Greg Mirabella

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Senator
Greg Mirabella
Senator for Victoria
Assumed office
2 December 2021
Preceded byScott Ryan
Personal details
BornWerribee, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLiberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 2006)​
ProfessionFarmer

Greg Mirabella (born 1959/1960) is an Australian politician and farmer who is the Senator for Victoria since December 2021, representing the Liberal Party. He is the husband of former federal lower house MP and a current Commissioner on the Fair Work Commission Sophie Mirabella.

Personal life[]

Mirabella was born in Werribee in the western suburbs of Melbourne and was educated at Marcellin College. During the weekends and school holidays, he would spend his time on family fishing boats in the Bass Strait and milking cows in northern Victoria.[1] Mirabella later joined the army and was an army officer in the Australian Army Reserve.[2] He also used to be an engineer and a volunteer firefighter.[1]

In June 2006, Mirabella married federal lower house MP Sophie Panopoulos, who then took on her husband's surname.[3] Sophie would later be Commissioner on the Fair Work Commission in May 2021. The couple have two daughters.[4] Since 2005, the couple has been producing beef cattle at their family farm in East Wangaratta, and Greg is active in the Victorian Farmers Federation.[2][1]

Political life[]

In April 2017, Mirabella was elected as country vice-president of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party.[5][1]

In September 2019, Mirabella ran for Liberal preselection to fill the Senate casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Mitch Fifield, but was defeated by former lower house MP Sarah Henderson.[6] In November 2021, Mirabella was preselected by the Liberal Party to fill the casual vacancy caused by the resignation of former President Scott Ryan.[2] Mirabella will also be placed on the winnable third position on the Coalition Senate ticket for Victoria for the 2022 federal election, defeating Simon Frost in a ballot by 165-141. Frost is an ally of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

Mirabella was appointed to the Senate at a joint sitting of the Victorian Parliament on 2 December 2021.[7] His appointment to the Senate meant that he and his wife Sophie were the fourth married couple since federation to both serve in federal parliament.[2][1] He would also be the first husband to follow his wife into federal parliament.

Views[]

Prior to his appointment as Senator, Mirabella said that his two priorities were to amend the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and "changing the way Australians debate and approach climate change". He is an advocate for hydrogen investment.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Harris, Rob (1 December 2021). "Greg Mirabella's unorthodox road to Canberra". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Massola, James; Eddie, Rachel (20 November 2021). "Greg Mirabella defeats Simon Frost in blow to Josh Frydenberg". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  3. ^ Bugelly, Chloe (11 July 2006). "Sophie weds in military theme". The Border Mail. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  4. ^ Souter, Fenella (26 May 2012). "Will to Power". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 10.
  5. ^ "Greg Mirabella elected country vice-president of the Victorian Liberal Party". Border Mail. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  6. ^ Willingham, Richard (8 September 2019). "Sarah Henderson defeats Greg Mirabella to claim Victorian Liberal Senate seat". ABC News. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  7. ^ "Legislative Assembly Daily Hansard" (PDF). Parliament of Victoria. 2 December 2021. p. 129. Retrieved 3 December 2021.

External links[]

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Senator for Victoria
2021–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from ""