Michael O'Brien (Victorian politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael O’Brien is the member for Malvern
in the Legislative Assembly
of the Parliament of Victoria
and is the Minister for Energy and Resources, the Minister for Gaming and the Minister for Consumer Affairs in the State Government of Victoria. He was first elected at the 2006 state election
where he replaced former Liberal leader Robert Doyle
, who did not recontest the election following his resignation as Leader of the Opposition
. O'Brien was re-elected with an increased majority at the 2010 state election
. He is a member of the Liberal Party of Australia
.
before completing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne
. He worked as a barrister
at the Victorian Bar
practising in the fields of trade practices and commercial law
. With co-author Jamie Richardson, O'Brien won the Law Institute of Victoria
's Rogers Legal Writing Award in 2006. While at the Bar he also lectured part time in trade practices at the Leo Cussen Institute of Continuing Legal Education and performed pro bono work.
for five years.
He stood for the Liberal Party of Australia
in the blue-ribbon seat of Malvern
at the 2006 state election
, winning with over 60 per cent of second-preference votes.
On 6 December 2006, he was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet
by the State Opposition leader, Ted Baillieu
, to the position of Shadow Minister for Gaming. He was one of three newly elected Liberal MPs who were immediately promoted to Shadow Cabinet following the 2006 election, the others being Mary Wooldridge
and Matthew Guy
.
In August 2007, he was promoted to Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs—taking over from Wendy Lovell
—in addition to his responsibilities for gaming. In April 2009, he called for the Brumby Government to change company share laws so that apartment owners could take consumer cases to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
, instead of having to go the Supreme Court
.
In November 2009, O'Brien was promoted in a shadow cabinet reshuffle. He had been tipped to gain a "senior portfolio" but ended up in charge of three separate economic portfolios: infrastructure and public-private partnerships; energy and resources; and exports and trade. He told a local newspaper that he was "delighted with the changes" and was looking forward to "developing a better alternative to Labor's poor performance [in energy security and improved infrastructure]". He retained the gaming and consumer affairs portfolios.
Following the election of the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition at the 2010 state election
, O'Brien was sworn in on 2 December 2010 as Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Gaming and Minister for Consumer Affairs.
in the Australian Football League and is a co-founder of the Spring Street Blues, a Victorian MP supporter group for Carlton.
Electoral district of Malvern
-External links:*...
in the Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
of the Parliament of Victoria
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
and is the Minister for Energy and Resources, the Minister for Gaming and the Minister for Consumer Affairs in the State Government of Victoria. He was first elected at the 2006 state election
Victorian state election, 2006
An election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria took place on Saturday, 25 November 2006. Just over 3 million Victorians registered to vote elected 88 members to the Legislative Assembly and, for the first time, 40 members to the Legislative Council under a proportional representation system...
where he replaced former Liberal leader Robert Doyle
Robert Doyle
Robert Keith Bennett Doyle is an Australian politician and the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, elected on 30 November 2008...
, who did not recontest the election following his resignation as Leader of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
. O'Brien was re-elected with an increased majority at the 2010 state election
Victorian state election, 2010
The 2010 Victorian state election was held on 27 November. The incumbent centre-left Australian Labor Party government, led by John Brumby, was defeated by the centre-right Liberal/National Coalition opposition, led by Ted Baillieu....
. He is a member of the 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...
.
Education
O'Brien underwent secondary education at Marcellin CollegeMarcellin College
Marcellin College is a Marist Catholic secondary boys' school situated in Bulleen, Victoria, Australia.The school was founded in 1950 by the Marist Brothers originally in Camberwell...
before completing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. He worked as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
at the Victorian Bar
Victorian Bar
The Victorian Bar is the bar association for the Australian State of Victoria. Its members are barristers registered to practice in Victoria. On 19 January 2006, there were 1627 counsel practising as members of the Victorian Bar. Once a barrister has been admitted to practice by the Supreme Court...
practising in the fields of trade practices and commercial law
Commercial law
Commercial law is the body of law that governs business and commercial transactions...
. With co-author Jamie Richardson, O'Brien won the Law Institute of Victoria
Law Institute of Victoria
The Law Institute Victoria is a legal society in the Australian State of Victoria. It is the professional association for solicitors in Victoria, making rules to regulate their practice, and representing them to governments and other bodies. The Institute was founded in 1859...
's Rogers Legal Writing Award in 2006. While at the Bar he also lectured part time in trade practices at the Leo Cussen Institute of Continuing Legal Education and performed pro bono work.
Political career
O'Brien served as a senior adviser to the former Federal Treasurer Peter CostelloPeter Costello
Peter Howard Costello AC is an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the Treasurer in the Australian government from 1996 to 2007. He is the longest-serving Treasurer in Australian history. Costello was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1990 to 2009, representing...
for five years.
He stood for the 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...
in the blue-ribbon seat of Malvern
Electoral district of Malvern
-External links:*...
at the 2006 state election
Victorian state election, 2006
An election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria took place on Saturday, 25 November 2006. Just over 3 million Victorians registered to vote elected 88 members to the Legislative Assembly and, for the first time, 40 members to the Legislative Council under a proportional representation system...
, winning with over 60 per cent of second-preference votes.
On 6 December 2006, he was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
by the State Opposition leader, Ted Baillieu
Ted Baillieu
Edward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...
, to the position of Shadow Minister for Gaming. He was one of three newly elected Liberal MPs who were immediately promoted to Shadow Cabinet following the 2006 election, the others being Mary Wooldridge
Mary Wooldridge
Mary Louise Newling Wooldridge is an Australian politician for the Liberal Party in the state of Victoria. She was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 2006, representing the electoral district of Doncaster...
and Matthew Guy
Matthew Guy
Matthew Guy is an Australian politician, and a member of the Victorian Legislative Council for the Liberal Party. He is the current Minister for Planning in the state of Victoria....
.
In August 2007, he was promoted to Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs—taking over from Wendy Lovell
Wendy Lovell
Wendy Ann Lovell is an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, New South Wales, she was a newsagent before becoming involved in politics. She held numerous posts with the Liberal Party, and was eventually elected to the Victorian Legislative Council as a Liberal member for North Eastern Province in...
—in addition to his responsibilities for gaming. In April 2009, he called for the Brumby Government to change company share laws so that apartment owners could take consumer cases to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal is a government agency in the state of Victoria, Australia. The name is pronounced 'vee-cat'...
, instead of having to go the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
.
In November 2009, O'Brien was promoted in a shadow cabinet reshuffle. He had been tipped to gain a "senior portfolio" but ended up in charge of three separate economic portfolios: infrastructure and public-private partnerships; energy and resources; and exports and trade. He told a local newspaper that he was "delighted with the changes" and was looking forward to "developing a better alternative to Labor's poor performance [in energy security and improved infrastructure]". He retained the gaming and consumer affairs portfolios.
Following the election of the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition at the 2010 state election
Victorian state election, 2010
The 2010 Victorian state election was held on 27 November. The incumbent centre-left Australian Labor Party government, led by John Brumby, was defeated by the centre-right Liberal/National Coalition opposition, led by Ted Baillieu....
, O'Brien was sworn in on 2 December 2010 as Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Gaming and Minister for Consumer Affairs.
Personal life
O'Brien barracks for the Carlton Football ClubCarlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in the Australian Football League and is a co-founder of the Spring Street Blues, a Victorian MP supporter group for Carlton.