Fiona Nash

Senator The Honourable
Fiona Nash

Senator Nash in 2010
21st Deputy Leader of the National Party of Australia
Assumed office
11 February 2016
Leader Barnaby Joyce
Preceded by Barnaby Joyce
Minister for Local Government and Territories
Assumed office
19 July 2016
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Paul Fletcher (as Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects)
Minister for Regional Development
Assumed office
18 February 2016
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Warren Truss (as Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development)
Minister for Regional Communications
Assumed office
18 February 2016
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by No Immediate Predecessor
Minister for Rural Health
In office
21 September 2015 – 19 July 2016
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Warren Snowdon (as Minister for Indigenous Health)
Succeeded by David Gillespie (as Assistant Minister for Rural Health)
Assistant Minister for Health
In office
18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015
Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Christopher Pyne (as Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing)
Succeeded by Ken Wyatt
Senator for New South Wales
Assumed office
1 July 2005
Personal details
Born Fiona Joy Morton
(1965-05-06) 6 May 1965
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party National Party of Australia
Spouse(s) David Nash
Children 2
Residence Young, New South Wales
Alma mater Mitchell College of Advanced Education
Occupation Politician
Website Official website

Fiona Joy Nash (née Morton) (born 6 May 1965) is an Australian politician. She has represented the National Party of Australia in the Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales since 1 July 2005 and has served as the Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Parliament of Australia since 11 February 2016,[1][2][3] having previously served as the party's deputy Senate leader since 2008.

In the Turnbull Government, Nash has served as the Minister for Local Government and Territories since 19 July 2016, and the Minister for Regional Development, and the Minister for Regional Communications since 18 February 2016.[4] Nash had previously served as the Minister for Rural Health between 21 September 2015 and 19 July 2016, and as the Assistant Minister for Health in the Abbott Government between 18 September 2013 and 21 September 2015.[5]

Career

Between 1999 and 2004, she worked as staff member for National Party federal ministers, Mark Vaile, Larry Anthony, and De-Anne Kelly before her election to the Senate. In 2008, she was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources and Conservation on the Opposition frontbench, but was asked to resign by Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull when she expressed her support for a motion by the Australian Greens to block the introduction of up-front tax breaks for carbon sinks. She did so, and subsequently crossed the floor with four other National senators to vote for the motion.[6] After the 2010 election she returned to the Opposition frontbench when appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in September 2010.[7]

Following the 2013 federal election, Nash was appointed as Assistant Minister for Health in the Abbott Government. In February 2014 she came under scrutiny after it was revealed that her chief of staff, Alastair Furnival, held shares in a lobby group, which culminated with his resignation the same month.[8] In March the Senate formally censured Nash after she missed a deadline to produce a letter Furnival apparently wrote, outlining how he would avoid conflicts of interest, given that his wife owned a lobbying company, Australian Public Affairs, which represented junk food clients.[9]

Personal life

Nash was born in Sydney and was educated at Mitchell College of Advanced Education in Bathurst, New South Wales, where she graduated in arts.[7] Nash is married to David Nash, a farmer, and they have two sons. They live in the Young district in the south-west region of southern New South Wales.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Murphy, Katharine (11 February 2016). "Barnaby Joyce wins Nationals leadership, Fiona Nash named deputy". The Guardian. Australia. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  2. ↑ Gartrell, Adam (11 February 2016). "Parliament pays tribute to retiring deputy PM Warren Truss ahead of Barnaby Joyce elevation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Keany, Francis (11 February 2016). "Barnaby Joyce elected unopposed as new Nationals leader". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "Ministerial Swearing-in Ceremony". Events. Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  6. ↑ Arup, Tom (2 December 2008). "Nats senator axed then crosses floor". The Age.
  7. 1 2 "Senator Fiona Nash - Biography". Senators and Members. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  8. ↑ Metherell, Lexi (13 February 2014). "Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash admits chief of staff holds shares in lobby group". PM (ABC Radio). Australia. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  9. ↑ Jabour, Bridie (2014-03-05). "Senate votes to censure Fiona Nash after she fails to hand over document". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  10. ↑ Nash, Fiona (2009). "About Senator Fiona Nash". self. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
Parliament of Australia
Political offices
Preceded by
Paul Fletcher
as Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects		 Minister for Local Government and Territories
2016–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by
Warren Truss
as Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development		 Minister for Regional Development
2016–present
Vacant
Title last held by
Sharon Bird		 Minister for Regional Communications
2016–present
Vacant
Title last held by
Warren Snowdon
as Minister for Indigenous Health		 Minister for Rural Health
2015–2016 		Succeeded by
David Gillespie
as Assistant Minister for Rural Health
Vacant
Title last held by
Christopher Pyne
as Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing		 Assistant Minister for Health
2013–2015 		Vacant
Title next held by
Ken Wyatt
Party political offices
Preceded by
Barnaby Joyce		 Deputy Leader of the National Party of Australia
2016–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by
Ron Boswell		 Deputy Leader of the National Party in the Senate
2008–2016 		Vacant
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