Nick McKim

The Honourable Nick Mckim MP
Constituency	Franklin
Leader of the Greens in Tasmania
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 July 2008
Deputy	Tim Morris
Preceded by	Peg Putt
Minister for Human Services
In office 21 April 2010 – 11 November 2010
Preceded by	Lin Thorp
Succeeded by	Cassy O'Connor
Minister for Community Development
In office 21 April 2010 – 11 November 2010
Preceded by	(new office)
Succeeded by	Cassy O'Connor
Minister for Sustainable Transport and Alternative Energy
In office 21 April 2010 – 31 May 2011
Preceded by	(new office)
Succeeded by	Alternative Energy subsumed back into Energy portfolio
Corrections and Consumer Protection
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 April 2010
Preceded by	Lisa Singh
Minister for Climate Change
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 April 2010
Preceded by	(new office)
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 April 2010
Preceded by	(new office)
Minister for Education and Skills
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 May 2011
Preceded by	Lin Thorp
Minister for Sustainable Transport
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 May 2011
Preceded by	(new office)
Personal details
Born	11 June 1965 (1965-06-11) (age 46) London, England, UK
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Tasmanian Greens
Domestic partner	Cassy O'Connor

Nicholas (Nick) James McKim (born 11 June 1965 in London)^[1] is an Australian politician. He has been a Tasmanian Greens member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly since the 2002 election, representing the Franklin electorate. Since 7 July 2008 he has been the Leader of the Tasmanian Greens and, as of 21 April 2010, is Australia's first ever Greens Minister.

Background

As a five year old, McKim emigrated with his family from the UK to Tasmania. He attended the Hutchins School, Kingston High School, then Hobart College.^{[citation needed]} He lived for a number of years in Adelaide, South Australia before moving to Tasmania.^{[citation needed]} Before entering parliament, McKim worked as a wilderness guide and advertising executive.^[2][3]

McKim served time in prison after being arrested during the Farmhouse Creek Blockade in the early 1980s.^[3][4]

Political career

McKim supported the government in passing the same sex relationships bill (which recognises same sex relationships in Tasmania under common law) and has promoted the Greens' own Same-Sex Marriage Bill.

He campaigned heavily against the use of 1080 poison, forestry practices and the state's anti-terrorism bill.^[3]

McKim was re-elected at the 2006 election, receiving 15.93% of first preferences, an increase compared to his previous vote of 12.59% in the 2002 election. He replaced Peg Putt as Leader of the Tasmanian Greens when Putt retired from Parliament in 2008.

In the 2010 Tasmanian election McKim achieved 24.1% of first preferences in the division of Franklin.^[5] On 19 April 2010, Labor Premier David Bartlett agreed to appoint Mr McKim as a Minister along with Cassy O'Connor as Cabinet Secretary.^[6]

As a Minister, McKim originally held the portfolios of Sustainable Transport and Alternative Energy, Corrections and Consumer Protection, Climate Change, Human Services, and Community Development: though he delegated responsibility for the portfolios of Human Services and Community Development to fellow Greens MP and then Cabinet Secretary Cassy O'Connor. ^[7]

After a Cabinet reshuffle in November 2010 the portfolios of Human Services and Community Development were formally assumed by newly appointed Greens Minister Cassy O'Connor, whilst McKim was sworn in as Minister for the newly created Aboriginal Affairs portfolio along side his other three portfolios.^[8]

Another Cabinet reshuffle, caused by Lin Thorp losing her seat in the Tasmanian Legislative Council elections and David Bartlett resigning from the Tasmanian House of Assembly, then saw McKim sworn in on May 13, 2011 as Minister for the key portfolio of Education and Skills, whilst retaining the portfolios of Corrections and Consumer Protection, and Sustainable Transport. ^[9]

Personal life

In July 2009, McKim confirmed he was in a relationship with his fellow Greens MP, Cassy O'Connor.^[10]

Images

• 

  Nick McKim June 2010

• 

  Nick McKim and Brian Walters

See also

• Tasmanian state election, 2014

References

1. ^ "Tasmanian Parliamentary profile - Nick McKim". http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/history/tasparl/mckimnj730.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-09. 
2. ^ Neales, Sue (21 April 2010). "Time to take the helm". The Mercury (Hobart)The Mercury. http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/04/21/141301_opinion.html. Retrieved 14 November 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "McKim's Green evolution". The Mercury. 2008-07-09. http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,23992950-3462,00.html. Retrieved 2008-07-09. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Nick McKIM MP Electorate: FRANKLIN Inaugural speech". Parliament of Tasmania website. Government of Tasmania. 25 September 2002. http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/ha/ISMcKimNick.htm. Retrieved 20 April 2010. 
5. ^ http://www.electoral.tas.gov.au/pages/HouseOfAssembly/HoA2010/Results/Franklin/FranklinFirst.html
6. ^ "Greens, Bartlett reach last-minute compromise". ABC News Online (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 20 April 2010. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/20/2877131.htm. Retrieved 20 April 2010. 
7. ^ "Ministerial Portfolios Set Exciting Challenge". Tasmanian Greens MPs. Tasmanian Parliamentary Greens. April 2010. http://mps.tas.greens.org.au/2010/04/ministerial-portfolios-set-exciting-challenge. 
8. ^ "Greens take second Tasmanian ministry". The Age (Fairfax Media). 11 November 2010. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/greens-take-second-tasmanian-ministry-20101111-17om6.html. Retrieved 08 July 2011. 
9. ^ "Mix-and-match Cabinet". The Mercury (News Limited). 14 May 2011. http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/05/14/229981_tasmania-news.html. Retrieved 08 July 2011. 
10. ^ Peter Wels (2009-07-04). "Green MPs pair off". The Examiner. http://www.examiner.com.au/news/local/news/politics/breaking-news/1558675.aspx. Retrieved 2009-07-15. 

External links

• Nick McKim's maiden speech to parliament

Political offices
Preceded by Lin Thorp	Minister for Human Services 2010–2011	Succeeded by Cassy O'Connor
Preceded by Michelle O'Byrne	Minister for Community Development 2010–2011
New ministry	Minister for Climate Change 2010–2011
New ministry	Minister for Aboriginal Affairs 2010–2011
New ministry	Minister for Sustainable Transport and Alternative Energy 2010–2011	Portfolio abrogated
Preceded by Lisa Singh	Minister for Corrections and Consumer Protection 2010–present	Incumbent
New ministry	Minister for Sustainable Transport 2011–present
Preceded by Lin Thorp	Minister for Education and Skills 2011–present
Party political offices
Preceded by Peg Putt	Leader of the Tasmanian Greens 2008–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	McKim, Nick
Alternative names
Short description	Australian politician; leader of the Tasmanian Greens
Date of birth	11 June 1965
Place of birth	London, England, UK
Date of death
Place of death