Wayne Swan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 3 December 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Kevin Rudd |
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| Preceded by | Peter Costello |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 3 October 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Elizabeth Grace |
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| In office 13 March 1993 – 2 March 1996 |
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| Preceded by | Elaine Darling |
| Succeeded by | Elizabeth Grace |
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| Born | 30 June 1954 Nambour, Queensland, Australia |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse | Kim Swan |
| Children | Erinn, Libbi, Matthew |
| Alma mater | University of Queensland |
| Occupation | Treasurer of Australia |
| Website | SwanMP.org |
Wayne Maxwell Swan (born 30 June 1954) is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party (ALP) member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996, and again since 1998, representing the Division of Lilley, Queensland. Following Labor's win at the 2007 election, he became Treasurer of Australia in the First Rudd Ministry.
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[edit] Background
Swan was born and educated in Nambour, Queensland. He won a Commonwealth scholarship to study public administration[1] at the University of Queensland, becoming a lecturer in the Department of Management at the Queensland Institute of Technology before entering politics.[2]
From 1978 to 1980 Swan was an advisor to the Leader of the Opposition Bill Hayden, and from 1983 to 1984 was an advisor to federal Labor ministers Mick Young and Kim Beazley. He was State Secretary of the Queensland branch of the Australian Labor Party 1991-93.
[edit] Political career
[edit] Keating government
He was elected as the Member for Lilley in the March 1993 election, but was defeated in 1996. In 1996, Swan donated $1,400 to the Australian Democrats campaign manager in his seat of Lilley.[3] At the time speculation surrounded the nature of the donation.[4][5] The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police, who chose to take no further action.[6][7] Following his election loss he was an advisor to Opposition Leader Kim Beazley.
[edit] Opposition
He was re-elected at the October 1998 election. Shortly afterwards, he was elected a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry. He was Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services from 1998 and Manager of Opposition Business in the House from November 2001. During the 2003 Labor leadership contests he was a close confidante and supporter of Kim Beazley, but retained his positions under the new leader, Mark Latham. After the 2004 election loss, Swan was appointed Shadow Treasurer. This came as a surprise, since it was rumoured that Latham wished to appoint then Shadow Health Minister, Julia Gillard to the position. However, after strong opposition from Labor's Right Faction, Latham was put under pressure to appoint either Swan or Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Stephen Smith as Treasurer.[8]
Swan worked with Beazley and Industrial Relations spokesperson Stephen Smith to devise Labor's response to the Howard government's 2005-06 budget and tax cuts. The ALP proposed tax relief for low and middle income earners earned mixed responses in the business community. Swan launched his book during the same month, Postcode: The Splintering of a Nation.
In early November 2007 Wayne Swan and then Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd revisited their old school, Nambour State High School. Rudd gave a speech to students in which he said that, at school, "Wayne was very, very cool; and I was very, very not".[9]
[edit] Treasurer of Australia
Following the 2007 federal election of the Rudd government, Swan was appointed Treasurer of Australia in Kevin Rudd's cabinet on 3 December 2007.[10]
Swan's first budget concentrated on inflationary pressures in the economy, with substantially reduced spending that exceeds the $11 billion outlayed for tax cuts. The policy debate shifted around August 2008 after the mortgage lending banks in the United States began to collapse and economic activity faltered as American investments were written off one after the other.
In response to the resulting global downturn, Swan coordinated an "economic security strategy" worth $10 billion in October 2008. Designed as a stimulus package and directed towards retail sales, it was largely supported by IMF. When the December-quarter growth report showed an economy contracting, he moved ahead with the Nation Building and Jobs Plan to provide government-sponsored work worth $42 billion (initially planned for release under the 2009-2010 budget). The government also initiated a number of measures to support employment.
Swan delivered his second budget on May 12, 2009.
[edit] Family and other
Swan is married to his second wife Kim and has three children.[11] An earlier marriage, when he was 21, lasted for one year.[11]
At age 48, Swan was diagnosed with prostate cancer but has since fully recovered. He has become an advocate for the prostate cancer public awareness campaign.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ Atkins, Dennis (2008-08-02). "Wayne Swan and Kevin Rudd seek government reform". Courier Mail. Queensland Newspapers. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24112099-5016424,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-21.
- ^ Oakes, Laurie (2007-08-21). "Interview: Wayne Swan". ninemsn. PBL Media. http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/political_transcripts/article_2335.asp?s=1. Retrieved on 2008-08-21.
- ^ 'Kick Swan out' for Democrats donation | The Australian
- ^ 7.30 Report - 27/11/2000: Preferential treatment
- ^ 7.30 Report - 29/11/2000: Tracking the money path of the Swan donation
- ^ Why Wayne Swan will not realise the ALP leadership - theage.com.au
- ^ Swan targeted over Democrats money | The Australian
- ^ Toohey, Paul (17 April 2007). "Swan's Song". The Bulletin: pp. 17-23. http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=260154. Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Labor says Coalition spending will raise inflation". PM (ABC). 13 November 2007. http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s2089825.htm. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ Rudd hands out portfolios, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 29 November 2007.
- ^ a b "Treasurer Wayne Swan's first marriage 'no secret'". Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney Morning Herald). 02 March 2008. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/treasurer-wayne-swans-first-marriage-no-secret/2008/03/01/1204227062073.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-23.
- ^ The prostate debate: ABC 7:30 Report 27/2/2003
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Personal website
- Search or browse Hansard for Wayne Swan at OpenAustralia.org
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Peter Costello |
Treasurer of Australia 2007 – present |
Incumbent |
| Parliament of Australia | ||
| Preceded by Elaine Darling |
Member for Lilley 1993 – 1996 |
Succeeded by Elizabeth Grace |
| Preceded by Elizabeth Grace |
Member for Lilley 1998 – present |
Incumbent |
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