Brendan O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Brendan Patrick O'Connor (born 2 March 1962), Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party
member of the Australian House of Representatives
since November 2001, representing the Division of Burke
, Victoria 2001–04 and the Division of Gorton
since October 2004. He is currently the Minister for Home Affairs.
He was born in London, England, to Irish parents and held Irish citizenship until 1995, when he became an Australian citizen. He was educated in Ireland and Australia, taking degrees in Arts and Law at Monash University
. In 1995, he participated in the Harvard Trade Union Program at Harvard Law School
, Harvard University
.
He firstly began his union career as an organiser with the now defunct Municipal Employees Union of Victoria.
And then he was Assistant National Secretary with the Australian Services Union
before entering politics.
The Electoral Division of Burke was abolished by the 2003 redistribution, and O'Connor contested the new Electoral Division of Gorton at the 2004 election.
He is a member of the Independent Left faction of the Victorian branch of the Labor Party, more commonly known as the Ferguson Left
.
In December 2005, he was elected to the position of Chair of the Federal Labor Industrial Relations Taskforce
, in a caucus ballot. The Taskforce was instigated by the caucus in order to investigate the adverse effects of the Howard Government's WorkChoices
legislation, a controversial package of industrial relations changes.
In 2006, the Taskforce travelled to every state and territory convening meetings with individuals, employers, church and community groups and trade unions, collecting testimony. An interim report, 'WorkChoices
: A Race to the Bottom' was launched by Opposition Leader Kim Beazley
at Parliament House, Canberra
on 20 June 2006.
Shortly after the election of Kevin Rudd
to the office of federal Labor leader and Leader of the Opposition on 4 December 2006, O'Connor was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations.
Following the Labor victory at the 2007 federal election, the new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
announced that O'Connor would serve as the Minister for Employment Participation
from 29 November 2007.
On 6 June 2009 O'Connor was announced as the Minister for Home Affairs
in the Rudd Government, replacing Bob Debus
who will be retiring at the next federal election.
Following Labor's narrow victory at the 2010 Election, new Prime Minister Julia Gillard allocated increased responsibilities to O'Connor. He became Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Justice
and Minister for Privacy and Freedom of Information.
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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....
since November 2001, representing the Division of Burke
Division of Burke (1969-2004)
The Division of Burke was an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1969 and abolished in 2004.The division was named after Robert O'Hara Burke, an explorer who led the Victorian expedition in 1860, the first to cross Australia from south to north.It was located in...
, Victoria 2001–04 and the Division of Gorton
Division of Gorton
The Division of Gorton is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 2004 and is named for Sir John Gorton, who was Prime Minister of Australia 1968-71...
since October 2004. He is currently the Minister for Home Affairs.
He was born in London, England, to Irish parents and held Irish citizenship until 1995, when he became an Australian citizen. He was educated in Ireland and Australia, taking degrees in Arts and Law at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
. In 1995, he participated in the Harvard Trade Union Program at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
He firstly began his union career as an organiser with the now defunct Municipal Employees Union of Victoria.
And then he was Assistant National Secretary with the Australian Services Union
Australian Services Union
The Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union, which operates under the trading name of the Australian Services Union or ASU, is a trade union that represents members in a variety of industries.-Union history:...
before entering politics.
The Electoral Division of Burke was abolished by the 2003 redistribution, and O'Connor contested the new Electoral Division of Gorton at the 2004 election.
He is a member of the Independent Left faction of the Victorian branch of the Labor Party, more commonly known as the Ferguson Left
Ferguson Left
The Independent Left, or the Ferguson Left or Soft Left as it is more commonly known, is a political faction within the Australian Labor Party. The faction was founded by Martin Ferguson, a former president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions...
.
In December 2005, he was elected to the position of Chair of the Federal Labor Industrial Relations Taskforce
Industrial Relations Taskforce
The Industrial Relations Taskforce is a taskforce established in December 2005 by the caucus of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party of Australia to examine the effects of the Government’s industrial relations changes on individuals, families and communities...
, in a caucus ballot. The Taskforce was instigated by the caucus in order to investigate the adverse effects of the Howard Government's WorkChoices
WorkChoices
The Workplace Relations Act 1996, as amended by the Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005, popularly known as Work Choices, was a Legislative Act of the Australian Parliament that came into effect in March 2006 which involved many controversial amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, the...
legislation, a controversial package of industrial relations changes.
In 2006, the Taskforce travelled to every state and territory convening meetings with individuals, employers, church and community groups and trade unions, collecting testimony. An interim report, 'WorkChoices
WorkChoices
The Workplace Relations Act 1996, as amended by the Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005, popularly known as Work Choices, was a Legislative Act of the Australian Parliament that came into effect in March 2006 which involved many controversial amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, the...
: A Race to the Bottom' was launched by Opposition Leader Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
at Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House is the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The building was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and opened on 1988 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia...
on 20 June 2006.
Shortly after the election of Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
to the office of federal Labor leader and Leader of the Opposition on 4 December 2006, O'Connor was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations.
Following the Labor victory at the 2007 federal election, the new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
announced that O'Connor would serve as the Minister for Employment Participation
Minister for Employment Participation (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare is Kate Ellis, appointed on 14 September 2010. The position is within the portfolio of the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Chris Evans and is administered through the Department of Education,...
from 29 November 2007.
On 6 June 2009 O'Connor was announced as the Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
in the Rudd Government, replacing Bob Debus
Bob Debus
Robert John "Bob" Debus AM , a former Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the Australian Labor Party. Debus has been a minister in both the Australian and New South Wales governments...
who will be retiring at the next federal election.
Following Labor's narrow victory at the 2010 Election, new Prime Minister Julia Gillard allocated increased responsibilities to O'Connor. He became Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Justice
Minister for Justice (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Justice is the Hon Brendan O'Connor MP. The position supports the Attorney-General. Michael Tate was appointed the first minister with this title on 18 September 1987 and there have ministers with responsibilities for justice ever since except between 3 December 2007...
and Minister for Privacy and Freedom of Information.
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