Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954) is an Australian politician, the current Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Parliament, and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party, succeeding Brendan Nelson on 16 September 2008.
Turnbull is a Liberal member of the House of Representatives, representing the Division of Wentworth in Sydney's eastern suburbs since October 2004. He served as the Federal Minister for Environment and Water Resources in 2007. Before entering parliamentary politics he practised as a barrister, was a merchant banker, and was leader of the Australian Republican Movement. Turnbull is the first Republican to lead the federal Liberal Party.[1]
When the incumbent Liberal/National coalition government led by John Howard lost government at the November 2007 federal election, a vote for the Liberal leadership took place days later. Brendan Nelson was elected Liberal Party leader over Turnbull by a margin of 45 votes to 41. In September 2008, following a second vote for the Liberal leadership, Turnbull was elected Liberal Party leader by a margin of 45 votes to 41 over Nelson.[2]
Early life
Turnbull's mother was actor, writer and academic Coral Lansbury, but his parents separated when he was nine and he was brought up by his father, Bruce Turnbull.[3][4][5][6] He spent his first three years of school at Vaucluse Public School. He continued his primary education at Sydney Grammar Prep, St Ives. He then went to Sydney Grammar School's Senior school at College Street in Sydney. He was Senior School Co-Captain in 1972. In 1987, in memory of his late father, he set up the Bruce Turnbull means-tested scholarship at Sydney Grammar School, which offers full remission of fees to a student who is unable to pay the school's fees.
Turnbull graduated from Sydney University with a double degree in law and arts. He then studied law at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar from 1978 to 1980. He studied for a Bachelor of Civil Law degree while at Oxford and then returned to Australia. While at University in Sydney he worked as a political journalist for The Nation Review, Radio 2SM and Channel 9 covering state politics.citation needed While at Oxford he worked for The Sunday Times as well as contributing to a number of other newspapers and magazines in the United States and Australia. [7] He married Lucy Hughes in 1980 at Cumnor, near Oxford, while he was studying at Oxford, and he and Lucy returned to Australia later that year when he was admitted to the Bar. Turnbull left the Bar in 1983 to become the General Counsel for Consolidated Press Holdings Limited, the Packer family's media group. He rose to the public's attention as the successful advocate in the Spycatcher trial (he blocked the British Government's attempts to suppress the memoirs of a former MI5 agent), and later wrote a book on the trial.[8]
Career
Turnbull was General Counsel and Secretary for Australian Consolidated Press Holdings Group, the family company of Kerry Packer, from 1983 to 1985. During this time he defended Packer against the "Goanna" allegations made by the Costigan Commission. In partnership with Bruce McWilliam he established his own law firm, Turnbull McWilliam, in 1986 and in that year successfully defended Peter Wright in his battle with the British Government over his book Spycatcher. In 1987, he established an investment banking firm, Whitlam Turnbull & Co Ltd in partnership with Neville Wran (former Labor Premier of New South Wales) and the former State Bank of NSW chief executive, Nicholas Whitlam (son of Gough Whitlam, former Labor Prime Minister of Australia). Whitlam parted company with the others in 1990, and, from then until 1997, when Turnbull moved to become a managing director and later a partner of Goldman Sachs, the firm operated as Turnbull & Partners Ltd. Turnbull was also chair of a large Australia Internet Service Provider, OzEmail (1994-99), a director of FTR Holdings Ltd (1995-2004), chair and managing director of Goldman Sachs Australia (1997-2001) and a partner with Goldman Sachs and Co (1998-2001). In the 1990s, Turnbull was chairman of Axiom Forest Resources, which conducted logging in the Solomon Islands under the trading name Silvania Forest Products. The latter's work was decribed by the Australian International Development Aid Bureau as a "clear-felling operation", and the then Solomon Islands Prime Minister Solomon Mamaloni reportedly threatened to close it down for "constant breaches of logging practices", according to a critical article in the Solomon Times.[9] [10]
In 1999 Turnbull sold OzEmail to the then telecommunications giant MCI Worldcom. Turnbull's stake was reportedly worth nearly A$60 million; In 2005 his net worth was estimated at $133 million,[11] making him Australia's richest parliamentarian.[12]
From 1993 to 2000, Turnbull was the chairman of the Australian Republican Movement. He was an elected delegate at the Constitutional Convention in Canberra in February, 1998, and in 1999 published a book on the subject, called Fighting for the Republic. Following the unsuccessful 1999 referendum campaign to establish an Australian republic, in 2000 Turnbull retired as chairman of the Australian Republican Movement. Turnbull left the board of Ausflag in 1994 after being asked for his resignation and in 2004 joined the Australian National Flag Association.[13]
In May 2002, Turnbull appeared before the HIH royal commission and was questioned on Goldman Sachs' involvement on the possible privatisation of one of the acquisitions of the collapsed insurance company.citation needed The Royal Commissioner's Report made no adverse findings against him or Goldman Sachs.citation needed
Turnbull was Federal Treasurer of the Liberal Party, and a member of the Liberal Party's Federal and New South Wales Executives, 2002-03, and was also a director of the Menzies Research Centre, the Liberal Party's research centre.
