- Petro Georgiou
Petro Georgiou (born
30 November 1947 ),Australia n politician, has been a Liberal member of theAustralian House of Representatives since November 1994, representing theDivision of Kooyong , Victoria. He was born in Kerkyra,Greece , and was educated atMelbourne University .Georgiou was a senior tutor in politics at
La Trobe University 1970-73, Senior Adviser to Prime MinisterMalcolm Fraser 1975-79, Secretary of the Ethnic Television Review Panel 1979-80, Director of the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs 1980-85, Senior Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition,Andrew Peacock , 1985, Director of the Victorian Liberal Policy Unit 1985-89 and State Director of the Victorian Liberal Party 1989-94.In 2005, Georgiou was one of a small number of Liberal parliamentarians who expressed disagreement with the government's policy of mandatory detention for asylum seekers. He began speaking out against the policy in June and began drafting a
private member's bill aimed at softening the policy. OnJune 17 , Prime MinisterJohn Howard announced a shift in that policy, allowing families in detention with children to enter the community and ensuring that long-term detainees would have their cases reviewed regularly. Georgiou was given a large amount of credit for the policy change.On
11 August 2006 , Georgiou joinedRussell Broadbent andJudi Moylan in crossing the floor to vote against the "Migration Amendment (Designated Unauthorised Arrivals) Bill", that would force all asylum seekers to be processed offshore.Preselection Challenge
In March 2006,
Joshua Frydenberg , aninvestment banker and former political adviser, made known his intention to challenge Georgiou for his seat in an internal Liberal Party preselection. This followed another prominent Liberal former Victorian PresidentMichael Kroger 's decision not to contest the seat. Liberal Deputy LeaderPeter Costello endorsed Georgiou and Kroger is believed to have supported him. [cite news | last=Maiden | first=Samantha | title=Costello backs rebel Georgiou | date=3 March 2006 | publisher=The Australia | url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,18331706-2702,00.html]In the days leading to the preselection convention, Queensland frontbenchers Ian Macfarlane,
Peter Dutton andSanto Santoro backed Frydenburg's credentials, to the dismay of former PremierJeff Kennett . [ABC News Online (2006). [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1620690.htm 'Musketeers' told to keep out of Georgiou preselection] . Retrieved April 22, 2006.]The preselection was held at Trinity Grammar School on
23 April ,2006 . [The Age Online (2006). [http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/liberals-in-a-preselection-spin/2006/04/21/1145344279906.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 Liberals in a preselection spin] . Retrieved April 22, 2006.] Georgiou retained selection by receiving 62 of the 85 Liberal Party delegates' votes, with challenger Frydenberg receiving 22 votes and a third candidate, Alistair Armstrong, receiving one vote. [*AAP (2005). [http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/georgiou-wins-preselection-battle/2006/04/23/1145730798797.html Georgiou wins preselection battle] . Retrieved April 23, 2006.]References
External links
Persondata
NAME=Georgiou, Petro
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH=30 November 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH=Kerkyra,Greece
DATE OF DEATH=living
PLACE OF DEATH=
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