Luke Foley

{{short description|Australian Labor Party politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Luke Foley

| honorific-suffix = MP

| image = Luke Foley - June 2014 (cropped).jpg

| caption =

| image_upright =

| office1 = 37th Leader of the Opposition in New South Wales
{{small|Elections: 2015}}

| premier1 = Mike Baird
Gladys Berejiklian

| deputy1 = Linda Burney
Michael Daley

| term_start1 = 5 January 2015

| term_end1 = 8 November 2018

| predecessor1 = John Robertson

| successor1 = Michael Daley

| office2 = Leader of the Labor Party in New South Wales

| deputy2 = Linda Burney
Michael Daley

| term_start2 = 5 January 2015

| term_end2 = 8 November 2018

| predecessor2 = John Robertson

| successor2 = Michael Daley

| office6 = Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Auburn

| term_start6 = 28 March 2015

| term_end6 = 23 March 2019

| predecessor6 = Barbara Perry

| successor6 = Lynda Voltz{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Legislative Council|titlestyle=background-color:#eee}}

| office7 = 16th Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council

| 1blankname7 = Leader

| 1namedata7 = John Robertson
Himself

| term_start7 = 14 June 2011

| term_end7 = 6 March 2015

| predecessor7 = Tony Kelly

| successor7 = Adam Searle

| office8 = Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council

| leader8 = Tony Kelly

| term_start8 = 8 April 2011

| term_end8 = 14 June 2011

| predecessor8 =

| successor8 = Adam Searle

| office9 = Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council

| term_start9 = 19 June 2010

| term_end9 = 6 March 2015

| predecessor9 = Ian Macdonald{{Collapsed infobox section end|Legislative Council|titlestyle=background-color:#eee}}

| birth_name = Luke Aquinas Foley

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1970|6|27}}{{cite web|url=http://lukefoley.nationbuilder.com/aboutluke|title=Luke Foley|access-date=3 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220125901/http://lukefoley.nationbuilder.com/aboutluke|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=dead}}

| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

| nationality = Australian

| party = Labor

| spouse = Edel McKenna

| children = 3

| alma_mater = University of New South Wales {{small|(BA)}}

| website =

}}

Luke Aquinas Foley (born 27 June 1970) is a former Australian Labor Party politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of New South Wales from 2015 to 2018. Foley was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since 19 June 2010 until his resignation to contest the Legislative Assembly seat of Auburn at the 2015 New South Wales election. Foley resigned after it was alleged that he had indecently assaulted an ABC journalist. Foley denies the allegations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/luke-foley-resigns-as-nsw-labor-leader-following-explosive-allegations-20181108-p50euz.html|title=Luke Foley set to resign as NSW Labor leader following explosive allegations|last=Smith|first=Alexandra|date=8 November 2018|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=8 November 2018}}

Early years and education

Foley was born in Sydney and from the age of seven was raised solely by his mother.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-04/profile-luke-foley-on-nsw-labor-election-campaign/6275450|title=NSW election 2015: A day on the campaign trail with Opposition Leader Luke Foley|work=ABC News|date=4 March 2015}} In an interview conducted when he became NSW Opposition Leader, Foley stated his mother instilled in him a triple faith of "the Labor Party, the Catholic Church and the Eastern Suburbs Rugby League Club".{{cite news|title=New Labor Party leader Luke Foley: How my single mum taught me 'Labor values'|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/new-labor-party-leader-luke-foley-how-my-single-mum-taught-me-labor-values/story-fnpn118l-1227173425482|access-date=4 January 2015|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Australia|date=4 January 2015}}

Foley was active in student representative politics at university and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales, the first in his family to attend university.

Foley is a keen cricketer. In 1999, he worked as an accredited Triple J cricket correspondent reporting from the Australian/West Indies series in the Caribbean.{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2015/03/sunday-brunch-luke-foley.html|title = ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)}}

Career

Starting his working life while a student as a telemarketer for the Guide Dog Association of NSW 1988–90, Foley became NSW President of the National Union of Students 1991, and then worked in the office of Labor Senator Bruce Childs 1992–96.

Between 1996 and 2000, he was a union organiser with the NSW branch of the Australian Services Union and became Secretary of that branch between 2000 and 2003. This involved representing the interests of charity and drug and alcohol rehabilitation workers. Referring to that period in his first speech in the NSW Parliament, Foley stated:{{cite web|title=Inaugural speech of the Honourable Luke Foley |url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/member/files/52/Luke%20Foley%20Inaugural%20Speech.pdf |access-date=3 April 2019 |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |date=1 September 2010}}

{{blockquote|For seven years I organised and represented workers predominantly working in the social and community services sector. These men and women work with the downtrodden, the excluded and the marginalised. They are ordinary workers who do extraordinary things. They are passionate and dedicated and they are underpaid and undervalued. What does it say about our values as a society when these men and women are among our lowest paid workers? Community workers make a difference every day. It is time we properly recognised them for the work they do.|Luke Foley, inaugural speech in the NSW Legislative Council, 1 September 2010.}}

