Summary heading

Hon John Philip Faulkner

Career within Commonwealth

John Faulkner was born on 12 April 1954 in Leeton, NSW. He was educated in the public school system and at Macquarie University where he completed an Arts degree (BA) and Diploma in Education. He was subsequently a member of the Macquarie University Council from 1984 to 1992. After graduating from the University, John Faulkner worked as a specialist teacher of children with severe disabilities in 1977-1979 and as a research officer for the NSW Minister for Sport and Recreation in 1980. After that he was assistant general secretary of the NSW Branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) between 1980 and 1989. He has been a member of the ALP National Executive since 1989, a delegate to the National Conference since 1984 and the National President for the period April 2007 to March 2008.

John Faulkner entered the Senate on 4 April 1989 after having been chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate in place of the Hon Arthur Gietzelt, who had just resigned from the Parliament. He was elected for further six-year terms in 1993, 1998 and 2004.

After the election in March 1993, Faulkner became a member of the second Keating Ministry as Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Science & Personnel from 24 March 1993 to 25 March 1994. Between 1 and 25 March 1994 he was also Minister for Sport and Territories. On 25 March 1994 he moved into Cabinet as Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories and held this position until 11 March 1996. During this period John Faulkner was also Deputy Government Whip in the Senate from 12 February 1991 to 24 March 1993 and Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 24 March 1993 to 11 March 1996.

After the 1996 Federal election and the defeat of the Labor government under Prime Minister Keating, he became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry from 19 March 1996 to 22 October 2004. During this period he was the

Shadow Minister for Social Security (20.3.96-27.3.97);

Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Government Services (27.3.97-26.8.97);

Shadow Minister for Public Administration, Government Services and Territories (26.8.97-20.10.98);

Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Government Services (20.10.98-25.11.01);

Shadow Minister for Olympic Coordination and the Centenary of Federation (20.10.98-25.11.01);

Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Home Affairs (25.11.01-18.2.03);

Shadow Special Minister of State and Shadow Minister for Home Affairs (18.2.03-8.12.03);

Shadow Special Minister of State and Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Accountability (8.12.03-22.10.04).

After the 2004 election Senator Faulkner stood down as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and served on the backbench.

John Faulkner has contributed to the work of various Parliamentary committees, was parliamentary delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention in February 1998 and between 27 June 1996 and 12 March 2008 served as parliamentary representative on the Advisory Council of Australian Archives (from 27 February 1998 – National Archives of Australia Advisory Council).

Following the election of the Rudd Government in November 2007, Senator Faulkner was appointed Special Minister of State from 3 December 2007 to 9 June 2009, Cabinet Secretary from 3 December 2007 to 9 June 2009 and Vice President of the Executive Council from 3 December 2007 to 14 September 2010.

Faulkner was appointed Minister for Defence on 9 June 2009 following the resignation of the Hon Joel Fitzgibbon. Faulkner held the position until he too resigned on 14 September 2010.

Publications

John Faulkner and Stuart Macintyre (eds.) True believers: the story of the federal parliamentary Labor Party. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin, 2001

Sources

Parliament of Australia Website

Prime Minister of Australia Media Release

http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2009/media_release_1056.cfm, accessed 10 June 2009

Senator Faulkner’s Ministerial Home Page

http://www.smos.gov.au/, accessed 15 August 2008

Parliament of Australia web site, accessed 4 October 2006, 24 January, 15 May 2008, 1 July 2009 and 19 November 2010.

Australian Labor Party web site, accessed 5 October 2006 and 13 June 2007

Summary heading

Hon John Philip Faulkner

Unregistered links

20 Feb 1991 – 12 May 1993:              Senate Standing Committee on Selection of Bills

26 Jun 1992  – 16 Sept 1992:             Senate Select Committee on Subscription Television Broadcasting Services

10 Oct 1992 – 19 May 1993:              Senate Select Committee on Functions, Powers and Operations of the Australian Loans Council

18 May 1993 – :                                  Senate Standing Committee on Procedure, Member

2 May 1996 – :                                    Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations and Staffing, Member

28 Jun  2001 – 27 Aug 2001:              Joint Select Committee on Intelligence Services

30 Aug 2004  – 9 Dec 2004:               Senate Select Committee on Scrafton Evidence, Member

1 July 2005 – 12 Mar 2008:                Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust – Member

22 Nov 2010 - 23/3/11                        Parliamentary Budget Office