Michael Johnson (Australian politician)
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Distinguish|Michael Johnsen}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2009}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Michael Johnson MP.jpg
| name = Michael Johnson
| caption = Official portrait, 2009
| predecessor = Leonie Short
| successor = Jane Prentice
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|1|31|df=yes}}
| birth_place = British Hong Kong
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Liberal (2001–2008)
Liberal National (2008-2010)
Independent (2010)
| alma_mater = {{unbulleted list|University of Queensland|University of Cambridge|University of Birmingham}}
| occupation =
| profession = Barrister, politician
| spouse = Huyen
| children = Ryan
| office = Member of the House of Representatives for Ryan
| termstart = {{start date|2001|11|10}}
| termend = {{end date|2010|08|21}}
| office2 = Liberal Party Whip
| alongside2 = Nola Marino
| predecessor2 = Joanna Gash
| successor2 = Patrick Secker
| termstart2 = {{end date|2008|02|12}}
| termend2 = {{end date|2010|02|26}}
}}
Michael Andrew Johnson (born 31 January 1970) is a Hong Kong-born Australian former politician who was a member of the House of Representatives for the seat of Ryan in Queensland from 2001 to 2010, representing the Liberal Party from November 2001 to May 2010 and then as an independent from May 2010 until he was defeated by Liberal National member Jane Prentice at the 2010 federal election.
Early years and education
He was born in Hong Kong, and was educated at St. Peters Lutheran College and later at the University of Queensland, the University of Cambridge, where he obtained an MPhil, and the University of Birmingham, where he obtained an MIS. He was the Australian Chevening Scholar in 1994, the Charles Hawker Memorial Scholar in 1996 and was a 2004 graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Executive Leaders’ Program at Harvard.
Johnson was a barrister and a university tutor and lecturer before entering politics. He was named in 2007 as a Young Global Leader (YGL) by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF). He was Chairman of the Australia-China Business Forum, and was a Member of the Asia Society's International Advisory Board and sits on the Australian Advisory Board.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}
Political career
In February 2001, Johnson first sought to gain Liberal endorsement for Ryan, following the retirement of long-serving member, John Moore. Factional rivalries between Johnson and other candidates for preselection led to rampant branch stacking.{{cite web
| last = Green |first= Antony
| url = http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/ryan.htm
| title = Election Guide 2007 - Ryan
| publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation}} Johnson had been expected to win preselection, having arranged many of the new members in local branches. He was accused by opponents in the party of signing up ethnic Chinese with only limited connections to the Liberal Party, many from outside the Ryan electorate, and in at least one case, outside Australia. Unfortunately for Johnson, it was revealed he had failed to properly renounce his British citizenship and was ruled ineligible to contest preselection per Section 44{{refn|Section 44 states: 'Any person who...is a citizen of a foreign power...shall be incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a...member of the House of Representatives.'
{{Cite web |url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2013Q00005 |title=Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act |date=1977-07-29 |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=Federal Register of Legislation}}}} of the Australian Constitution. Former state Liberal President Bob Tucker won preselection for the by-election, losing that contest to Labor's Leonie Short. However, by the time of the federal election in October, Johnson had sorted out his citizenship and won Liberal preselection. He then easily took the seat back from Short on an eight-point swing.
