Michael Kroger

Michael Norman Kroger (born 30 May 1957) is a businessman and a powerbroker within the Victorian division of the Liberal Party of Australia. He was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne.

Early Life

Kroger became politically active while studying at Monash University. While president of the campus Liberal Club, Kroger is largely credited with the creation of the still-thriving Sir Robert Menzies Lecture. With his close friend Peter Costello he forged an alliance with moderate Australian Labor Party politicians in an effort to defeat far left-wing forces within the Australian Union of Students. He became President of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation in 1978.

Professional life

After graduating his association with Costello continued. Working as a solicitor he assisted Costello in winning the 1985 Dollar Sweets case.^[1]

In 1987 and at the age of 30, Kroger was elected as the President of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party of Australia and was President until 1992, becoming the longest serving President in the Victorian Division's history. He instituted a series of reforms, the most important of which was his move to increase the power of the party executive in preselections. While this led to several preselection challenges in 1988 and 1989 (most notably Costello's successful challenge against Roger Shipton in Higgins) it has also helped in the election of several young Victorian federal parliamentarians who are widely considered to have bright futures, although this pattern has not been replicated at state level.^[2]

Kroger himself has often turned down opportunities to run in blue ribbon Liberal seats, notably Kooyong in 1994 and in Goldstein in 2004, preferring to concentrate on family and business interests.^[3]

Since the 1990s the Victorian division of the Liberal Party has been factionalized between Kroger's supporters and those of Jeff Kennett. This has led to some bruising preselections, such as Kennett backed Louise Asher defeating the Kroger backed Mitch Fifield in Brighton in 1999.^[4] However, both backed Petro Georgiou when he was challenged for his preselection by Josh Frydenberg in 2006.^[5]

In 1993 Kroger established an investment company, JT Campbell & Co in and currently serves as Chairman. Kroger has also spent five years (1998 to 2003) as a Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Private life

His first wife Helen Kroger was elected to the Senate for Victoria at the 2007 Federal Election after being preselected in the safe second position on the Liberal ticket, along with the aforementioned Mitch Fifield and number three candidate Scott Ryan. Despite their divorce, Michael and Helen remain close friends and are considered to be political allies.

Kroger married Ann Peacock in March 1999 at St Michael's Uniting Church, in Collins St, Melbourne. The marriage produced two sons and the couple separated 2009 ^[6]

References

1. ^ G. Henderson, Australia Answers, Random House, Sydney, 1990.
2. ^ The Age: Doyle's choice: Dads Army or new blood
3. ^ Poll Bludger: Federal Election 2004 Victoria
4. ^ AM: Kennett wins factional battle
5. ^ ABC Online News: Georgiou win unrelated to refugee policy: Costello
6. ^ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/split-for-kroger-and-peacock/story-e6frf96x-1111118618421

Persondata
Name	Kroger, Michael
Alternative names	Kroeger, Mike
Short description
Date of birth	30 May 1957
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death