Tim Holding
{{short description|Australian politician}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=September 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Tim Holding
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Tim Holding.jpg
| caption = Tim Holding, 2009
| office = Minister for Tourism and Major Events
| term_start = 3 August 2007
| term_end = 2 December 2010
| premier = John Brumby
| predecessor = John Pandazopoulos (Tourism)
| successor = Louise Asher
| office2 = Minister for Water
| term_start2 = 3 August 2007
| term_end2 = 2 December 2010
| premier2 = John Brumby
| predecessor2 = John Thwaites
| successor2 = Peter Walsh
| office3 = Minister for Finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission
| term_start3 = December 2006
| term_end3 = 2 December 2010
| premier3 = John Brumby (2007–)
Steve Bracks (2006–2007)
| predecessor3 = John Lenders (Finance, WorkCover and Transport Accident Commission)
| successor3 = Robert Clark (finance)
| constituency_MP4 = Lyndhurst
| parliament4 = Victorian
| majority4 =
| predecessor4 = New creation
| successor4 = Martin Pakula
| term_start4 = 30 November 2002
| term_end4 = 18 February 2013
| constituency_MP5 = Springvale
| parliament5 = Victorian
| majority5 =
| predecessor5 = Eddie Micallef
| successor5 = Seat abolished
| term_start5 = 18 September 1999
| term_end5 = 30 November 2002
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|08|21|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Melbourne
| nationality = Australian
| party = Labor
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = University of Melbourne
| occupation =
| profession =
| religion =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
| nickname =
| allegiance =
| branch = Australian Army Reserve
| serviceyears = 1991–1993
| rank =
| unit = 1st Commando Regiment
| commands =
| battles =
| awards =
}}
Timothy James Holding (born 21 August 1972) is a former Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2013. He served as minister for water; minister for finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission; and minister for tourism and major events in the Brumby Ministry.
Early life
Holding was educated at Haileybury College and the University of Melbourne, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1997.{{Cite web |url= http://www.timholding.com.au/about/ |title= Tim Holding MP {{!}} About Tim |access-date= 18 February 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110706112643/http://www.timholding.com.au/about/ |archive-date=6 July 2011 |url-status=dead}} From the early 1990s he was active in the Australian Labor Party and Young Labor; being elected President of Australian Young Labor in 1993; working as an electorate officer to state and federal Members of Parliament, and later as an assistant ministerial adviser, including for Senator Robert Ray (Minister for Defence).
He served in 126 Signals Squadron of the 1st Commando Regiment in the Australian Army Reserve from 1991 until 1993.
Political career
=Local government=
Holding served on the City of Waverley council between 1992 and 1994.
=State government=
In 1999, Holding was elected to Victorian Legislative Assembly as the Member for Springvale at the age of 27. In 2002 he was elected the Member for Lyndhurst and appointed minister for manufacturing and exports, and minister for the financial services industry. Earning praise from former premier, Steve Bracks, as a 'rising star' of the government he was promoted in 2005 to the position of minister for police and emergency services and minister for corrections.http://sl.farmonline.com.au/news/state/agribusiness-and-general/general/twinkle-a-precocious-overachiever/1610854.aspx?storypage=2
Although there was a swing of 3.0% against Labor, Holding easily won the safe Labor seat of Lyndhurst in the 2006 state election by a margin of 25.1%.[http://www.abc.net.au/elections/vic/2006/results/lynd.htm 2006 Victoria State Election. Party Totals. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)]
After the 2006 election, he was given the portfolios of finance (including WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission) and tourism as well as information and communication technology. Some initially saw this as a demotion, but Premier Steve Bracks described Holding as having done a 'great job' with finance being seen as central to government decision-making with fewer potential political difficulties than the notoriously tricky police portfolio.{{Cite web|url=http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/handbook/searchresult.cfm?menuid=1&memberId=104|title=Parliamentary Handbook – Hon. Tim Holding |publisher=Parliament of Victoria|accessdate=1 September 2009 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071226030349/http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/handbook/searchresult.cfm?menuid=1&memberId=104 |archivedate = 26 December 2007}}[http://www.theage.com.au/news/victoria-votes/bracks-names-his-team/2006/11/29/1164476246224.html Bracks names his team]