There have also been public allegations regarding internal party funds,AAP, [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21420612-1702,00.html 'MP denies 'slush fund' allegations'], 21 March 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2009. what he describes as his "unorthodox" fundraising of asking businesses for fees for introductions he facilitates in his capacity as an MP,{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/liberal-mp-michael-johnson-defends-unorthodox-fundraising-practices/story-e6frgczf-1225841132971 |title=Liberal MP Michael Johnson defends 'unorthodox' fundraising practices |publisher=The Australian |date=16 March 2010 |access-date=2010-05-22}} and the alleged improper use of a publicly funded vehicle.{{cite news|last=Viellaris |first=Renee |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/mp-michael-johnson-at-centre-of-federal-car-probe/story-e6frfkwr-1225805174947 |title=MP Michael Johnson at centre of federal car probe |publisher=News.com.au |date=30 November 2009 |access-date=2010-05-22}}
Johnson also held the position of Opposition Whip in the federal Liberal Party from February 2008 to February 2010. He resigned from the post when allegations that he had misused his taxpayer-funded vehicle were investigated.{{cite web|last=Viellaris |first=Renee |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/michael-johnson-investigated-over-use-of-commonwealth-car/story-e6freoof-1225805146650 |title=Michael Johnson investigated over use of Commonwealth car |publisher=Courier Mail |date=30 November 2009 |access-date=2010-06-23}}
=Expulsion from the LNP=
In 2010, controversy emerged regarding business dealings involving Johnson and the Australia-China Business Forum, of which he was the Chair.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/china-deal-commission-not-for-me-liberal-mp-michael-johnson/story-e6frgczf-1225868544193|title=China deal commission not for me: Liberal MP Michael Johnson|last=Fraser|first=Andrew|first2=Sarah |last2=Elks|date=19 May 2010|work=The Australian|access-date=5 January 2012}} On 20 May 2010, he was expelled from the Liberal National Party, the Queensland branch of the Liberal and National parties. Johnson vowed to contest Ryan as an independent at the 2010 federal election.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/michael-johnsons-lnp-fate-hangs-in-balance/story-e6frgczf-1225869215210 |title=Michael Johnson expelled from LNP |publisher=The Australian |date= 20 May 2010|access-date=2010-05-22}} In June 2010, Jane Prentice, a Brisbane City Councillor, was chosen by the LNP to stand for Ryan.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/lnp-endorses-popular-councillor-jane-prentice-for-ryan/story-e6frgczf-1225877798493 |title=LNP endorses popular councillor Jane Prentice for Ryan |publisher=The Australian |date=10 June 2010 |access-date=2010-06-23}}
On 2 June 2010, Johnson read out a letter to Parliament which he sent to the Australian Federal Police alleging he was subject to "illegal pressure" to resign from Federal Parliament by the Liberal National Party President Bruce McIver, during a meeting on 25 February in Canberra.{{cite web|last=Chalmers |first=Emma |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mp-michael-johnson-alleges-blackmail-bid/story-e6freoof-1225874721950 |title=MP Michael Johnson alleges blackmail bid |publisher=Courier Mail |date=2 June 2010 |access-date=2010-06-23}} During the meeting, Johnson claimed that McIver produced a large black folder which he alleged contained material and documents that was evidence of alleged criminal behaviour by Johnson. McIver denies the claims that he asked him to resign from Parliament, though openly admits he asked Johnson to quit the LNP.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/furious-denials-from-lnp-over-blackmail-claims-20100602-wzut.html |title=Furious denials from LNP over blackmail claims |publisher=Smh.com.au |date=3 June 2010 |access-date=2010-06-23 | first=Phillip | last=Coorey}}
= Independent election attempts =
He stood unsuccessfully as an independent candidate in:
- the 2010 federal election, where he campaigned to retain his seat of Ryan after being expelled from the LNP earlier that year. He secured less than 9% of the primary vote and the seat was retaken by the LNP, with the new member being Jane Prentice.{{cite web |url = http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-15508-177.htm |title = First Preferences and Two Candidate Preferred - Ryan |work = 2010 Federal election |publisher = Australian Electoral Commission |date = 25 August 2010 |access-date = 2010-08-25 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100823170811/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-15508-177.htm |archive-date = 23 August 2010 |df = dmy-all}}
- the 2020 Queensland state election, where he stood for the seat of Maiwar.{{cite web |title=Maiwar - QLD Election 2020 Electorate, Candidates, Results {{!}} QLD Votes - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/qld/2020/guide/maiw/ |website=ABC News |access-date=2 November 2020 |language=en-AU}} He scored less than 1% of first preference votes, and the seat was retained by Greens MP Michael Berkman.{{cite web |last1=Electoral Commission of Queensland |title=Electoral Commission of Queensland |url=https://results1.elections.qld.gov.au/state2020/maiwar |website=results1.elections.qld.gov.au |access-date=2 November 2020 |language=en |date=1 July 2019}}
Post-politics and personal life
Johnson lives in Brisbane's western suburbs with his wife Huyen and their son Ryan, who was born in June 2006.{{Cite web |date=2006-06-28 |title=ParlInfo - Announcing the birth of Ryan Andrew Johnson. |url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22media/pressrel/Y15K6%22 |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Parliament of Australia}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{S-start}}
{{S-par|au}}
{{Succession box| title=Member for Ryan | before=Leonie Short | after={{nowrap|Jane Prentice}} | years=2001–2010}}
{{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Michael}}
Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Liberal National Party of Queensland members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Independent members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Ryan
Category:Hong Kong emigrants to Australia
Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham
Category:Australian politicians of Asian descent
Category:People educated at St Peters Lutheran College
Category:Australian MPs 2001–2004