any move for the Liberal leadership, however media outlets capitalised on Costello's failure to categorically rule out any future leadership challenge.
Nelson suffered from another gaffe in August 2008, where he stated:
Peter's made his decision that he did not seek the leadership of the party. As I've said before, I'd be very happy if he changes his mind.
He later attempted to clarify the comment in that he was referring to Costello staying in parliament.
Despite a small and steady increase after record low polling, Nelson lost the leadership of the Liberal Party to Shadow Treasurer,
Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician, the current Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Parliament, and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party, succeeding Brendan Nelson on 16 September 2008....
, on 16 September 2008 by 45 to 41 votes in a
spill motionAn election for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia was held on 16 September 2008. The successful candidate was Malcolm Turnbull who defeated former leader Brendan Nelson...
. Nelson went to the backbench. On 16 February 2009 he announced that he would retire from politics at the next federal election. On 25 August 2009 he announced that he would resign from Parliament in late September 2009, triggering a
2009 Bradfield by-electionA by-election is expected to be held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Bradfield in late 2009. This will be triggered as a result of the resignation of former minister and ex-Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson, who vacated his seat on 16 September 2009.The by-election will be...
.
Ambassador to the European Union and NATO
On 16 September 2009, Prime Minister
Kevin RuddKevin Michael Rudd is the 26th and current Prime Minister of Australia and federal leader of the centre-left Australian Labor Party . Under Rudd's leadership, the Labor Party won the 2007 federal election on 24 November against the incumbent centre-right Liberal/National coalition government led...
appointed Nelson as the Ambassador to the European Union and NATO along with former
Federal LaborThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party.Known as the ALP for short, the party is the current governing party of Australia, since the 2007 federal election...
Leader,
Kim BeazleyKim Christian Beazley, AC , son of Kim Edward Beazley, is an Australian politician and academic, who was Leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1996 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2006. As of 2007 he is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the...
as the Australian Ambassador to the
United States of AmericaThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Nelson accepted the appointment from his former rival and commended Rudd's decision on appointing Beazley as Ambassador to the USA. Nelson said to both of their appointments "It would be accepted across the political spectrum". Nelson officially resigned from Federal Parliament the same day, ending 13 years as the member for Bradfield.
Personal life
Nelson has been married three times and has two children. In 1995, his brother, Philip, died after a long battle with
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus ....
. His hobbies include playing guitar and riding motorcycles, which he started at 17 after he dropped out of an economics degree at Adelaide University and needed a cheap form of transport.
External links