Due to his relative youth and prominence, Holding has often been touted as a possible future Victorian Labor leader.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Labors-young-man-in-a-big-hurry/2005/01/28/1106850107344.html|title=Labor's young man in a big hurry|last=Tomazin |first=Farrah |author2=Nguyen, Kenneth |date=29 January 2005|publisher=The Age|accessdate=2 September 2009 | location=Melbourne}} He is recognised for his ability to master complex policy issues and combine this with his political capacity.Mickelburough, Peter (29 January 2009), Sharp Operator, The Herald Sun, p. 27 Holding is well regarded by his colleagues who would value these attributes in the event of a vacancy for the Labor leadership. Holding suffered some criticism for his performance as police minister, however this would be unlikely to effect his chances of promotion given his steady performance in his current portfolios.[http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/training-wheels-tim-losing-his-sheen/2005/08/27/1124563067497.html Training wheels Tim losing his sheen]{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/victoria-votes/shakeup-aimed-at-reviving-leadership-team/2006/11/29/1164777654887.html|title=Shake-up aimed at reviving leadership team|last=Tomazin|first=Farrah |date=30 November 2006|publisher=The Age|accessdate=2 September 2009 | location=Melbourne}}
He was promoted in an August 2007 reshuffle following the ascension of John Brumby to the premiership, receiving the responsibilities he held until the Labor party was voted out in the 2010 election. Holding had been touted as a serious candidate for treasurer, but lost out to John Lenders.{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22163959-5005361,00.html|title=Treasurer's job a 'two-horse race'|date=31 July 2007|publisher=PerthNow|accessdate=2 September 2009}} {{Dead link|date=August 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}
On 15 February 2013, Holding announced his resignation as shadow treasurer, shadow minister for industry and as the Member for Lyndhurst.{{cite news|last=Holding|first=Tim|title=Statement from Tim Holding|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/statement-from-tim-holding-20130215-2eh8p.html|accessdate=15 February 2013|newspaper=The Age|date=15 February 2013}}
Post-political career
Since retiring from Parliament, Holding completed a master's in advanced global studies at SciencesPo in Paris.{{cn|date=August 2024}} In February 2018, he was appointed as a visiting professor at King's College London.
He has since bought the Château de Purnon in France and is renovating it with his partner. He won a French prize, the [https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/vienne/commune/verrue/chateau-de-purnon-dans-le-loudunais-20-000-de-la-fondation-du-patrimoine-pour-la-renovation Loto du Patrimoine], to help finance the renovation.
Disappearance and rescue
On 31 August 2009, Holding was reported missing after he failed to return from a solo hiking expedition of Mount Feathertop, Victoria's second highest mountain, having walked up the Bungalow Spur.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/water-minister-tim-holding-missing-on-freezing-mountain-20090831-f488.html|title=Water Minister Tim Holding missing on freezing mountain|last=Rood|first=David|author2=Lahey, Kate |author3=Cooper, Mex |date=31 August 2009|publisher=The Age|accessdate=31 August 2009 | location=Melbourne}} He was due to return at 4pm on Sunday 30 August, but made no contact with his family.{{Cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26005688-29277,00.html |title=Tim Holding not seen since leaving for summit |last=Schulz |first=Matthew |date=31 August 2009 |publisher=news.com.au |accessdate=31 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903173908/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26005688-29277,00.html |archivedate=3 September 2009}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26004935-421,00.html |title=Victorian Minister Tim Holding missing on Mt Feathertop |date=31 August 2009 |publisher=news.com.au |accessdate=31 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901191531/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26004935-421,00.html |archivedate=1 September 2009}} Holding was located by the Australian Federal Police and was rescued on 1 September by a Victoria Police helicopter during a large scale search involving the Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad, the State Emergency Service and Bush Search and Rescue Victoria.{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/01/2672914.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902073209/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/01/2672914.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 September 2009|title=Holding found alive on Mt Feathertop|date=1 September 2009|work=ABC News|publisher=ABC|accessdate=1 September 2009}}{{Cite news|title=Tim Holding torchlight spotted last night paved way for rescue|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,26009014-661,00.html|publisher=Herald Sun|date=1 January 2009 | first1=Gareth | last1=Trickey | first2=Stephen | last2=McMahon}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,26014951-661,00.html|title=Federal Police admit confirm aircraft's role in Tim Holding rescue|last=Horan|first=Patrick |author2=Murphy, Padraic |date=2 September 2009|publisher=Herald Sun|accessdate=2 September 2009}}
References
{{reflist}}
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{{S-par|au-vic-la}}
{{Succession box| title=Member for Springvale | before=Eddie Micallef | after=Seat abolished | years=1999–2002}}
{{Succession box| title=Member for Lyndhurst | before=Seat created | after=Martin Pakula | years=2002–2013}}
{{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holding, Tim}}
Category:People educated at Haileybury (Melbourne)
Category:Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Category:Australian Army soldiers
Category:Melbourne Law School alumni
Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria
Category:Labor Right politicians
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
Category:Ministers for corrections (Victoria)
Category:Ministers for finance (Victoria)