A member of Labor's left faction, before his appointment to the Legislative Council, Foley was the assistant general secretary of the New South Wales Labor Party from 2003 to 2010.{{cite NSW Parliament |id=52 |name=Mr Luke Aquinas FOLEY (1970 - ) |former=Yes |accessdate=3 April 2019}}{{cite news|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/the-party-was-over-long-before-macca-jumped-20100605-xlt1.html |title=The party was over long before 'Macca' jumped |author=Mitchell, Alex |date=6 June 2010 |work=The National Times |access-date=3 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608043933/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/the-party-was-over-long-before-macca-jumped-20100605-xlt1.html |archive-date=8 June 2010 }}

Foley was a sportswriter for The Punch from 2009.{{cite web|url=https://mumbrella.com.au/with-the-punch-we-want-to-celebrate-journalism-6049|title=Guest post: With The Punch we will celebrate journalism – Mumbrella|date=31 May 2009|access-date=3 August 2018}}

Political career

Foley was appointed to the Legislative Council to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Ian Macdonald.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/09/2922892.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719185607/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/09/2922892.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 July 2012|title=Labor announces Macdonald replacement|work=ABC News|location=Australia|date=10 June 2010|access-date=14 June 2010}} He describes himself as a "practising Catholic on the Left of politics"{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20120531014?open|work=NSW Hansard|title=Marriage Equality|date=31 May 2012|publisher=Parliament of New South Wales}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/gay-marriage-motion-passes-in-nsw-upper-house/story-fn6b3v4f-1226376815540|title=Gay marriage motion passes in NSW upper house|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Australia|date=31 May 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/mps-moved-by-heaven-and-earth-20120405-1wfdi.html|title=MPs moved by heaven and earth|author=Patty, Anna|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=6 April 2012|access-date=8 June 2014}}

Foley voted in favour of same sex adoption bill in 2010{{cite news | url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/luke-foley-elected-nsw-labor-leader/news-story/683eed787c7f0c097d1b0f7f0c6063f4 | title=Foley elected NSW Labor leader | date=5 January 2015 }}{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-05/dempster-luke-foley-just-made-the-nsw-election-interesting/6000902|title=Luke Foley just made the NSW election interesting|newspaper=ABC News|date=5 January 2015|access-date=3 August 2018}} and in 2015 announced his support behind federal legislation for same-sex marriage.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/alp-leader-luke-foley-throws-his-support-behind-federal-legislation-for-samesex-marriage-20150218-13i9f1.html|title=ALP leader Luke Foley throws his support behind federal legislation for same-sex marriage|first=Sean|last=Nicholls|date=18 February 2015|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=3 August 2018}} Foley said: "I have an open mind. I continue to talk to many people, including gay and lesbian friends of mine about this issue".{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-05/new-nsw-opposition-leader-luke-foley-believes-alp-can-win-next-/6000986|title=Labor can win NSW election, new Opposition Leader Luke Foley declares|newspaper=ABC News|date=5 January 2015|access-date=3 August 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-nsw-alp-leader-luke-foley--im-not-a-privatisation-ideologue-20150105-12i742.html|title=New NSW ALP leader Luke Foley: 'I'm not a privatisation ideologue'|first=Sean Nicholls and Nicole|last=Hasham|date=5 January 2015|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=3 August 2018}}

Following the resignation of John Robertson as leader of the parliamentary Labor Party, Foley contested the leadership in the vote held on 5 January 2015. After the withdrawal of Michael Daley and Steve Whan as leadership contenders, Foley was elected unopposed.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-30/michael-daley-withdraws-labor-leadership-race/5993286|title=Michael Foley pulls out of NSW Labor leadership race, paving way for Luke Foley to lead party|work=ABC News|location=Australia|date=30 December 2014|access-date=31 December 2014|author=Simmonds, Kylie}}{{cite news|title=Foley's rise shows meritocracy, not faceless men|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/foleys-rise-shows-meritocracy-not-faceless-men-20150103-12gzgt.html|access-date=4 January 2015|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=4 January 2015}}{{cite news|title=New NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley thinks Labor can win next state election|url=http://abc.net.au/news/2015-01-05/new-nsw-opposition-leader-luke-foley-believes-alp-can-win-next-/6000986|work=ABC News|location=Australia|date=5 January 2015|access-date=5 January 2015}} He was endorsed as the Labor candidate for the safe Labor seat of Auburn at the 2015 state election, after the incumbent member Barbara Perry stood aside to allow him to transfer to the lower house from the Legislative Council.{{cite news|title=NSW Labor leadership: Labor moves to install Foley into lower house hours after election as leader|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-labor-leadership-labor-moves-to-install-foley-into-lower-house-hours-after-election-as-leader-20150105-12i4cv.html|access-date=5 January 2015|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=5 January 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/auburn-mp-barbara-perry-retires-from-labor-seat-to-make-way-for-future-premier-luke-foley/story-e6frg6n6-1227177076425?nk=dc69baeb2440f71afc5a6b3be68d87fa|title=Auburn MP Barbara Perry retires from Labor seat to make way for 'future premier' Luke Foley|author=Wood, Alicia|work=The Australian|date=7 January 2015|access-date=8 January 2015}}{{cite news|title=NSW Labor MP Barbara Perry withdraws from Auburn contest to make way for Opposition Leader Luke Foley|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-07/nsw-labor-mp-barbara-perry-withdraws-from-auburn-contest/6004310|access-date=7 January 2015|work=ABC News|location=Australia|date=7 January 2015}} He went on to win the seat, however, with a small swing against his party in the electorate.{{cite news|author1=Nicole Hasham|title=NSW state election 2015: Ethnic dissent cost Luke Foley in Auburn|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-state-election-2015/nsw-state-election-2015-ethnic-dissent-cost-luke-foley-in-auburn-20150330-1maty3.html|access-date=31 March 2015|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=30 March 2015}} Foley did manage to pick up a 11-seat swing, and recovered much of what Labor had lost four years earlier. Notably, Labor regained many seats in its longstanding heartlands of west Sydney, the Central Coast, and the Hunter that had been swept up by the Coalition. It reduced the Coalition majority from 14 seats to seven.

