Michael Ferguson
Encyclopedia
Michael Darrel Joseph Ferguson (born 23 March 1974) is an Australia
n politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia
member of the Australian House of Representatives
from 2004 to 2007, representing the electorate of Bass
. He was defeated at the 2007 federal election, and subsequently switched to state politics, winning election to the corresponding Tasmanian House of Assembly
electorate at the 2010 state election
.
He was educated at the University of Tasmania
, holding degrees in Applied Science and Education. In the past, his broad community activities include many local tourism and progress associations as well as community radio
. He has worked as a teacher from 1996 to 2002, and a member of the Meander Valley
Council. He has received awards including winning the Regional Initiative category for the Young Australian of the Year Awards for Tasmania in 2002, and Tasmanian Young Achiever of the Year (2002) by the National Australia Day Council
.
Before entering politics, he was a teacher in public secondary schools in Northern Tasmania and adviser to Guy Barnett
, Liberal Senator
for Tasmania.
In his first parliamentary term Ferguson concentrated on issues such as education, health, family and employment and served on numerous parliamentary and backbench committees. He was the secretary of the Government Education, Science and Training policy committee and is acknowledged as having played a key role in brokering the passage of the Voluntary Student Unionism legislation through a hostile senate with his (implemented) proposal for a sports infrastructure transition fund.
Soon after the 2007 election Ferguson was appointed to lead the Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust as CEO.
He was subsequently elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
at the 2010 state election
, securing the highest number of primary votes in Bass (1.5 quotas) and the second highest vote in the state. In April 2010 Ferguson was appointed as Shadow Minister for Education and Skills; and Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The 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 typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
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....
from 2004 to 2007, representing the electorate of Bass
Division of Bass
The Division of Bass is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for the explorer George Bass. It has always been based on the city of Launceston and surrounding rural areas, and its boundaries have changed very little in the century since its...
. He was defeated at the 2007 federal election, and subsequently switched to state politics, winning election to the corresponding Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
electorate at the 2010 state election
Tasmanian state election, 2010
The 2010 Tasmanian state election was held on 20 March 2010 to elect members to the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The 12-year incumbent Labor government, led by Premier of Tasmania David Bartlett, won a fourth consecutive term against the Liberal opposition, led by Will Hodgman, after Labor formed a...
.
He was educated at the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
, holding degrees in Applied Science and Education. In the past, his broad community activities include many local tourism and progress associations as well as community radio
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
. He has worked as a teacher from 1996 to 2002, and a member of the Meander Valley
Meander Valley
The Meander Valley Council is a Local Government Area of Tasmania. As its name suggests, it covers a large area of the Meander River in the central north of the state, which flows through the municipality's major centre of Deloraine....
Council. He has received awards including winning the Regional Initiative category for the Young Australian of the Year Awards for Tasmania in 2002, and Tasmanian Young Achiever of the Year (2002) by the National Australia Day Council
National Australia Day Council
The coordinating body for the Australian of the Year Awards and Australia Day celebrations across the nation is the National Australia Day Council ....
.
Before entering politics, he was a teacher in public secondary schools in Northern Tasmania and adviser to Guy Barnett
Guy Barnett (Australian politician)
Guy Barnett , has been a Liberal Party member of the Australian Senate since February 2002, representing the state of Tasmania. He was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and was educated at the University of Tasmania. He was a lawyer before entering politics...
, Liberal Senator
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
for Tasmania.
In his first parliamentary term Ferguson concentrated on issues such as education, health, family and employment and served on numerous parliamentary and backbench committees. He was the secretary of the Government Education, Science and Training policy committee and is acknowledged as having played a key role in brokering the passage of the Voluntary Student Unionism legislation through a hostile senate with his (implemented) proposal for a sports infrastructure transition fund.
Soon after the 2007 election Ferguson was appointed to lead the Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust as CEO.
He was subsequently elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
at the 2010 state election
Tasmanian state election, 2010
The 2010 Tasmanian state election was held on 20 March 2010 to elect members to the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The 12-year incumbent Labor government, led by Premier of Tasmania David Bartlett, won a fourth consecutive term against the Liberal opposition, led by Will Hodgman, after Labor formed a...
, securing the highest number of primary votes in Bass (1.5 quotas) and the second highest vote in the state. In April 2010 Ferguson was appointed as Shadow Minister for Education and Skills; and Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology.