Fiona Nash

Senator The Honourable Fiona Nash
Nash, pictured in 2010
21st Deputy Leader of the National Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 February 2016
Leader	Barnaby Joyce
Preceded by	Barnaby Joyce
Minister for Rural Health
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 September 2015
Prime Minister	Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Warren Snowdon
Minister for Regional Development
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 February 2016
Preceded by	Warren Truss (Infrastructure and Regional Development)
Minister for Regional Communications
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 February 2016
Preceded by	new ministerial title
Senator for New South Wales
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2005
Personal details
Born	Fiona Joy Morton 6 May 1965 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	National Party of Australia
Spouse(s)	David Nash
Children	Two
Residence	Young, New South Wales
Alma mater	Mitchell College of Advanced Education
Occupation	Politician
Website	www.fionanash.com.au

Fiona Joy Nash (born 6 May 1965) is an Australian politician. She has represented the National Party of Australia in the Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales since 1 July 2005 and has served as the Deputy Leader of The Nationals in the Parliament of Australia since 11 February 2016,^[1][2][3] having previously served as the party's deputy Senate leader since 2008.

In the Turnbull Government, Nash has served as the Minister for Rural Health since 21 September 2015, and the Minister for Regional Development, and the Minister for Regional Communications since 18 February 2016.^[4] Nash had previously served as the Assistant Minister for Health in the Abbott Government between 18 September 2013 and 21 September 2015.^[5]

Career

Between 1999 and 2004, she worked as staff member for National Party federal ministers, Mark Vaile, Larry Anthony, and De-Anne Kelly before her election to the Senate. In 2008, she was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources and Conservation on the Opposition frontbench, but was asked to resign by Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull when she expressed her support for a motion by the Australian Greens to block the introduction of up-front tax breaks for carbon sinks. She did so, and subsequently crossed the floor with four other National senators to vote for the motion.^[6] After the 2010 election she returned to the Opposition frontbench when appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in September 2010.^[7]

Following the 2013 federal election, Nash was appointed as Assistant Minister for Health in the Abbott Government. In February 2014 she came under scrutiny after it was revealed that her chief of staff, Alastair Furnival, held shares in a lobby group, which culminated with his resignation the same month.^[8] In March the Senate formally censured Nash after she missed a deadline to produce a letter Furnival apparently wrote, outlining how he would avoid conflicts of interest, given that his wife owned a lobbying company, Australian Public Affairs, which represented junk food clients.^[9]

Personal life

Nash was born in Sydney and was educated at Mitchell College of Advanced Education in Bathurst, New South Wales, where she graduated in arts.^[7] Nash is married to David Nash, a farmer, and they have two sons. They live in the Young district in the south-west region of southern New South Wales.^[10]

References

1. Murphy, Katharine (11 February 2016). "Barnaby Joyce wins Nationals leadership, Fiona Nash named deputy". The Guardian (Australia). Retrieved 11 February 2016.
2. Gartrell, Adam (11 February 2016). "Parliament pays tribute to retiring deputy PM Warren Truss ahead of Barnaby Joyce elevation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
3. Keany, Francis (11 February 2016). "Barnaby Joyce elected unopposed as new Nationals leader". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 11 February 2016.
4. "Ministerial Swearing-in Ceremony". Events. Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
5. "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
6. Arup, Tom (2 December 2008). "Nats senator axed then crosses floor". The Age.
7. "Senator Fiona Nash - Biography". Senators and Members. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
8. Metherell, Lexi (13 February 2014). "Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash admits chief of staff holds shares in lobby group". PM (ABC Radio) (Australia). Retrieved 7 March 2014.
9. Jabour, Bridie (2014-03-05). "Senate votes to censure Fiona Nash after she fails to hand over document". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
10. Nash, Fiona (2009). "About Senator Fiona Nash". self. Retrieved 15 February 2014.

External links

• Summary of parliamentary voting for Senator Fiona Nash on TheyVoteForYou.org.au