Lindsay Tanner
Encyclopedia
Lindsay James Tanner is a former Australian member of the House of Representatives
representing the Division of Melbourne
, Victoria, for the Australian Labor Party
, having first won the seat at the 1993 federal election. He was a member of the Australian Government from 3 December 2007, serving as the Minister for Finance and Deregulation. On 24 June 2010 he announced his intention not to contest the 2010 federal election, at which his seat was won by the Greens
. He has written several books and been an outspoken commentator on Australian culture and the direction and role of the Labor Party.
. He studied at the local state primary school before obtaining a scholarship to Gippsland Grammar School
in Sale, where he graduated as dux in 1973. He graduated from the University of Melbourne
with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours, and later a Master of Arts in History in 1981. While still at university, he co-wrote a book on environmental politics and worked as a casual layout and design artist.
Tanner began his career as an articled clerk
and solicitor at Holding Redlich Lawyers in Melbourne. In 1985, he became an electorate assistant to Labor senator Barney Cooney
. He was Assistant State Secretary of the Federated Clerks' Union from 1987, then State Secretary from 1988 until 1993.
He has been married twice, and has one son and three daughters.
representing the Division of Melbourne
, and served one term as a government backbencher during Paul Keating
's final term as Prime Minister.
The Liberal Party
under John Howard
won the March 1996 election, and Keating subsequently retired from politics. A major reshuffle by new leader Kim Beazley
resulted in Tanner's promotion to the Shadow Ministry and appointment as Shadow Minister for Transport. He remained a member of the Shadow Ministry, despite numerous changes of leadership, continuously until the election of the Rudd Labor government in November 2007.
In 1998, Tanner was moved to the portfolios of Finance and Consumer Affairs. In 1999, he wrote a book entitled Open Australia, which explored how information technology could be used to enhance social justice and economic equality; and he also wrote a number of articles on targeted, "micro" ways of addressing globalisation and the decline of large-scale manufacturing, in which he suggested there was little substance to the notion put forward by neoclassical economists of a "simulated free market" in East Asian economies that explains their "emergence" (see 1997 Asian Financial Crisis). Following the 2001 election, he became Shadow Minister for Communications.
Tanner has been a prominent member of Labor's left faction and it was thought that he might contest the Labor leadership in 2002, when former leader Kim Beazley
first challenged Simon Crean
. In the second leadership spill in December 2003, Tanner supported Beazley, who lost the party-room ballot to Mark Latham
. The following month, Latham appointed Tanner to the new portfolio of Community Relationships, in addition to his existing responsibilities.
After the October 2004 federal election, Tanner was thought to be a candidate for the position of Shadow Treasurer, which had been vacated by Simon Crean. However, once it became clear that Latham did not intend to offer him this position, Tanner announced that he would not stand for a position in the new shadow ministry. He subsequently released a brief statement, stating that he had "no complaint about how Mark Latham has dealt with [him] personally", but adding that he had "serious reservations about the emerging Labor response to our latest election defeat." In June 2005, Tanner was re-elected to the Opposition frontbench and was appointed Shadow Minister for Finance.
The 2007 election saw Tanner's seat of Melbourne
face the Greens on the two-party-preferred vote
, the first seat to do so at a federal election. Labor retained the seat on 54.7 percent of the two-party-preferred vote. After the successful election of the federal Labor Party, Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd
retained Tanner as Minister for Finance and Deregulation. The role had previously only been known as Minister for Finance and Administration.
On 24 June 2010, during Julia Gillard
's first question time as Prime Minister, Tanner announced his intention to not re-contest his seat at the next election, citing that he wanted to spend more time at home with his family and stressing he had already planned to do so before the change in leadership.
His tenure as Member for Melbourne ceased on 19 July 2010 when the Parliament was dissolved prior to the 2010 federal election. He remained as Minister for Finance throughout the election campaign.
, and a special adviser to financial firm Lazard Australia
.
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
representing the Division of Melbourne
Division of Melbourne
The Division of Melbourne is an Australian Electoral Division of Victoria. It is represented by Adam Bandt of the Australian Greens.Created at Federation in 1900 the division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
, Victoria, for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, having first won the seat at the 1993 federal election. He was a member of the Australian Government from 3 December 2007, serving as the Minister for Finance and Deregulation. On 24 June 2010 he announced his intention not to contest the 2010 federal election, at which his seat was won by the Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
. He has written several books and been an outspoken commentator on Australian culture and the direction and role of the Labor Party.
Background
Lindsay Tanner was born in the East Gippsland town of OrbostOrbost, Victoria
Orbost is a town in the Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, located east of Melbourne and south of Canberra where the Princes Highway crosses the Snowy River. It is about from the town of Marlo on the coast of Bass Strait. At the 2006 census, Orbost had a population of 2452...
. He studied at the local state primary school before obtaining a scholarship to Gippsland Grammar School
Gippsland Grammar School
Gippsland Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, day and boarding school, located in Sale, in the state of Victoria, Australia....
in Sale, where he graduated as dux in 1973. He graduated from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours, and later a Master of Arts in History in 1981. While still at university, he co-wrote a book on environmental politics and worked as a casual layout and design artist.
Tanner began his career as an articled clerk
Articled clerk
An articled clerk, also known as an articling student, is an apprentice in a professional firm in Commonwealth countries. Generally the term arises in the accountancy profession and in the legal profession. The articled clerk signs a contract, known as "articles of clerkship", committing to a...
and solicitor at Holding Redlich Lawyers in Melbourne. In 1985, he became an electorate assistant to Labor senator Barney Cooney
Barney Cooney
Bernard Cornelius "Barney" Cooney is a former Australian politician. Born in Currie, Tasmania, he was educated at the University of Melbourne before becoming a barrister. In 1984, he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Labor Senator for Victoria. He held the seat until his retirement in...