In October 2018, NSW Corrections Minister David Elliott raised an allegation in the Legislative Assembly about an incident where Foley had "a little bit too much to drink at a party and harassed an ABC journalist."{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/david-elliott-silent-as-abc-journalist-alleges-political-point-scoring-in-harassment-allegations-20181108-p50etq.html|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|title=David Elliott silent as ABC journalist alleges 'political point scoring' in harassment allegations|first=Lisa|last=Visentin|date=8 November 2018|access-date=9 November 2018}} Later that month, ABC journalist Ashleigh Raper released a statement, alleging that at an event in November 2016, Foley "placed his hand down the back of her dress and inside her underpants."{{cite news |author1=McKinnell, J |author2=Gerathy, Sarah |title=Luke Foley allegations detailed in statement from ABC journalist Ashleigh Raper |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-08/luke-foley-nsw-labor-leader-abc-harassment-allegations/10432098 |access-date=8 November 2018 |work=ABC News}} Hours later, Foley read a statement in which he resigned as leader of the Labor Party, but denied the allegation and said he would commence defamation proceedings against Raper in the Federal Court.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/luke-foley-resigns-as-nsw-labor-leader-following-explosive-allegations-20181108-p50euz.html|title=NSW Labor leader Luke Foley resigns but denies explosive harassment allegations|first=Alexandra|last=Smith|date=8 November 2018|access-date=9 November 2018|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}} Later in November, he dropped the case against Raper.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/foley-drops-legal-action-threat-over-abc-reporter-s-harassment-claims-20181128-p50iu4.html|title=Foley drops legal action threat over ABC reporter's harassment claims|date=28 November 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/luke-foley-backs-off-defamation-suit/news-story/7af73249f1fd2946c1a9a1b871046506|title=Foley backs down on legal threat|date=28 November 2018}}

=Views=

Foley has stated his values are "social democratic values":

{{quotation|I believe that governments should direct resources to overcome disadvantage. The sum of our individual decisions does not add up to the kind of society that we want to live in. I believe in a strong society where we owe obligations to each other. What gives us in the Labor Party moral purpose is our conviction that the fortunate have a responsibility to the unfortunate, that the strong should help the weak.|Foley, delivering his inaugural speech to the Legislative Council of New South Wales, in 2010.}}

In 2018, Foley talked about White flight.{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-24/foley-apologises-for-white-flight-comments/9796548|title = NSW Labor leader apologises for 'white flight' migration comments|newspaper = ABC News|date = 24 May 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/luke-foley-claims-anglo-families-are-fleeing-sydneys-suburbs-due-to-refugee-intake/news-story/6891c109b7cf15817cc6307b0e87432b|title = MP blasted for 'white flight' comments|date = 23 May 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/may/24/luke-foley-defends-white-flight-comment-but-denies-dog-whistling|title = Luke Foley apologises for 'white flight' comment, saying he now knows it's offensive|website = TheGuardian.com|date = 24 May 2018}} He was condemned by Premier Gladys Berejiklian for his view that an influx of people of non-European descent had driven many Anglo Australians to leave parts of Sydney.{{cite news|author1=Alexandra Smith|title='Dangerous and nasty': Luke Foley attacked over 'white flight' comment|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/dangerous-and-nasty-luke-foley-attacked-over-white-flight-comment-20180524-p4zhbk.html|access-date=27 May 2018|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=24 May 2018}}

Personal life

Foley is married to Edel McKenna and they have three children.

Foley is a member of the Summer Hill Seniors Cricket Club, a member of the Sydney Cricket Ground since 1992, and an executive member of the Victor Trumper Society. He is also a supporter of the Eastern Suburbs Rugby League Club.{{cite web|url=http://www.lukefoley.com.au/aboutluke|title=Luke Foley|access-date=3 August 2018}}

References

External links

{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/hansard/Pages/member-speeches.aspx?pk=52 |title=Luke Foley speeches |publisher=NSW Parliament |work=Hansard}}
[http://www.lukefoley.com.au/ Official Luke Foley Webpage]

{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Opposition in New South Wales |years=2015{{endash}}2018}}

{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Labor Party in New South Wales|years=2015{{endash}}2018}}