Kevin Andrews - 30 Years in Parliament

THE HONOURABLE
KEVIN ANDREWS
MEMBER FOR MENZIES

GROWING UP IN
GIPPSLAND
Kevin grew up at Rosedale,
Gippsland, the eldest son of Roy
and Sheila Andrews, who owned
and operated a trucking business
and a small farm. His parents
also administered the local
racing club for 20 years. After
attending Rosedale Primary
School, Kevin undertook his
secondary education at St
Patrick’s College, Sale, where he
was School Captain and Dux of
Year 12.
While at secondary school and
university, Kevin worked part
time as a race caller and sports
commentator. He called motor
and horse racing , as well as
athletics and cycling events,
including international athletics
meets at Melbourne’s Olympic
Park. He also wrote for several
sporting publications for the
following two decades.
Kevin studied Arts/Law at the
University of Melbourne. He
resided at Newman College,
where he was elected President
of the Students Club. He was a
member of a student working
group that recommended the
college move to co-residency.
During his presidency of
Newman, he co-founded the
Daniel Mannix Memorial Lecture
to recognise public leadership.
He also served as President
of the Intercollegiate Council
and the National Association of
Australian University Colleges.
He founded and edited the
annual National College Educational
Review.
After graduating from
Melbourne University, Kevin
worked as a Research Solicitor
and subsequently the Coordinator
of Continuing Legal
Education at the Law Institute
of Victoria. He was elected
Secretary and subsequently
President of the Victorian Young
Lawyers Section and served
on the executive of the Young
Lawyers Section of the Law
Council of Australia. Kevin was
named the Australian Young
Lawyer of the Year in both 1987
and 1988 for his community work
in developing legal advice for the
elderly and a State disaster legal
support service. The latter arose
from his work following the
Ash Wednesday bush fires. He
also established and edited the
monthly Lawyer magazine.
Kevin served as an Associate to
Sir James Gobbo, a Justice of the
Victorian Supreme Court and
later the Governor of Victoria.
He also completed a Master
of Laws degree at Monash
University under the supervision
of Professor Christopher
Weeramantry, subsequently a
judge of the International Court
of Justice.
Kevin read with Allan Myers and
was called to the Victorian Bar in
1985. His practice was mostly in
civil litigation and administrative
law. During his time at the Bar,
he also developed a practice
in the niche field of bioethics
and health law. He served
on the Ethics Committees of
the Lincoln School of Health
Sciences, the Peter MacCallum
Cancer Institute and the Mercy
Hospital for Women, and on
the Board of Caritas Christi
Hospice. He was also a legal
researcher, and subsequently
the Acting Director, of the St
Vincent’s Bioethics Centre.
Kevin and Margaret, along with
five other couples, founded the
Marriage Education Programme
in 1980, which they co-convened
for 12 years. Over three decades,
the MEP provided programs
and courses for some 20,000
engaged couples. Kevin served
on the executive of both the
Australian Association for
Marriage Education and the
Catholic Society for Marriage
Education for many years.
Margaret and Kevin were
members of the Australian
Catholic Marriage and Family
Council for 15 years. Margaret
edited the national marriage
education magazine, Threshold,
for 25 years, for which she was
awarded the Medal of the Order
of Australia in 2014
Kevin has also served on the
Council of Newman College
since 1990 as well as other
bodies including the National
Archives Council.
Kevin trained with the legendary
athletics coach Franz Stampfl,
was Captain of the Melbourne
University Intervarsity squad,
served as secretary of the
Melbourne University Athletics
Club, and as a Director of the
Victorian Athletics Association,
now Athletics Victoria.

