Tim Wilson (Australian politician)

Tim Wilson
MP
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Goldstein
Assumed office
2 July 2016
Preceded by Andrew Robb
Personal details
Born Timothy Robert Wilson
(1980-03-12) 12 March 1980
Melbourne, Australia
Political party Liberal
Alma mater Monash University
Occupation Policy analyst

Timothy Robert "Tim" Wilson (born 12 March 1980) is an Australian politician who has represented Goldstein in the Australian House of Representatives since 2016 as a member of the Liberal Party.[1] He is also a public policy analyst and a commentator who was a policy director of the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) for seven years, and subsequently the Australian Human Rights Commissioner from 2014 to 2016.[2][3][4]

Career

Wilson graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Diplomacy and Trade.[5]

In 2008, Wilson, then a Liberal Party member, ran for the position of Deputy Mayor of the City of Melbourne beside Peter McMullin, a former Labor Mayor of Geelong.[6] Allegations of threats and bullying marred the campaign.[7]

Wilson was employed by the Institute of Public Affairs for seven years, serving as Director of Climate Change Policy and the Intellectual Property and Free Trade.[5] During this time, he argued against plain cigarette packaging,[8] and to vote against the proposed local government referendum in Victoria.[9] He was a vocal critic of the Human Rights Commission[10] and during his time at the IPA, the Institute called for the abolition of the Commission.[11]

Wilson served as Australia's Human Rights Commissioner between February 2014 and February 2016.[2][12][13] On appointment to the Human Rights Commission, Wilson resigned his membership of the Liberal Party.[14] During the term of his appointment he argued for changes to Section 18C of the 1975 Racial Discrimination Act, calling for the prosecution of broadcaster Andrew Bolt for vilification of indigenous Australians an infringement on Bolt's right to freedom of speech.[15]

On 19 March 2016, Wilson was preselected as the Liberal candidate for the seat of Goldstein,[16] and subsequently elected to the Australian House of Representatives at the 2016 election.[17]

Personal life

Wilson is openly gay, an advocate for same-sex marriage,[6][18] and was an early supporter of the Safe Schools Coalition Australia.[19] Wilson supports same-sex marriage in Australia and would marry his partner if laws changed.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Goldstein - Australia Votes". Election 2016. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Human Rights Commissioner, Mr Tim Wilson". Australian Human Rights Commission.
  3. ↑ Kerr, Christian (17 December 2013). "Tim Wilson to head freedom campaign as human rights commissioner". The Australian.
  4. ↑ Wilson, Tim (15 February 2016). "Statement of Resignation".
  5. 1 2 "Tim Wilson". Institute of Public Affairs. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  6. 1 2 Noonan, Andie (22 October 2008). "Wilson to run for deputy". Star Observer. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  7. ↑ Royall, Ian (28 November 2008). "Threats and bullying alleged ahead of council election". Herald-Sun. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Smoking out the spin" (transcript). Media Watch. Australia: ABC TV. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "IPA Video on Local Government Referendum" (streaming video). Institute of Public Affairs.
  10. ↑ "Tim Wilson condemns human rights commissioner for failing to defend free speech" (streaming video). Youtube.
  11. ↑ Breheny, Simon (23 January 2013). "Australian Human Rights Commission should be abolished" (PDF) (Press release). Institute of Public Affairs. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  12. ↑ Brandis, George (17 December 2013). "Appointment of Mr Timothy Wilson as Human Rights Commissioner" (Press release). Attorney-General of Australia.
  13. ↑ Hurst, Daniel (15 February 2016). "Tim Wilson resigns to seek Liberal preselection for seat of Goldstein". The Guardian. Australia. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "Tim Wilson, former policy director of Institute of Public Affairs, appointed Human Rights Commissioner". ABC News. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  15. ↑ Wright, Tony; Harrison, Dan (18 December 2013). "Tim Wilson appointment to Human Rights Commission stirs controversy". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  16. ↑ "Tim Wilson wins Liberal preselection in seat of Goldstein". The Australian. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  17. ↑ Hunter, Fergus (20 July 2016). "Fresh blood in the 45th Parliament: the new MPs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  18. ↑ Elliott, Tim (22 February 2014). "Tim Wilson: Freedom fighter". Sydney Morning Herald.
  19. ↑ "Messages of Support". Safe Schools Coalition Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  20. ↑ Andersen, Brigid; Lipson, David (22 July 2016). "Tim Wilson calls on anti-same-sex marriage MPs to abstain from vote". Lateline. ABC News.
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Andrew Robb		 Member for Goldstein
2016–present 		Incumbent
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