Bernie Finn
Bernie Finn MLC | |
---|---|
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council | |
Assumed office 25 November 2006 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 14 April 1961 |
Political party | Liberal Party |
Occupation | Businessman, broadcaster, ministerial advisor |
Website | www |
Bernard (Bernie) Thomas Christopher Finn (born 14 April 1961) is a member of the Victorian Legislative Council representing the Western Metropolitan Region since the election of November 2006.[1] He was previously the member for the electoral district of Tullamarine in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from October 1992 until September 1999.
Political career
Finn was originally a member of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP). In 1980, aged 19, he was the DLP candidate for the federal seat of Corangamite.[2] Soon after, he left the DLP and joined the Liberal Party. In 1983 he was the Liberal candidate for the seat of Burke.[3]
Finn was the Member for the District of Tullamarine from 1992 until 1999 when he lost power in the Steve Bracks led landslide victory over the Kennett Liberal Government.
Finn has been the number one candidate on the Liberal Party of Australia ticket in the Western Metropolitan Region since 2006. He was first elected to the Legislative Council in 2006 and re-elected in 2010 and 2014.[1] As of November 2014, Finn serves as Member for Western Metropolitan Region alongside Cesar Melhem and Khalil Eideh from the Labor Party, Colleen Hartland from the Greens and Rachel Carling-Jenkins from the Australian Conservatives.[4]
During the period of the Baillieu and Napthine governments, Finn served as Chairman of the Victorian Parliament's Electoral Matters Committee.[5]
Finn currently serves on the Coalition frontbench as the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Autism Spectrum Disorder, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Electoral Integrity and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Melbourne's West.[1]
Views
Finn has drawn controversy for his political views. He has criticised abortion and women's rights, and been rebuked for his remarks that rape victims should not be allowed an abortion; former Premier Denis Napthine, who like Finn voted against the 2008 abortion bill,[6] called Finn's views "inappropriate."[7][8] Finn is a strong opponent of same sex marriage, adoption,[9][10] and IVF. Finn suggested during the 2012 Australian Open that some gay activists had "embarked on a program of rainbow fascism."[11][12][13]
Finn was a critic of the federal government's carbon pricing scheme, stating in the Victorian Parliament in 2013 that "there has been no global warming for 17 years". He has attacked the climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth, as well as reports on the subject in the British newspaper The Guardian.[14] He has claimed that global warming is an invention of the "international left", suggesting that "it raised a few dollars and promoted its own political interests. It came up with a thing called global warming", which he labelled "nonsense". He went on to say that "we have to come to a conclusion that climate change is not so much a scientific thing as it is a political thing". Finn also told Parliament that "This is a con; the whole thing is a con. Today we are in the Parliament of Victoria wasting our time on something that is largely an invention of the left".[15]
Despite having conservative views this has not stopped him from being in the sights of Marcus Bastiaan whose wife challenged Gary Blackwood for his job.[16]
On the 30th March 2018 Finn made a remarkable decision to underhandly renege on a Pair in the Victorian Legislative Council. The much publicised Fire Service Reform and Persumptive Cancer Rights Bill was being debated for final vote where Finn requested a pair be made to release him from the parliament. This request was made as Finn was “physically ill” at the thought of having to work on a public holiday and not being able to partake in his religious observance on Good Friday. The Pair was granted and Finn left the parliament. Hours later when the final vote was being cast, Finn reappeared and took his place in the council causing the Bill to be voted down.
This was the first time in the parliaments history where this type of political stunt had been performed.
Mr Gavin Jennings, the Labor leader in the Council has said "The Liberals have disgraced themselves in voting down changes that would not only make Victorians safer, but also give firefighters long overdue cancer rights."
"The Liberals have forfeited their right to lecture anyone on honesty or probity ever again."
"They are the lowest of the low – abusing and then sacrificing their religious beliefs for political gain."
Finn was again caught out lying after the parliament sitting where he released a statement suggesting he never requested a Pair. The Hansard release indicated that Finn requested a Pair, and that he was feeling “physically ill” at the thought of spending Good Friday at work and not with his family on that sacred day.
Personal life
Before entering Parliament, Finn was a small businessman, broadcaster and a media and ministerial adviser to Chris Pearce.[1] He is married with six children.[17]
References
- ^ a b c d "Bernie Finn (Western Metropolitan)". Members Information. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
- ^ Carr, Adam. "1980 Election". Psephos.
- ^ Carr, Adam. "1983 Election". Psephos.
- ^ "State Election 2014: Western Metropolitan Region results summary - Victorian Electoral Commission". vec.vic.gov.au.
- ^ http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/Media_Release_Final_EMC.pdf
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Alison Savage (18 March 2014). "Victorian Liberal MP Bernie Finn says no abortions for rape victims". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ Josh Gordon and Henrietta Cook (18 March 2014). "State MP Bernie Finn says there is no acceptable reason for abortion". The Age. Fairfax Media.
- ^ "Should gay couples be able to adopt?". 3AW Mornings. 27 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014.
Liberal MP Bernie Finn has sparked fierce debate about same-sex couples adopting children after posting controversial anti gay-adoption comments on his Facebook page. Last week, state Labor voted in favour of changing the law, which could pave the way for homosexual couples to adopt if Daniel Andrews wins November's election.However, Mr Finn, MP for the Western Metropolitan Region, who is a Richmond supporter, said he'd join the Collingwood cheer squad before he'd ever support gay adoption, while in another post he asked for "proof" that having two mothers or two fathers wouldn't hurt children. Labor today lashed out at Mr Finn, saying the outspoken MP has offended hundreds of loving parents.
- ^ Benjamin Riley (29 May 2014). "Calls for Premier Napthine to condemn MP over same-sex adoption remarks". Star Observer.
- ^ Benge Nsenduluka (18 January 2012). "Teenage Tennis Star Denies Making Gay Protest at Australian Open". Christian Post.
- ^ Andie Noonan (16 January 2012). "Liberal MP hits out at 'rainbow fascists'". Star Observer.
- ^ Chip Le Grand (18 January 2012). "MP slams Open 'rainbow fascism' over Margaret Court". The Australian.
- ^ "PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD)" (PDF). PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA. 11 December 2013.
- ^ "Bernie Finn MP". berniefinn.com.[permanent dead link]
- ^ https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/victorian-liberals-factional-fight-exposes-deep-divisions-20170217-gufg6b.html
- ^ "Bernard (Bernie) Finn". Parliament.vic.gov.au. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
External links
- Official website
- Bernie Finn and his "crazy mates" named in leaked tape
- State MP Bernie Finn says there is no acceptable reason for abortion
- Liberal MP Bernie Finn wants death penalty for drug lords but victims say don't execute
- Parliamentary voting record of Bernie Finn at Victorian Parliament Tracker