THIRTY YEARS
OF SERVICE
The First Decade: 1991-2001
In 1991, Kevin won preselection
from a field of 25 aspirants
to stand as the Liberal
Party candidate for the seat
of Menzies following the
retirement the Hon Neil Brown
QC. Kevin was elected as the
second Member for Menzies at
a by-election on May, 11, 1991
and was sworn into the House
of Representatives on May 28,
the 849th person elected to
the House since 1901. In his
Maiden Speech during the 1991
budget debate, Kevin spoke
about the human and economic
impact of the recession ‘we had
to have’:
“Internally, my theme is justice.
I declare my political creed
here and now. It is that the
essential end of government
is not power or glory, but the
good life for ordinary men and
women. The ordinary man, as
I know him, asks for a happy
life, not a complaining one; for
a full life and not an idle one.
We must have industrial justice
and social justice, industrial
security and social security.”
Following his election, Kevin
was appointed to the Long-Term
Strategies Committee, chaired
by Barry Jones. Australia’s
future population was a
significant issue inquired into
by the committee. Demography
was to become a major interest
during Kevin’s subsequent
terms as Minister for Ageing
and Minister for Immigration.
Kevin also served on other
committees, including the
Joint Select Committee on
Certain Family Law Issues.
He was to revisit the issues of
child support and family law
at various stages during three
decades in Parliament.
He was also appointed the
rapporteur for the Coalition
Party Room, which involved
briefing the media on party
room meetings during sitting
weeks. He fulfilled this role for
a decade.
In August 1992, Kevin was
appointed Parliamentary
Secretary to the Leader of
the Opposition, John Hewson,
a position he held until
appointed Shadow Minister for
Schools, Vocational Education
and Training in April 1993.
Following the election of
Alexander Downer as Leader of
the Opposition, Kevin became
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Deputy Leader and Shadow
Treasurer, Peter Costello.
In 1992, Kevin and five other
MPs and Senators formed
the Lyons Forum to advance
family policy in the Coalition.
The group, which eventually
included dozens of Coalition
members, was successful in
advocating family-friendly
tax initiatives that were
implemented subsequently by
the Howard Government. A
year later, Kevin authored the
Coalition’s Consultation Paper
on ‘The Provision of Family
Services’.
Upon the election of the Howard
Government in 1996, Kevin was
appointed the Chairman of the
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Committee, a position he held
for two terms of Parliament.
The Committee produced
a series of major reports,
including To Have and To
Hold - strategies to strengthen
marriage and relationships
which became a basis of the
Howard Government’s National
Families Strategy. He also
chaired the inquiry into Human
Cloning and Stem Cell Research
upon which subsequent
Commonwealth legislation was
based.
In 1996, Kevin moved a Private
Members Bill pursuant to s. 122
of the Australian Constitution
to overturn the legalisation of
euthanasia in the Northern
Territory. The Bill passed
the Senate in 1977, only the
14th Private Members Bill to
have been legislated by the
Parliament in almost a century.
Kevin was a delegate to the
Constitutional Convention
in 1998. He supported the
republican model proposed
by the Hon Richard McGarvie
AC QC, a former Justice of the
Victorian Supreme Court and
Governor of Victoria. When
that model was defeated, he
voted to retain the current
system.

THE HOWARD MINISTRY
Minister for Ageing: 2001-2003
Kevin was sworn in as a Member
of the Federal Executive
Council and Minister for Ageing
on November 26, 2001.
Prior to his appointment, the
poor state of some Aged Care
homes was regularly in the
media. With the support of
Prime Minister Howard, Kevin
reversed this situation and
renewed confidence in the
residential aged care system.
in their own homes longer
and increased the number of
dementia places in residential
care.
He also advocated a National
Ageing Strategy to ultilise the
experience, knowledge and
skills of older Australians,
including in the workplace. He
established a National Advisory
Committee on Ageing to advise
the Government about relevant
issues.
Kevin represented the
government at a series of
international conferences on
Kevin personally visited
hundreds of aged care homes
over the next two years,
listening to the concerns of
operators, staff and residents.
He initiated a series of reforms,
including to the onerous
paperwork that staff had to
complete, and obtained funding
for more aged care places. He
elevated the role of the Aged
Care Complaints Commissioner
held by the former Victorian
Health Minister, the Hon Rob
Knowles.
ageing, including the second
United Nations World Meeting
on Ageing at Madrid, the
Asian Regional Meeting in
Shanghai and the International
Federation on Ageing in Perth.
Kevin also expanded the
number of community care
places to enable elderly people
to be supported to remain

