Luke Donnellan

The Honourable
Luke Donnellan
MP
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Narre Warren North
In office
30 November 2002 – 26 November 2022
Succeeded byBelinda Wilson
Minister for Child Protection
In office
28 November 2018 – 11 October 2021
Preceded byNew title
Succeeded byRichard Wynne (acting)
Anthony Carbines
Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers
In office
28 November 2018 – 11 October 2021
Preceded byMartin Foley
Succeeded byJames Merlino (acting)
Anthony Carbines
Personal details
Born (1966-03-26) 26 March 1966 (age 58)
Political partyLabor
Alma materThe University of Melbourne
Websitewww.lukedonnellan.com

Luke Anthony Donnellan (born 26 March 1966) is a former Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly between 2002 and his retirement in 2022, representing Narre Warren North. He was the Minister for Child Protection and the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers in the Second Andrews Ministry from December 2018 until October 2021. He also served as the Minister for Roads and Road Safety and Minister for Ports in the First Andrews Ministry from December 2014 to December 2018. He was a key figure in the lease of the Port of Melbourne, and led negotiations with cross benchers to enable the legislation to pass through the Victorian Parliament. He is associated with the Labor Unity faction.[1]

Political career

Entry into politics

In 2002, Donnellan was preselected as the Labor candidate for Narre Warren North, a new seat with a notional Liberal majority. He defeated the Liberal candidate and has held the seat since. In 2006, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury and Finance, and was promoted in August 2007 to Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier.[2]

Andrews Government

Following Labor's win at the 2014 Victorian state election, Donnellan was appointed Minister for Roads and Road Safety and Minister for Ports by Premier Daniel Andrews.[3]

After Labor's reelection in 2018 Donnellan was appointed Minister for Child Protection and Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers.[4]

In an Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) hearing in October 2021, an admitted branch-stacker federal Labor MP Anthony Byrne claimed that Donnellan was involved in Byrne's activities.[5] Subsequently, Donnellan resigned from the Victorian Cabinet.[6] On 13 December 2021, Donnellan was not preselected again for Narre Warren North by the Socialist Left-dominated ALP National Executive and as a result will not run for re-election in the 2022 Victorian state election.[7]

Personal life

Donnellan was born in Melbourne, and attended Xavier College 1977–84 where he was involved in sports, captaining the hockey team and competing in 1sts rowing.[8] He received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne in 1987 and became a commercial real estate agent. After periods as a planning finance consultant and a client services manager, he became an advisor to various Labor MPs, and was a member of the Administrative Committee from 1999.[2]

Donnellan lives in Fitzroy North.[9]

References

  1. ^ "McGuire promoted in Labor reshuffle", The Age, 6 February 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Luke Donnellan (Narre Warren North)". Members Information. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  3. ^ "Premier Daniel Andrews finalises ministers' portfolios". The Age. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Hennessy becomes Attorney-General in re-elected Andrews' new gender-balanced Cabinet". ABC. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Victorian Labor minister Luke Donnellan quits over IBAC allegations of branch stacking". ABC News. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  6. ^ Minister resigns over Victorian Labor branch-stacking scandal The Age, Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  7. ^ Hui, Jin (14 December 2021). "Dumped MP 'grateful'". Cranbourne Star News. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Roundtable with Hon Luke Donnellan, MP". Committee for Gippsland. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  9. ^ Smethurst, Annika. "Parachuting pollies into safe seats fuels political cynicism". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
Victorian Legislative Assembly
Seat created Member for Narre Warren North
2002–2022 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded byas Minister for Roads Minister for Roads and Road Safety
2014–2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Ports
2014–2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Minister for Disability, Ageing & Carers
2018–2021 		Succeeded by
New title Minister for Child Protection
2018–2021 		Succeeded by