. He was Assistant State Secretary of the Federated Clerks' Union from 1987, then State Secretary from 1988 until 1993.
He has been married twice, and has one son and three daughters.
Parliamentary career
In March 1993 Tanner was elected to the Australian House of RepresentativesAustralian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
representing the Division of Melbourne
Division of Melbourne
The Division of Melbourne is an Australian Electoral Division of Victoria. It is represented by Adam Bandt of the Australian Greens.Created at Federation in 1900 the division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
, and served one term as a government backbencher during Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
's final term as Prime Minister.
The Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
under John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
won the March 1996 election, and Keating subsequently retired from politics. A major reshuffle by new leader Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
resulted in Tanner's promotion to the Shadow Ministry and appointment as Shadow Minister for Transport. He remained a member of the Shadow Ministry, despite numerous changes of leadership, continuously until the election of the Rudd Labor government in November 2007.
In 1998, Tanner was moved to the portfolios of Finance and Consumer Affairs. In 1999, he wrote a book entitled Open Australia, which explored how information technology could be used to enhance social justice and economic equality; and he also wrote a number of articles on targeted, "micro" ways of addressing globalisation and the decline of large-scale manufacturing, in which he suggested there was little substance to the notion put forward by neoclassical economists of a "simulated free market" in East Asian economies that explains their "emergence" (see 1997 Asian Financial Crisis). Following the 2001 election, he became Shadow Minister for Communications.
Tanner has been a prominent member of Labor's left faction and it was thought that he might contest the Labor leadership in 2002, when former leader Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
first challenged Simon Crean
Simon Crean
Simon Findlay Crean is an Australian politician, and the current Minister for the Arts and Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government in the Australian Federal Government. He was leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition at the Federal level,...
. In the second leadership spill in December 2003, Tanner supported Beazley, who lost the party-room ballot to Mark Latham
Mark Latham
Mark William Latham , an author and former Australian politician, was leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005....
. The following month, Latham appointed Tanner to the new portfolio of Community Relationships, in addition to his existing responsibilities.
After the October 2004 federal election, Tanner was thought to be a candidate for the position of Shadow Treasurer, which had been vacated by Simon Crean. However, once it became clear that Latham did not intend to offer him this position, Tanner announced that he would not stand for a position in the new shadow ministry. He subsequently released a brief statement, stating that he had "no complaint about how Mark Latham has dealt with [him] personally", but adding that he had "serious reservations about the emerging Labor response to our latest election defeat." In June 2005, Tanner was re-elected to the Opposition frontbench and was appointed Shadow Minister for Finance.
Division of Melbourne
The Division of Melbourne is an Australian Electoral Division of Victoria. It is represented by Adam Bandt of the Australian Greens.Created at Federation in 1900 the division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
face the Greens on the two-party-preferred vote
Two-party-preferred vote
In politics, the two-party-preferred vote , or two-candidate-preferred vote , in an election or opinion poll uses preferential voting to express the electoral result after the distribution of preferences...
, the first seat to do so at a federal election. Labor retained the seat on 54.7 percent of the two-party-preferred vote. After the successful election of the federal Labor Party, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
retained Tanner as Minister for Finance and Deregulation. The role had previously only been known as Minister for Finance and Administration.
On 24 June 2010, during Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
's first question time as Prime Minister, Tanner announced his intention to not re-contest his seat at the next election, citing that he wanted to spend more time at home with his family and stressing he had already planned to do so before the change in leadership.
His tenure as Member for Melbourne ceased on 19 July 2010 when the Parliament was dissolved prior to the 2010 federal election. He remained as Minister for Finance throughout the election campaign.
Post-political career
Tanner has been appointed as a Vice Chancellor's Fellow and Adjunct Professor at Victoria UniversityVictoria University, Australia
Victoria University is a multi-sector tertiary institution based in Melbourne, Australia with 10 campuses.VU offers qualifications in higher education, vocational education , and short courses...
, and a special adviser to financial firm Lazard Australia
Lazard
Lazard Ltd is the parent company of Lazard Group LLC, a global, independent investment bank with approximately 2,300 employees in 42 cities across 27 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, Central and South America...
.
Publications
Tanner has been published extensively in newspapers and journals. His major works are detailed below:- Russ, Peter; Tanner, Lindsay. (1978) The politics of pollution. Camberwell, VIC: Widescope. ISBN 0-869-32072-6. (186 pages)
- Tanner, Lindsay. (1984) "Working class politics and culture : a case study of Brunswick in the 1920s." Parkville, VIC: University of Melbourne (MA thesis). (PDF copy) (161 pages)
- Tanner, Lindsay. (1996) The last battle. Carlton, VIC: Kokkino Press. ISBN 0-646-28912-8 (216 pages)
- Tanner, Lindsay. (1999) "Engaging with the world" (12th Stan Kelly Memorial Lecture, 30 September 1999). Melbourne: Economic Society of Australia (Victorian Branch). (16 pages)
- Tanner, Lindsay. (1999) Open Australia. Annandale, NSW: Pluto Press. ISBN 1-864-03052-6 (248 pages)
- Tanner, Lindsay. (2003) Crowded lives. North Melbourne, VIC: Pluto Press. ISBN 1-864-03272-3 (124 pages) (Review)
- Tanner, Lindsay. (2003) "Courage and compassion" (Arthur Calwell Memorial Lecture, 19 September 2003). Melbourne. (24 pages)
- Tanner, Lindsay. (2007) "Labor going global" (Chifley Memorial Lecture, 14 March 2007). Melbourne: University of Melbourne. (16 pages)
- Tanner, Lindsay. (2011) "Sideshow: Dumbing Down Democracy" Scribe Publications. ISBN 9781921844065 (240 pages)