MINISTER FOR
EMPLOYMENT &
WORKPLACE RELATIONS
And Minister Assisting the Prime Minister
for the Public Service: 2003-2007
Kevin succeeded Tony Abbott
MP as Minister for Employment
and Workplace Relations and
Minister Assisting the Prime
Minister for the Public Service in
October 2003.
Following the 2004 election, he
was reappointed to the Cabinet
by Prime Minister John Howard.
Concerned to ensure future
economic and employment
growth, the Howard Government
embarked on a major program
known a ‘Workchoices’ to
modernise Australia’s workplace
relations system.
As Minister, Kevin introduced
the national workplace relations
system, implemented the Cole
Royal Commission report on the
building and construction sector,
and introduced laws to protect
independent contractors.
Following the 2004 election,
Kevin was also given responsibility
for welfare reform by Prime
Minister Howard. He introduced
legislation that encouraged more
people into work and reduced the
numbers on the disability support
pension.
MINISTER FOR
IMMIGRATION AND
CITIZENSHIP: 2007
As Minister for Immigration,
Kevin Andrews implemented
the Howard Government’s
successful border protection
policies and ensured no
unlawful boat arrivals entered
Australia on his watch.
When informed by frontline
workers and first responders
about the inability of certain
immigrant groups to settle
adequately in Australia,
including young people forming
gangs, he took steps - in the
face of considerable criticism -
to reduce numbers from some
countries until the problems
could be resolved. Until then,
newly arrived migrants were
able to sponsor family members
almost immediately, despite
having ongoing challenges
settling into the community
and obtaining employment.
Kevin also introduced the
Australian Citizenship Test
to help new arrivals to better
understand the culture, laws
and history of Australia.

THE OPPOSITION
YEARS
Policy Development
Committee: 2008-2009
FAMILY
Kevin and Margaret Andrews
were married in the Newman
College chapel on Caulfield
Cup Day 1979. After schooling
in Benalla and Yarrawonga,
Margaret studied Speech
Pathology at the Lincoln
Institute of Health Sciences,
Melbourne, and subsequently
worked for the Commonwealth
Rehabilitation Service.
With Kevin’s election to the
Parliament, Margaret chose to
care full-time for their (then)
four young children. Not one to
be idle, Margaret subsequently
published and edited several
newsletters and magazines
for voluntary organisations,
including the Maternal and
Child Health newsletter, the
Speech Pathology news and the
National Marriage education
magazine, Threshold, for 25 years.
Kevin and Margaret now have
five adult children and five
grandchildren.
Mindful of Robert Menzies’
observation that “[Opposition]
must be regarded as a great
constructive period in the
life of a party, not a period in
the wilderness, but a period
of preparation for the high
responsibilities in which you
hope will come,” Kevin sought
appointment to the Coalition’s
Policy Development Committee
in 2008. He subsequently
chaired the Committee for
a year before passing the
position to Andrew Robb.
SHADOW MINISTER FOR
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
SERVICES: 2009-2013
In 2009, following the
momentous dispute over the
Coalition’s policy on a carbon
tax, Kevin announced he would
challenge the then Leader
of the Opposition. The spill
motion was narrowly defeated
but the ongoing failure of Mr
Turnbull to reflect the position
of the majority of Coalition
members resulted in a new
challenge a week later at
which Tony Abbott was elected
Leader of the Opposition.
The Coalition was precluded
from forming government
after the 2010 election when
two former National Party
members supported Labor.
Three years later, Tony Abbott
claimed the Treasury benches
with the biggest winning
margin since John Howard’s
victory in 1996.
Kevin was appointed Shadow
Minister for Family and
Community Services in
2009, a position he held
until the election of the
Abbott government in 2013.
He consulted widely in the
community and drafted
coalition policy in several
significant areas over the next
few years, including welfare
reform, the regulation of
charities and the roll-out of the
NDIS.

