Tim Holding
Encyclopedia
Timothy James Holding is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party
member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
since 1999. He served as Minister for Water; Minister for Finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission; and Minister for Tourism and Major Events in the Brumby Ministry
.
, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws
in 1997. From the early 1990s he was active in the Australian Labor Party
and Young Labor
; being elected President of Australian Young Labor in 1993; working as an Electorate Officer to State and Federal Members of Parliament, and later as an assistant Ministerial Adviser, including Senator Robert Ray
.
He served in 126 Signals Squadron of the 1st Commando Regiment
in the Australian Army Reserve
from 1991 until 1993.
Was also lost while hiking around Mt Feathertop.
as the Member for Springvale
at the age of 27. In 2002 he was elected the Member for Lyndhurst
and appointed Minister for Manufacturing and Exports, and Minister for the Financial Services Industry. Earning praise from former Premier Steve Bracks
as a 'rising star' of the government he was promoted in 2005 to the position of Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Corrections.
Holding easily won the safe Labor seat of Lyndhurst in the 2006 state election by a margin of 25.1% (a swing of 3.0% against Labor).
After the 2006 election, he was given the portfolios of Finance (including WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission) and Tourism as well as Information and Communication Technology. Some initially saw this as a demotion, but Premier Steve Bracks
described Holding as having done a 'great job' with Finance being seen as central to government decision-making with fewer potential political difficulties than the notoriously tricky Police portfolio.
Due to his relative youth and prominence, Holding has often been touted as a possible future Victorian
Labor
leader. He is recognised for his ability to master complex policy issues and combine this with his political capacity. Holding is well regarded by his colleagues who would value these attributes in the event of a vacancy for the Labor leadership. Holding suffered some criticism for his performance as Police Minister, however this would be unlikely to effect his chances of promotion given his steady performance in his current portfolios.
He was promoted in an August 2007 reshuffle following the ascension of John Brumby
to the premiership, receiving the responsibilities he held until the Labor party was voted out in the 2010 election. Holding had been touted as a serious candidate for Treasurer, but lost out to John Lenders
.
, Victoria's second highest mountain, having walked up the Bungalow Spur. He was due to return at 4pm on Sunday 30 August, but made no contact with his family. Holding was located by the Australian Federal Police
and was rescued on 1 September by a Victoria Police
helicopter.
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...
member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
since 1999. He served as Minister for Water; Minister for Finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission; and Minister for Tourism and Major Events in the Brumby Ministry
Brumby Ministry
The Brumby Ministry was the 66th ministry of the Government of Victoria. It was led by the Premier of Victoria, John Brumby, and Deputy Premier, Rob Hulls. It succeeded the Bracks Ministry on 3 August 2007, following the retirement of former Premier Steve Bracks and his deputy John Thwaites...
.
Early life
Holding was educated at Haileybury College and the University of MelbourneUniversity 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...
, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1997. From the early 1990s he was active in 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...
and Young Labor
Australian Young Labor
Australian Young Labor is the youth wing of the Australian Labor Party. All ALP members aged under 26 are automatically members. Australian Young Labor is the peak youth body within the ALP. It represents about 9500 members in every state and territory in Australia...
; being elected President of Australian Young Labor in 1993; working as an Electorate Officer to State and Federal Members of Parliament, and later as an assistant Ministerial Adviser, including Senator Robert Ray
Robert Ray (Australian politician)
Robert Francis Ray , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Senate from July 1981 to May 2008, representing the state of Victoria....
.
He served in 126 Signals Squadron of the 1st Commando Regiment
1st Commando Regiment
1st Commando Regiment is a reserve commando regiment of the Australian Army with a contingent of full-time cadre staff. It is part of the Australian Special Operations Command .-Organisation:...
in the Australian Army Reserve
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
from 1991 until 1993.
Was also lost while hiking around Mt Feathertop.
State government
In 1999, Holding was elected to Victorian Legislative AssemblyVictorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
as the Member for Springvale
Electoral district of Springvale
Electoral district of Springvale was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria.-Members for Springvale:...
at the age of 27. In 2002 he was elected the Member for Lyndhurst
Electoral district of Lyndhurst
The Electoral district of Lyndhurst is an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly and is located in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Included within its boundaries are Bangholme and Lyndhurst and parts of other surrounding suburbs, such as Noble Park and Springvale.The seat was...
and appointed Minister for Manufacturing and Exports, and Minister for the Financial Services Industry. Earning praise from former Premier Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
as a 'rising star' of the government he was promoted in 2005 to the position of Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Corrections.
Holding easily won the safe Labor seat of Lyndhurst in the 2006 state election by a margin of 25.1% (a swing of 3.0% against Labor).
After the 2006 election, he was given the portfolios of Finance (including WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission) and Tourism as well as Information and Communication Technology. Some initially saw this as a demotion, but Premier Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
described Holding as having done a 'great job' with Finance being seen as central to government decision-making with fewer potential political difficulties than the notoriously tricky Police portfolio.
Due to his relative youth and prominence, Holding has often been touted as a possible future Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
Labor
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...
leader. He is recognised for his ability to master complex policy issues and combine this with his political capacity. Holding is well regarded by his colleagues who would value these attributes in the event of a vacancy for the Labor leadership. Holding suffered some criticism for his performance as Police Minister, however this would be unlikely to effect his chances of promotion given his steady performance in his current portfolios.
He was promoted in an August 2007 reshuffle following the ascension of John Brumby
John Brumby
John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...
to the premiership, receiving the responsibilities he held until the Labor party was voted out in the 2010 election. Holding had been touted as a serious candidate for Treasurer, but lost out to John Lenders
John Lenders
John Lenders is an Australian Labor Party politician representing the Southern Metropolitan Region in the Victorian Legislative Council. He was most notably the Minister for Education in the Bracks Government and Treasurer of Victoria in the Brumby Government....
.
Disappearance and rescue
On 31 August 2009, Holding was reported missing after he failed to return from a solo hiking expedition of Mount FeathertopMount Feathertop
Mount Feathertop is the second-highest mountain in the Australian state of Victoria and is a member of the Australian Alps located entirely within the Alpine National Park. It rises to and is usually covered in snow from June to September...
, Victoria's second highest mountain, having walked up the Bungalow Spur. He was due to return at 4pm on Sunday 30 August, but made no contact with his family. Holding was located by the Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
and was rescued on 1 September by a Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
helicopter.