Ian Campbell (Australian politician)

Ian Gordon Campbell (born 22 May 1959), Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate representing Western Australia between 1990 and 2007.

Early life

Campbell was born in Perth, Western Australia and lived for a time in Brisbane where he attended Brisbane Grammar School. He was a commercial and industrial property consultant and company director before entering politics.

Political life

Campbell was chosen by the parliament of Western Australia on 16 May 1990 to replace retiring Senator Fred Chaney. He was elected in his own right in 1993, 1998 and 2004. He was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1994-1996.

In government, he served in numerous roles: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment (1996); Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Sport, Territories and Local Government (1996); Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the Senate (1996); Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer (1996-1998); Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (1998-2001); and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer (2001-2003).

Campbell also later served as Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads (2003-2004), Minister for the Environment and Heritage (2004-2007), and Minister for Human Services (2007).

Minister for the Environment and Heritage (2004-2007)

In July 2004, a pre-election reshuffle saw Campbell become Minister for the Environment and Heritage. In this role, he acknowledged the need for action on climate change but argued that it was important to consider environmental issues in an economic context. cite news
url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/14/1089694424500.html
title=Howard freshens up with cabinet reshuffle
author=Michelle Grattan & Orietta Guerrera
publisher=Fairfax
work=The Age
date=2004-07-15] cite news
url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/editorial/halfhearted-climate-change-response/2005/07/29/1122144014879.html
title=Half-hearted climate change response
author=Editorial
publisher=Fairfax
work=The Age
date=2005-07-30] Amid growing community concern over the issue, he also argued for a "post-Kyoto arrangement that is effective" and a "portfolio approach" to the issue, rejecting the notion of "silver bullet" solutions. [ cite news
url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1754691.htm
title=Australians consider climate change top priority
author=Eleanor Hall
publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
work=ABC Local Radio - The World Today
date=2006-10-03] cite news
url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1773739.htm
title=Tony Jones speaks with Senator Ian Campbell
author=Tony Jones
publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
work=Lateline
date=2006-10-25]

Campbell was a vigorous critic of whaling. Through the International Whaling Commission, he actively campaigned against commercial and "scientific" whaling. cite news
url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1398433.htm
title=Japan vows to expand whale hunt
author=Jonathan Harley
publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
work=7.30 Report
date=2005-06-22] cite news
url=http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/env/2006/mr28mar206.html
title=New Australian research shows Japan’s scientific whaling is a sham
date=2006-03-28
author=Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage
work=MEDIA RELEASE] cite news
url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2005/s1376207.htm
title=Campbell rejects Japan's scientific whaling claims
author=Tony Jones
publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
work=Lateline
date=2005-05-24] [ cite news
url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Campbell-playing-politics-with-parrot/2006/08/29/1156617308868.html
title=Campbell 'playing politics' with parrot
author=AAP
publisher=Fairfax
work=The Age
date=2006-08-29]

In 2006, Campbell drew criticism for blocking a wind farm project in south-eastern Victoria on the basis that it may pose a risk to the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot. Commentators and the opposition rejected the decision as inconsistent and politically motivated. [ cite news
url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/tim-colebatch/on-the-man-off-message/2007/03/05/1172943352595.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
title=On the man, off message
author=Tim Colebatch
work=The Age
publisher=Fairfax
date=2007-03-06] [ cite news
url=http://www.anthonyalbanese.com.au/file.php?file=/news/OGBNNXWQCAPKKFSIGRQLBYAV/index.html
title=Campbell inconsistent on parrot wind farm threat
work=MEDIA RELEASE
author=Anthony Albanese MP
date=2006-04-11] [ cite news
url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1617642.htm
title=Government vetos wind farm development
author=Mary Gearin
publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
work=7.30 Report
date=2006-04-17]

Minister for Human Services (2007)

In January 2007, a cabinet reshuffle saw Campbell delegated the role of Human Services Minister, which was elevated to a cabinet position. However, on 3 March 2007, Campbell resigned after revelations he had met disgraced former Western Australian Premier Brian Burke. The resignation came in the midst of Liberal Party attacks on Opposition leader Kevin Rudd, for also having met with Mr Burke, and was seen as a strategy to pressure and undermine Rudd. Prime Minister John Howard defended Campbell from charges of any moral wrong doing, despite deputy leader Peter Costello's claim in Parliament that anyone who dealt with Brian Burke was morally compromised. [ cite news
url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21318624-2,00.html
title=PM sacrifices senior minister
author=Glenn Milne
publisher=News Ltd
work=The Sunday Telegraph
date=2007-03-04] [ cite news
url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/howard-sacrifices-minister/2007/03/03/1172868817704.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
title=Howard sacrifices minister
author=Jason Koutsoukis & David Cohen
publisher=Fairfax
work=The Age
date=2007-03-04]

Campbell announced his retirement from politics on 4 May 2007, saying that the Prime Minister had told him the door was still open for a return to the cabinet, but that he had decided to pursue a career in the private sector. [ cite news
url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1914607.htm
title='Lucky' Campbell to quit politics
publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
work=ABC News
date=2007-05-04] The Liberal Party in Western Australia chose Mathias Cormann to take his place. [ cite news
url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200705/1915272.htm?perth
title=Replacement elected to fill Campbell Senate position
publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
work=720 ABC Perth Radio
date=2007-05-05] Campbell formally resigned his Senate seat on 31 May 2007.

References