THE ABBOTT
MINISTRY
Minister for Social
Services: 2013-2014
Upon the election of the
Abbott Government in 2013,
Kevin Andrews was appointed
Minister for Social Services.
During his tenure, Kevin
oversaw the introduction of the
NDIS, and pursued measures
to significantly reduced welfare
numbers and costs.
He also commissioned a major
review of welfare by Patrick
McClure and authorised the
actuarial work to underpin
future welfare reforms.
MINISTER
FOR DEFENCE:
2014-2015
Kevin Andrews was appointed
Australia’s Minister for Defence
in December 2014. A week later,
he visited our forces in Iraq
and participated in discussions
with the leaders of Iraq and the
United Arab Emirates about the
war against ISIS.
Kevin oversaw the deployment
of Australian combat forces to
Iraq and authorised air strikes
against ISIS.
As Minister, he commenced
the replacement of the entire
Australian naval fleet and other
major defence equipment. He
oversaw the drafting of the
Defence White Paper.
Kevin also supervised the
integration of the Army, Navy
and Airforce into one single
Defence Force as a consequence
of the First Principles Review.
He engaged in strategic
discussions with important
allies, including the US,
Japan and India about the
establishment of a security
dialogue. He pursued the
Framework of Security Cooperation
with India which has
recently come to fruition in the
so-called ‘Quad’ arrangements.
He oversaw the increase in US
defence rotations and expanded
training access for Singapore’s
Defence Forces in Australia,
held talks with Indonesia,
Malaysia and the nations of the
Pacific, and engaged with the
‘Five-Eyes’, the UK and NATO.

PARLIAMENTARY
COMMITTEES
PARLIAMENTARY
COMMITTEES
National Disability Insurance
Scheme: 2016 -
Kevin has chaired the
Parliamentary Committee on
the NDIS for the past two
Parliamentary terms. The
committee had held numerous
inquiries into aspects of the
scheme and produced a series
of significant reports about the
implementation of it.
Foreign Affairs Human
Rights: 2016 -
As chairman of the Human
Rights sub-committee of the
Joint Standing Committee on
Foreign Affairs, Defence and
Trade, Kevin has tabled a series
of significant reports, including
into the harvesting and trade
in human organs, and the need
for Magnitsky-type legislation
in Australia to help combat
egregious human rights abuses
by foreign individuals and
officials.
Australia’s Family Law
System: 2019 -
In 2019, Prime Minister Morrison
asked Kevin to chair a Joint
Select Committee on Australia’s
Family Law System. Following
many hearings, the committee
tabled a major report in March
2021. The report recommends
significant changes to the Family
Law system to address the most
common and serious complaints,
including delays, excessive legal
costs, and the enforceability of
court orders.
POLICY COMMITTEE
Coalition Foreign Affairs,
Defence & Trade Policy: 2016
Kevin has chaired the Coalition
Policy Committee for the last two
terms, bringing to bear his vast
knowledge of the area. Through
regular discussions with the
Foreign and Trade ministers, the
committee has influenced the
directions of the Government’s
foreign policy in challenging
circumstances.
Kevin has been called upon to
lead foreign policy initiatives
for the Government, including
his recent leadership of the
Australian delegation to the Asia
Pacific Parliamentary Forum
and recent representation of
Australia in free trade talks with
the EU as head of the Australian
Delegation to the EU Parliament.
FATHER OF THE
PARLIAMENT
Following the 2016 election,
Kevin became the ‘Father of
the House’ - the then longest,
continuously serving member of
the House of Representatives.
He joined a select group of 20
Australian Parliamentarians,
including Billy Hughes, Philip
Ruddock, Earle Page, Robert
Menzies, John McEwen, Kim
Beazley Snr, and Doug Anthony
who have held the position.
After the 2019 election, he
also became the ‘Father of the
Parliament’.
PUBLICATIONS
Kevin Andrews has authored
and edited a series of books,
journals and other publications.
In 1994, he co-edited The Heart of
Liberalism, a collection of policy
proposals by MPs to mark
the 50th anniversary of the
foundation of the Liberal Party
in 1944.
Four years later, Kevin and
Michelle Curtis wrote Changing
Australia which traced the social,
cultural and economic trends
shaping the nation since World
War II.
In 2012, Connor Court published
Kevin’s significant volume on
marriage and family, Maybe
‘I do’ - modern marriage and the
pursuit of happiness, in which he
distilled thousands of social
science research reports about
the subject. Following critical
acclaim, a concise edition was
published two years later.
Kevin’s 2016 Daniel Mannix
Memorial Lecture became the
basis for his following book,
Joseph Lyons and the management of
adversity, in which Kevin charts
the remarkable public leadership
of the 14th Prime Minister of
Australia through the turbulent
economic and social years of
the Great Depression. The
book became the first edition
of the Australian Biographical
Monographs series.
Kevin’s 20th anniversary as
a Member of Parliament was
marked by the publication of One
People One Destiny, a collection of
37 non-Parliamentary speeches
from 1993 - 2016, together with a
concluding chapter on ‘The task
ahead for the lucky country’.
His most recent book is Great
Rivalries - Cycling and the story of
Italy, an account of Gino Bartali,
Fausto Coppi and the champion
Italian cyclists who preceded
them. The book is about the place
of cycling in a nation emerging
from division, its agrarian past,
widespread impoverishment,
and competing versions about
creating a modern state. The tale
is interwoven with the story of
modern Italy.
Kevin is currently working on a
several further books, including
his memoirs about the inside
stories during 30 years in the
Australian Parliament.
In 2008, Kevin established
the Australian Polity magazine
as a forum for national policy
discussions, especially among
his colleagues. He continues to
publish and edit it today.
Kevin has contributed chapters
to various books, written for a
series of journals and magazines
as well as regularly contributing
articles to the print media.
As well as public policy, he
occasionally writes about sport,
including horse and motor racing
and cycling.

