Joel Fitzgibbon
| The Honourable Joel Fitzgibbon |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 51st Minister for Defence | |
| In office 3 December 2007 – 4 June 2009 |
|
| Prime Minister | Kevin Rudd |
| Preceded by | Brendan Nelson |
| Succeeded by | John Faulkner |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Hunter |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2 March 1996 |
|
| Preceded by | Eric Fitzgibbon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 January 1962 Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Website | JoelFitzgibbon.com |
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.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Background
Fitzgibbon was born in Bellingen, 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.
[edit] 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 Rudd 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.[2]
[edit] 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.[3] In the same interview, he also denied personal involvement in the Australian Federal Police (AFP) raid on Canberra Times' journalist Philip Dorling, although he did not guarantee that his department had not contacted the AFP.[3] Dorling was accused of receiving confidential cabinet documents intended for Fitzgibbon.[4] 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.[5]
[edit] Controversy
On 26 March 2009, Fairfax Media 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.[6][7] 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.[8] 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.[9][7]
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.[10]
[edit] 43rd Parliament
Following his reelection in the 2010 Federal election, Fitzgibbon was elected by the Labor Caucus as Chief Government Whip. [11]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon resigns: The Age 4/6/2009
- ^ Rudd hands out portfolios, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 29 November 2007.
- ^ a b Lateline – Joel Fitzgibbon interview (transcript)
- ^ Police raid home of Canberra Times journalist Philip Dorling
- ^ Govt reveals SAS pay bungle details
- ^ Rodgers, Emma (26 March 2009). "Defence investigating Fitzgibbon spying claims". ABC News Online. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/26/2526603.htm. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ a b Richard Baker, Philip Dorling and Nick McKenzie (26 March 2009). "Defence leaks dirt file on own minister". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/national/defence-leaks-dirt-file-on-own-minister-20090325-9ahq.html?page=-1. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ Rodgers, Emma (26 March 2009). "'No information' to support Fitzgibbon spy claims". ABC News Online. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/26/2527247.htm. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ Snow, Deborah (26 March 2009). "Reforms behind Liu leak: minister". Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/national/reforms-behind-liu-leak-minister-20090326-9bt7.html. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ Rodgers, Emma (4 June 2009). "Fitzgibbon resigns as Defence Minister". ABC News. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/04/2589300.htm. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
- ^ "Biography for FITZGIBBON, the Hon. Joel Andrew". Parliament of Australia. http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22handbook%2Fallmps%2F8K6%22. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
[edit] External links
- JoelFitzgibbon.com – official website
- Search or browse Hansard for Joel Fitzgibbon at OpenAustralia.org
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Eric Fitzgibbon |
Member for Hunter 1996–present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Brendan Nelson |
Minister for Defence 2007–2009 |
Succeeded by John Faulkner |
|
|||||||||||
