The Honourable John Murphy |
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Member of the Australian Parliament for Lowe |
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In office 3 October 1998 – 21 August 2010 |
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Preceded by | Paul Zammit |
Succeeded by | Division abolished |
Member of the Australian Parliament for Reid |
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In office 21 August 2010 – 7 September 2013 |
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Preceded by | Laurie Ferguson |
Succeeded by | Craig Laundy |
Personal details | |
Born |
Dunedoo, New South Wales, Australia |
31 May 1950
Nationality | Australian |
Political party | Australian Labor Party |
Spouse(s) | Adriana |
Occupation | Public servant |
John Paul Murphy (born 31 May 1950), Australian former politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from October 1998 until September 2013, representing Lowe and then Reid, New South Wales.
John Murphy was born in Dunedoo, New South Wales. He was educated at Waverley College in NSW and worked with the Department of Veterans' Affairs for 20 years before moving to the Merit Protection Review Agency for eight years, including six years as Manager. Murphy served as a Councillor on Drummoyne Council (now part of Canada Bay Council) from 1995 to 1998.
Murphy gained pre-selection for the ALP over the high profile Michael Costello, former head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australian Stock Exchange, following protests by local ALP members who did not want Costello (who lived outside the electorate) being imposed on them.
Lowe's previous MP was Paul Zammit, a Liberal who turned Independent in protest over the Howard Government's policies on aircraft noise. Standing as an independent in the 1998 election, Zammit's preferences flowed to Murphy to help him win the seat for Labor. Murphy retained his seat at every subsequent election until 2013.
Murphy was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Health Stephen Smith from December 2001 to February 2003 and then Parliamentary Secretary to federal Labor leaders Simon Crean, Mark Latham, Kim Beazley and Kevin Rudd from February 2003 to December 2007. When Rudd become Prime Minister, Murphy became the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade. He left this position, citing family reasons, in a ministerial reshuffle which occurred on 19 February 2009.
Following an electoral redistribution in 2009, Murphy's electorate was renamed Reid following significant changes to its boundaries. On 4 December 2009, he was preselected unopposed as Labor's candidate for the federal electorate of Reid.