WORKING
FOR
MENZIES

HONOURING OUR
VOLUNTEERS
SUPPORTING OUR
COMMUNITIES
In 1993, Kevin established
the Menzies Community
Australia Day Awards to
recognise the outstanding
contributions of individuals
and organisations to the local
community. In the past three
decades, more than 1,200
people have been recognised
with the presentation of an
award on Australia Day.
Kevin Andrews regularly
attends community events
in Menzies, supporting the
diverse range of local groups
and organisations.
He has also advocated
successfully for funding
for many local projects
undertaken by community
organisations.

SERVING
OUR
NATION
Kevin Andrews has represented Australia
on many occasions, both as a minister and
as a parliamentarian. He has met with
world leaders to advocate global security,
economic prosperity and world peace. He has
advocated Australia’s causes for three decades.

CYCLING
FOR CHARITY
Kevin & Margaret Andrews have
helped to raise millions of dollars
for various causes through their
participation in many charitable
cycling events.
These events have included the
annual Pollie Pedal – a 1,000
km ride through various regions
of Australia – the Hartley
Challenge, a ride from Canberra
to Charlotte’s Pass and return,
the Around the Bay in a Day and
the Murray to Moyne.
PEOPLE & PLACES
Their children have all ridden
with them at various times,
and their youngest son, Ben,
competed as an elite road cyclist
in Australia and overseas.

The electorate of Menzies has been centred on the City
of Manningham (previously Doncaster-Templestowe)
in eastern metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, since its
creation in 1984. During the past 30 years, the electorate
has included parts of the City of Banyule, the City of
Maroondah and the Shire of Nillumbik at various times.
Doncaster-Templestowe has been in six different
electorates – Mernda, Kooyong, Flinders, Deakin,
Diamond Valley and Menzies - due to boundary changes
since 1901. It has been represented by twelve members
of the House of Representatives since Federation. The
Hon Neil Brown was the first Member for Menzies
from 1984 until his retirement in 1991, when Kevin
Andrews was first elected to represent the constituency.
For information and assistance:
P. 03 9848 9900
E. kevin.andrews.mp@aph.gov.au
A. Level 1, 651 Doncaster Road, Doncaster 3108
Authorised by Kevin Andrews MP, 651 Doncaster Road, Doncaster 3108.
Printed by MMP, 10 Charnfield Ct, Thomastown VIC 3074
© Kevin Andrews, 2021
Warning: This publication may contain images of deceased people.