Politics
Howard era
Turnbull first ran for Liberal Party preselection for the seat of Wentworth in the eastern suburbs of Sydney in 1981, but was beaten by Peter Coleman.[3] In 2003 Turnbull announced that he was seeking a seat in Federal Parliament. In early 2004 he won another hotly contested preselection battle for Wentworth, defeating Peter King, the sitting Liberal member. King ran for the seat at the 2004 election as an independent. This turned the traditionally safe Liberal electorate into an electoral wildcard, the contest for the seat becoming a three man race between Turnbull, King and Labor candidate David Patch. During the campaign, Turnbull spent over $600,000 on electoral expenditure.[14] The Liberal vote fell 10 per cent, but Turnbull still won.
Announcing his cabinet reshuffle on 24 January 2006, the Prime Minister John Howard promoted Turnbull from the backbench to Parliamentary Secretary, with special responsibility for water. In this new capacity he reported directly to the Prime Minister. On 26 September 2006, John Howard announced the creation, within the department of the Prime Minister, of the new "Office of Water Resources" to address the problem of drought in Australia. Turnbull was in charge of this office until he was elevated by Prime Minister John Howard to head the Environment and Water Resources portfolio in January 2007.
In his position as Environment Minister, Turnbull approved a proposed $1.7 billion Bell Bay Pulp Mill in Tasmania's north, near Launceston.[15] His final approval of the Bell Bay Pulp Mill project of Gunns Ltd came on 4 October 2007. Turnbull's approval followed a report by the Government's chief scientist Jim Peacock on the project's potential environmental impact, which requires the project to meet 48 "strict environmental" conditions. Critics have accused him of failing to assess the environmental cost of the mill in terms of forest destruction and greenhouse emissions. According to The Wilderness Society, the Pulp Mill will, amongst a number of other toxic emissions, increase Australia's yearly contribution to greenhouse gas emission by more than 2 per cent. This reportedly amounts to an extra 10 million tonnes of greenhouse gas a year[16]
In February 2007, Turnbull was criticised for claiming a government allowance of $175 a night and paying it to his wife as rent while living in a townhouse owned by her in Canberra.[17]
During the 2007 election campaign, Turnbull announced that the then Government, would contribute $10 million to the investigation of an untried Russian technology that aims to trigger rainfall from the atmosphere, even when there are no clouds. Literature suggests that the technology is based on bogus science.citation needed The Australian Rain Corporation presented research documents written in Russian, explained by a Russian researcher who spoke to local experts in Russian [18].
Although Turnbull claimed that Australian Rain Corporation is Australian-based, investigations have shown that it is in fact 75 per cent Swiss-owned. It was also revealed that a prominent stakeholder in the Australian Rain Corporation, Matt Handbury, is a nephew of Rupert Murdoch. Turnbull has refused to answer questions regarding Matt Handbury's contribution to the Wentworth Forum, the main fund-raising organisation for Turnbull's 2007 election campaign [18].
In 2007, Turnbull promised that his government, if elected, would grant same-sex couples death benefits in Commonwealth superannuation schemes, a similar promise to which was made three years prior during the 2004 Federal election campaign.[19]
Opposition
Turnbull retained his seat at the 2007 election gaining a two-party 1.3 per cent swing in Wentworth[20], despite a 5.6 per cent swing away from the coalition in the state, and a 5.4 per cent swing nationwide[21]. Following the defeat of John Howard in his seat of Bennelong and the announcement on 25 November by the then-deputy leader Peter Costello that he would be retiring from Parliament and would not be a Liberal Party leadership candidate, Turnbull announced later the same day that he would contest the Liberal leadership. There was widespread speculation that Turnbull would be the new Opposition Leader[22], but he was defeated by Brendan Nelson in a 45 to 42 vote. Nelson in turn appointed him Shadow Treasurer. [23] Shortly afterwards, fellow Opposition front bencher Nick Minchin suggested that Turnbull's failure to consult with party colleagues before declaring his opinion to the media on such issues as an apology to the Stolen Generations cost him the leadership.[24] This led to a disagreement between the two and culminated in Minchin privately telling Turnbull that he was "too fucking sensitive"[25]
Turnbull attacked Treasurer Wayne Swan as being "clueless" about the NAIRU economic indicator, after the Treasurer failed to answer Turnbull's question about it during Question Time on 18 February 2008.[26][27] In May 2008, Turnbull attacked Swan over the Federal Budget, concerning increased taxes, specifically those on luxury cars and certain alcoholic drinks, citing possible inflation. [28]
On 16 September 2008, following a second vote for the Liberal leadership, Turnbull was voted in as the parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party by a margin of 45 votes to 41 over Brendan Nelson.[29]
After gaining leadership of the Liberal Party, on 21 September, 2008, Turnbull called for government cash to be poured into Australian financial markets to shore up those markets in a similar scheme to the 2008 United States Treasury bailout of US financial institutions.[30]
Writing
Turnbull has written several books in relation to his contributions to the Republican debate, as well as his experiences during the Spycatcher trial. Notable examples of his writings include: "The Spycatcher Trial" (1988); "The Reluctant Republic" (1993; foreword by Robert Hughes, his wife's uncle); and "Fighting for the Republic: the Ultimate Insider's Account" (1999).
