Chris Bowen
The Honourable Chris Bowen MP | |
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Shadow Treasurer of Australia | |
Assumed office 18 October 2013 | |
Leader | Bill Shorten |
Preceded by | Joe Hockey |
Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 18 September 2013 – 13 October 2013 | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Prime Minister | Tony Abbott |
Deputy | Anthony Albanese |
Preceded by | Tony Abbott |
Succeeded by | Bill Shorten |
Leader of the Labor Party | |
In office 13 September 2013 – 13 October 2013 | |
Deputy | Anthony Albanese |
Preceded by | Kevin Rudd |
Succeeded by | Bill Shorten |
Treasurer of Australia | |
In office 27 June 2013 – 18 September 2013 | |
Prime Minister | Kevin Rudd |
Preceded by | Wayne Swan |
Succeeded by | Joe Hockey |
Minister for Small Business | |
In office 4 February 2013 – 22 March 2013 | |
Prime Minister | Julia Gillard |
Preceded by | Brendan O'Connor |
Succeeded by | Gary Gray |
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship | |
In office 14 September 2010 – 4 February 2013 | |
Prime Minister | Julia Gillard |
Preceded by | Chris Evans |
Succeeded by | Brendan O'Connor |
Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law | |
In office 9 June 2009 – 14 September 2010 | |
Prime Minister |
Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard |
Preceded by | Nick Sherry |
Succeeded by | Bill Shorten |
Assistant Treasurer of Australia | |
In office 3 December 2007 – 8 June 2009 | |
Prime Minister | Kevin Rudd |
Preceded by | Peter Dutton |
Succeeded by | Nick Sherry |
Member of the Australian Parliament for McMahon | |
Assumed office 21 August 2010 | |
Preceded by | Division Created |
Member of the Australian Parliament for Prospect | |
In office 9 October 2004 – 21 August 2010 | |
Preceded by | Janice Crosio |
Succeeded by | Division Abolished |
Personal details | |
Born |
Christopher Eyles Bowen 17 January 1973 Sydney, Australia |
Political party | Labor Party |
Spouse(s) | Rebecca Mifsud |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | University of Sydney |
Profession | Politician |
Website | Official website |
Christopher Eyles Bowen (born 17 January 1973) is an Australian politician who is the current Shadow Treasurer of Australia. Bowen is a senior Labor Right figure.[1] He was briefly the Acting Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition in 2013 after Labor lost the federal election.[2] Before this he served in a number of positions in the Rudd and Gillard Governments, including as Minister for Financial Services, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, and Treasurer. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2004 for Prospect, however the seat was abolished and he has represented McMahon since 2010.
Early years and background
Bowen was educated at Smithfield Public School, St Johns Park High School and the University of Sydney, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Economics. He was elected to Fairfield City Council in 1995 and was Mayor of Fairfield in 1998 and 1999. He was elected President of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) in 1999 and served as President until 2001. Bowen has openly stated that he is an atheist.[3]
Political career
In 2004, Bowen was elected to the House of Representatives replacing Janice Crosio after she retired after 25 years in both state and federal politics.
In 2006, Bowen was appointed to the Labor front bench as Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Revenue and Competition Policy. In December 2007 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd appointed him Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs. In June 2009 Bowen was promoted to cabinet as Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law and Minister for Human Services.
In April 2010 Bowen announced significant reforms to the financial services sector including banning of commissions for financial planners giving advice on retail investment products including superannuation, managed investments and margin loans; instituting a statutory fiduciary duty so that financial advisers must act in the best interests of their clients, and increasing the powers of the corporate regulator; the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.[4] The reforms were partially a response to the high profile collapse of Storm Financial, Westpoint and Opes Prime and the resultant losses for retail investors, but also reflected global concerns with financial governance following the Global Financial crisis of 2007–2010.[5] The reforms are due to be fully implemented on 1 July 2013.
In September 2010, Bowen was appointed Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, succeeding Senator Chris Evans.[6] On 2 February 2013, Bowen replaced Evans as Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research. Evans was also Minister for Small Business.[7]
Chris Bowen resigned his ministerial portfolios on 22 March 2013 after he supported an unsuccessful attempt to reinstall Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister.
Following the June 2013 leadership spill, Bowen was reinstated as a Cabinet Minister and given the portfolio of Treasurer. He was sworn in on 27 June 2013. He also has been given responsibility for financial services and superannuation, including carriage of the MySuper and other Simple Super reforms previously held by Bill Shorten.
Bowen was appointed Acting Leader of the Labor Party on 13 September 2013 following the resignation of Kevin Rudd in the wake of the party's defeat in the 2013 federal election. Bowen pledged not to stand in the October 2013 leadership spill which was contested by Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten.[8] Shorten was elected as leader.[9][10] Bowen was later appointed Shadow Treasurer by Bill Shorten.
Bibliography
Non-fiction
- Hearts and Minds: A Blueprint for Modern Labor (2013)[11]
See also
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 2004–2007
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 2007–2010
- First Rudd Ministry
- First Gillard Ministry
- Second Gillard Ministry
- Second Rudd Ministry
References
- ↑ "Bowen backs out of Labor leadership race, leaving spot open to Shorten and Albanese". ABC News (Australia). 9 September 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ↑ "Chris Bowen named interim Labor leader". 13 September 2013.
- ↑ "Q: What do these MPs have in common? A: They are out and proud atheists". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 March 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ↑ Chris Bowen. "Overhaul of Financial Advice [26/04/2010]". Ministers.treasury.gov.au. Retrieved 2013-07-01.
- ↑ "PM - Changes to financial planning laws will inject billions into the economy 26/04/2010". Abc.net.au. 2013-05-04. Retrieved 2013-07-01.
- ↑ Archived 22 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/changes-ministry-1
- ↑ "Chris Bowen named interim Labor leader". 13 September 2013.
- ↑ Harrison, Dan. "Bill Shorten elected Labor leader". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ↑ Griffiths, Emma (13 October 2013). "Bill Shorten elected Labor leader over Anthony Albanese after month-long campaign". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- ↑ https://www.mup.com.au/items/128283
External links
- Chris Bowen's official website
- Search or browse Hansard for Chris Bowen at OpenAustralia.org
- Profile on the Parliament of Australia website
- Summary of parliamentary voting for Chris Bowen MP on TheyVoteForYou.org.au
Parliament of Australia | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Janice Crosio |
Member of Parliament for Prospect 2004–2010 |
Succeeded by Constituency Abolished |
Preceded by Constituency Created |
Member of Parliament for McMahon 2010–present |
Incumbent |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Peter Dutton |
Assistant Treasurer of Australia 2007–2009 |
Succeeded by Nick Sherry |
Preceded by Nick Sherry |
Minister for Financial Services 2009–2010 |
Succeeded by Bill Shorten |
Preceded by Chris Evans |
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship 2010–2013 |
Succeeded by Brendan O'Connor |
Preceded by Brendan O'Connor |
Minister for Small Business 2013 |
Succeeded by Gary Gray |
Preceded by Wayne Swan |
Treasurer of Australia 2013 |
Succeeded by Joe Hockey |
Preceded by Tony Abbott |
Acting Leader of the Opposition 2013 |
Succeeded by Bill Shorten |
Preceded by Joe Hockey |
Shadow Treasurer of Australia 2013–present |
Incumbent |
Party political offices | ||
Preceded by Kevin Rudd |
Acting Leader of the Labor Party 2013 |
Succeeded by Bill Shorten |