Stephen Andrew

{{Short description|Australian politician (born 1968)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Stephen Andrew

| honorific-suffix = MP

| image = Stephen Andrew.jpg

| caption = Andrew, c. 2017

| office = Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Mirani

| term_start = 25 November 2017

| term_end = 30 October 2024

| predecessor = Jim Pearce

| successor = Glen Kelly

| birth_name = Stephen Seymour James Andrew

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1968|12|9}}

| birth_place = Mackay, Queensland, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = {{plainlist|

• Trumpet of Patriots (since 2025)
• Katter's Australian (2024–2025)
• Independent (2024)
• One Nation (until 2024)

}}

| spouse =

| children = 2

| residence = Mackay, Queensland, Australia

| alma_mater =

| occupation =

| religion =

| signature =

| footnotes =

| website =

}}

{{Use Australian English|date=November 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}

Stephen Seymour James Andrew (born 9 December 1968) is an Australian politician who served as the member for Mirani in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2024 when he was defeated by Glen Kelly at the 2024 Queensland state election.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/qld-election-2017/guide/mira/|title=Mirani|work=Queensland Election 2017|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|last=Green|first=Antony|author-link=Antony Green|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309214819/http://www.abc.net.au/news/qld-election-2017/guide/mira/|archive-date=9 March 2018|df=dmy-all}}

Andrew describes himself as a "fourth-generation South Sea Islander", and is the first South Sea Islander to be elected to parliament.{{cite web|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland-election-2017/one-nation-wins-mackay-seat-of-mirani-to-break-its-2017-seat-drought-20171127-p4yx9g.html|title=One Nation wins central Queensland seat of Mirani|first=Tony|last=Moore|date=27 November 2017|website=Brisbane Times|accessdate=9 March 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227090533/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland-election-2017/one-nation-wins-mackay-seat-of-mirani-to-break-its-2017-seat-drought-20171127-p4yx9g.html|archive-date=27 February 2018|df=dmy-all}} His great-great-grandmother Lucy Querro of Ambae Island (now part of Vanuatu) was one of the Pacific Islander workers who came to Queensland to work in either the sugarcane fields or domestic service; Andrew claims she was "blackbirded". In July 2019 Andrew became a Vanuatu tribal chieftain, Chief Moli Duru Ambrae, following ceremonies held on Ambae Island.{{Cite news|title=Chief Moi a reminder of our shameful past|last=Madigan|first=Michael|date=8 August 2019|work=The Courier-Mail|page=26}} He was bestowed the chiefly name Moli Duru Ambae.{{cite news |last=Lynch |first=Lydia |date=28 November 2019 |title=One Nation MP apologises for failing to declare Vanuatu trip |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/one-nation-mp-apologises-for-failing-to-declare-vanuatu-trip-20191128-p53ewy.html |work=Brisbane Times |quote= |access-date=}}

Before entering parliament he worked as a firearms dealer and pest controller.{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/stephen-andrew-tipped-to-lead-one-nation-in-queensland/news-story/6e2ec30f1e4b0ed9fa49475dad598e20|title=Gun dealer may lead One Nation in Qld - news.com.au — Australia's #1 news site|website=www.news.com.au|accessdate=9 March 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101193824/http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/stephen-andrew-tipped-to-lead-one-nation-in-queensland/news-story/6e2ec30f1e4b0ed9fa49475dad598e20|archive-date=1 January 2018|df=dmy-all}} Andrew was the sole One Nation MP in the Queensland Parliament, but was not the state leader of the party. Ousted MP Steve Dickson held the position until his resignation.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-12/lnp-leadership-challenge-queensland-parliament/9249452|title=LNP chooses first female party leader Deb Frecklington to take on Premier Palaszczuk|work=ABC News|date=12 December 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/one-nation-s-steve-dickson-resigns-over-strip-club-footage|title=One Nation's Steve Dickson resigns over strip club footage|website=SBS News|accessdate=14 June 2019}}

On 2 August 2024, Andrew was disendorsed by One Nation for the 2024 Queensland state election after he considered joining Katter's Australian Party (KAP).{{cite web |title=Pauline Hanson dumps One Nation’s Stephen Andrew ahead of Queensland election |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/feeding-the-chooks/pauline-hanson-dumps-one-nations-stephen-andrew-ahead-of-queensland-election/news-story/8a05da0dee3a97b4a887a34363fce1f3 |publisher=The Australian |access-date=2 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802043801/https://archive.md/kEh8T |archive-date=2 August 2024 |date=1 August 2024}} Following the disendorsment, Andrew resigned from One Nation and briefly sat as an independent{{cite web |title=I have resigned my membership and all association with the One Nation party. |url=https://x.com/SAndrewMP/status/1819551633535356951 |website=Twitter |publisher=Stephen Andrew MP |access-date=24 August 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240824010328/https://x.com/SAndrewMP/status/1819551633535356951 |archive-date=24 August 2024 |date=3 August 2024}} before joining the Katter's Australian Party in September 2024.{{cite web |title=One Nation reject Stephen Andrew joins Katter’s Australian Party |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/one-nation-reject-stephen-andrew-joins-katters-australian-party/news-story/82147ab13083e3f4e90267111ba6569e?amp&nk=88e607327a2f970d23935507fab2f90d-1725873554 |website=Courier Mail |publisher=Madura McCormack |access-date=9 September 2024 |date=9 September 2024}}