In 1994 a portrait of Malcolm Turnbull by artist Bill Leak won the People's choice award at the Archibald Prize.
Family
Turnbull is married, with two children, and lives in Sydney. His wife, Lucy Turnbull, née Hughes, is a prominent businesswoman and a former Lord Mayor of Sydney.
Although Turnbull is a convert to Roman Catholicism he has found himself at odds with the Church's teaching on abortion and stem cell research.citation needed Turnbull supported legislation relaxing restrictions on abortion pill RU486 and he also voted for the legalisation of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (therapeutic cloning). He did so despite the vocal public opposition to both proposals by Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney.
See also
References
- ^ Melbourne Herald Sun
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24353392-421,00
- ^ a b Ackland, Richard (17 October 2003). "A sureness that weakens Turnbull's case", The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved on 2007-09-10.
- ^ Lee, Sandra (3 December 2006). "A leader in waiting?", The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
- ^ "Turnbull battles for Wentworth", The 7.30 Report, ABC TV (8 November 2006). Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
- ^ Malcolm Turnbull’s mother was Coral Lansbury (1929-1991), a well-known radio actor and writer of radio dramas, etc. from 1938 until about 1963. In the mid-1960s she took on an academic and lecturing career. She also wrote a number of biographies and studious works. She was born in Melbourne, spent most of the time that she was in radio in Sydney, moved to New Zealand and then to the US.
Lansbury had a tumultuous love life; her three marriages all being distressing and all ending in divorce. Her first husband was the iconic radio actor George Edwards, né Harold Parks, best known today for creating and starring in the radio version of Dad and Dave. Edwards left his wife of many years, fellow actor Nell Stirling, to marry the young and attractive Coral Lansbury, with whom he was infatuated. Lansbury and Edwards were married in 1953 (Ref: NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages registration number 673/1953). Edwards also died in 1953 (NSW Births Deaths and Marriages registration number 18548/1953). Lansbury’s second marriage to Bruce Turnbull took place in 1955 (Births Deaths and Marriages registration number 21952/1955). The marriage was short lived. Her third marriage was to academic, Prof. John Salmon. - Ref: Lane, Richard, The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama Volume Two [ScreenSound Australia, 2000].
- ^ [1]
- ^ Ferguson, Sarah (2008-08-25). "My Brilliant Career", Four Corners. Retrieved on 2008-09-10.
- ^ "A Former Logger Becomes Australian Federal Opposition Leader", Solomon Times, September 21, 2008
- ^ "Turnbull's logging background raises questions", ABC Radio Australia, September 26, 2008
- ^ [2]
- ^ The politics of envy and the actions of greed: Livenews 24/9/2008
- ^ Malcolm Turnbull joins the Australian National Flag Association
- ^ "Candidate electoral return for the election held on 9 October 2004" (pdf). Australian Electoral Commission (2004). Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
- ^ "Turnbull approves Tasmanian pulp mill". The Age (2007-10-04). Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
- ^ Why the proposed Tamar Valley pulp mill would be a disaster
- ^ "Turnbull defends using travel allowance to pay rent at wife's house", Australian Broadcasting Corporation (25 February 2007). Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
- ^ a b "Turnbull pumps $10m into rainmaking gamble". ABC (2007-11-20). Retrieved on 2007-11-21.
- ^ "Gay activists remind parties of promises". The Age (2007-11-09). Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
- ^ Wentworth Election Results
- ^ [3]
- ^ "Media gather at Turnbull's residence", The Age (25 November 2007). Retrieved on 2007-11-25.
- ^ Nelson wins Lib leadership, The Age, 29 November 2007,
- ^ Turnbull criticises Minchin for gibe
- ^ Minchin used f-word in Turnbull stoush.
- ^ Swan 'clueless' about NAIRU: Turnbull
- ^ Turnbull to keep pressure on Swan over NAIRU response
- ^ "Turnbull accuses Swan of 'voodoo economics'", ABC News, ABC (2008-05-14). Retrieved on 2008-05-14.
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24353392-421,00
- ^ "Turnbull's market rescue plan 'not necessary'", Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2008-09-22). Retrieved on 2008-09-22.
External links
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