'Gary John Joseph Humphries' (b.
July 6 1958) is a member of the
Australian Senate from the
Australian Capital Territory. He represents the
Liberal Party of Australia.
Humphries was born in
Sydney and went to the
Australian National University in
Canberra where he was elected President of the ANU Students' Association. He worked as a solicitor and political adviser before his election to the ACT
Legislative Assembly in 1989. He served in the ministry of
Trevor Kaine and in the Kaine and Carnell shadow ministries. When
Kate Carnell became the Chief Minister in 1995, Humphries became a leading member of her team. In 1997 he became Deputy Chief Minister and in 1999
Treasurer (finance minister). In 2000 he succeeded Carnell as Chief Minister. At the 2001 ACT election Humphries was defeated by the Australian Labor Party under
Jon Stanhope.
In December 2002, Humphries was elected by the party membership to fill a vacancy in the Senate caused by the resignation of
Margaret Reid. He is not expected to have serious problems with re-election in the immediate future. In
2004 there was speculation the Liberals would reject his
preselection for the Senate spot, but he won the ballot unopposed.. Unopposed in the preselection ballot held on 26 June 2007, he was chosen to contest the election later that year.
Gary Humphries was the first Liberal senator to vote against the Howard Government in its 10 years in office, when he voted to reverse the Federal Government's ban on the ACT's
civil unions law in the Senate.
[1] In the Senate, Humphries has served on several
Australian Senate committees, including the Select Committee on Mental Health (2005-2006). In September 2006 Humphries became Chairman of the Standing Committee on Community Affairs.
[2]
Gary Humphries has two sons, Felix and Owain.
References
1. Senators fail to overturn gay union ban, News.com.au June 15, 2006
2. Australian Senate, Biography of Senator Gary Humphries