Ian Macfarlane (politician)
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The Honourable Ian Macfarlane |
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|---|---|
 |
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| Minister for Industry and Science | |
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In office 18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015 |
|
| Prime Minister |
Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull |
| Preceded by | Kim Carr |
| Succeeded by | Christopher Pyne |
| Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources | |
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In office 26 November 2001 – 3 December 2007 |
|
| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Nick Minchin |
| Succeeded by |
Kim Carr Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Martin Ferguson Minister for Resources and Energy |
| Minister for Small Business | |
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In office 30 January 2001 – 26 November 2001 |
|
| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Peter Reith |
| Succeeded by | Joe Hockey |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Groom | |
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In office 3 October 1998 – 9 May 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Taylor |
| Succeeded by | John McVeigh |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
5 April 1955 Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal National Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal Party |
| Spouse(s) | Karen |
| Children | Kate and Laura |
| Residence | Toowoomba, Queensland |
| Occupation | Farmer |
Ian Elgin Macfarlane (born 5 April 1955) is a former Australian politician. He was elected as a member of the Australian House of Representatives in October 1998, representing the Division of Groom, Queensland, for the Liberal National Party. Prior to the merger of the Liberal and National parties in Queensland in 2008, Macfarlane was a member of the Liberal Party, and sat in the Liberal party room in Canberra. In December 2015, it was reported that he would be defecting to the National Party. Macfarlane was the Minister for Industry and Science in the Abbott Government from 18 September 2013 until 20 September 2015, when he was dropped from Cabinet in the ministry of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
He was born in Kingaroy, Queensland, and was a farmer and president of the Queensland Graingrowers Association before entering politics. He acquired the nickname "Chainsaw" from ABC rural reporter Judy Kennedy due to his raspy voice. He now attributes the moniker to his ability to "cut through red tape", and it was alluded to in his 1998 election campaign through the slogan "The Right Voice for Groom".
In an interview with Four Corners on 9 November 2009, Macfarlane said that his position on global warming had changed "a bit", since he had recognised a greater importance for mankind's contribution. Acting as Climate Change Spokesman for the Coalition in 2009, he spent 5 weeks in negotiations around a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme with Minister for Climate Change Penny Wong, before a leadership spill deposed party leader Malcolm Turnbull and replaced him with Tony Abbott, and the policy was overturned.
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