Joel Fitzgibbon
Encyclopedia
Joel Andrew Fitzgibbon (born 16 January 1962) is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party
member of the Australian House of Representatives
since March 1996, representing the Division of Hunter
in New South Wales. From December 2007 to June 2009 he was the Minister for Defence
in the Rudd Ministry. He resigned from cabinet in June 2009 after several controversies related to his ministerial conduct.
, New South Wales, and is the son of Eric Fitzgibbon
who was MP for Hunter 1984–96. Before entering politics Fitzgibbon was an automotive electrician, electorate officer, part-time technical education lecturer and small business operator. He was a member of the Cessnock City Council in the period 1987–95.
became Leader of the Opposition, Fitzgibbon was appointed Shadow Minister for Defence. He was subsequently appointed Minister for Defence when Labor won office at the 2007 federal election.
(AFP) raid on Canberra Times' journalist Philip Dorling
, although he did not guarantee that his department had not contacted the AFP. Dorling was accused of receiving confidential cabinet documents intended for Fitzgibbon.
On 22 October 2008 Fitzgibbon instructed the Department of Defense to cease debt recovery procedures against SAS soldiers that had been accidentally overpaid. A subsequent audit by KPMG discovered that the soldiers' pay continued to be docked after the ministerial instruction.
newspapers reported that officers in the Department of Defence had conducted a covert and unauthorised investigation into Fitzgibbon's friendship with a Chinese-Australian businesswoman in the belief that it constituted a security risk. This was alleged to have included officers from the Defence Signals Directorate
accessing the computer network in Fitzgibbon's office to obtain the woman's bank details. The Department has launched an urgent inquiry into the reports. Nick Warner
, the Department's Secretary, stated that he had not seen any information to confirm the claims and that there were no circumstances in which secret investigations into Ministers could be authorised. Fitzgibbon was reported to be "furious" about the investigation, and has suggested that it may have been conducted by officials opposed to his reforms to the Australian Defence Organisation
.
Fitzgibbon resigned as Minister for Defence on 4 June 2009 after admitting that meetings held between his brother, the head of the health fund NIB
, and defence officials concerning business opportunities had breached the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
as Chief Government Whip
.
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 March 1996, representing the Division of Hunter
Division of Hunter
The Division of Hunter is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in northern rural New South Wales, and encompasses much of the Hunter Valley region, including the towns of Singleton, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Cessnock and Denman...
in New South Wales. From December 2007 to June 2009 he was the Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
in the Rudd Ministry. He resigned from cabinet in June 2009 after several controversies related to his ministerial conduct.
Background
Fitzgibbon was born in BellingenBellingen
Bellingen may refer to:*Bellingen, Rhineland-Palatinate, a municipality in the district Westerwaldkreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany*Bellingen, Saxony-Anhalt, a municipality in the district of Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany...
, New South Wales, and is the son of Eric Fitzgibbon
Eric Fitzgibbon
Eric John Fitzgibbon was an Australian politician. Born in Taree, New South Wales, he attended the University of New England and became a teacher. He served on Cessnock City Council, and was mayor from 1981-83. In 1984, he entered the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for...
who was MP for Hunter 1984–96. Before entering politics Fitzgibbon was an automotive electrician, electorate officer, part-time technical education lecturer and small business operator. He was a member of the Cessnock City Council in the period 1987–95.
Member of Parliament
Fitzgibbon was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry in October 1998 and was Shadow Minister for Mining, Energy and Forestry in 2003–05. In June 2005 he was appointed Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Revenue and for Small Business and Competition. In early December 2006, when Kevin RuddKevin 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...
became Leader of the Opposition, Fitzgibbon was appointed Shadow Minister for Defence. He was subsequently appointed Minister for Defence when Labor won office at the 2007 federal election.
Minister for Defence
In 2008 Fitzgibbon expressed dissatisfaction with an unclassified briefing he received on an assessment of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). He subsequently ordered and received a classified report that addressed his concerns, and then expressed confidence in the JSF project. In the same interview, he also denied personal involvement in the Australian Federal PoliceAustralian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
(AFP) raid on Canberra Times' journalist Philip Dorling
Philip Dorling
Philip Dorling is the National Affairs and Defence Correspondent for The Canberra Times, an author, and is currently engaged as a Visiting Fellow at the school of Humanities and Social Science in the Australian Defence Force Academy.-Political career:...
, although he did not guarantee that his department had not contacted the AFP. Dorling was accused of receiving confidential cabinet documents intended for Fitzgibbon.
On 22 October 2008 Fitzgibbon instructed the Department of Defense to cease debt recovery procedures against SAS soldiers that had been accidentally overpaid. A subsequent audit by KPMG discovered that the soldiers' pay continued to be docked after the ministerial instruction.
Controversy
On 26 March 2009, Fairfax MediaFairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
newspapers reported that officers in the Department of Defence had conducted a covert and unauthorised investigation into Fitzgibbon's friendship with a Chinese-Australian businesswoman in the belief that it constituted a security risk. This was alleged to have included officers from the Defence Signals Directorate
Defence Signals Directorate
Defence Signals Directorate is an Australian government intelligence agency responsible for signals intelligence and information security .-Overview:According to its website, DSD has two principal functions:...
accessing the computer network in Fitzgibbon's office to obtain the woman's bank details. The Department has launched an urgent inquiry into the reports. Nick Warner
Nick Warner
Nicholas Peter "Nick" Warner AO PSM is an Australian diplomat and public servant, who is the current Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service . From December 2006 to August 2009, he was the Secretary of the Australian Department of Defence...
, the Department's Secretary, stated that he had not seen any information to confirm the claims and that there were no circumstances in which secret investigations into Ministers could be authorised. Fitzgibbon was reported to be "furious" about the investigation, and has suggested that it may have been conducted by officials opposed to his reforms to the Australian Defence Organisation
Australian Defence Organisation
The Australian Defence Organisation is an Australian Government organisation which consists of the Australian Defence Force and the civilian Department of Defence personnel supporting the ADF...
.
Fitzgibbon resigned as Minister for Defence on 4 June 2009 after admitting that meetings held between his brother, the head of the health fund NIB
Nib health funds
nib health funds is an Australian health insurance company. It is Australia's fifth largest private health insurer providing cover to more than 700,000 people nationwide.-History:...
, and defence officials concerning business opportunities had breached the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
43rd Parliament
Following his reelection in the 2010 Federal election, Fitzgibbon was elected by the Labor CaucusCaucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
as Chief Government Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
.
External links
- JoelFitzgibbon.com – official website