Joel Fitzgibbon - Member for Hunter

Minister for Defence

Joel Fitzgibbon - Member for Hunter

Parliament House

Suite M1 41
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Tel:
(02) 6277 7800
Fax:
(02) 6273 4118
Email:
J.Fitzgibbon.MP@aph.gov.au

Hunter Electorate Office

45 Vincent Street
Cessnock, NSW, 2325
Toll Free:
1300 301 753
Tel:
(02) 4991 1022
Fax:
(02) 4991 2322

Postal Address:

PO Box 526
Cessnock, NSW, 2325
Web:
http://www.joelfitzgibbon.com/

Biography

Joel Fitzgibbon was first elected to the Federal Parliament as Member for Hunter in March 1996 and, in October 1998, was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business and Tourism.

After the November 2001 election, Joel served as the Shadow Minister for Resources and in July 2003 had Tourism added to his responsibilities again. Under Leader Mark Latham, Joel was appointed to the Mining, Energy and Forestry portfolios.

After the 2004 election, Joel was appointed Shadow Assistant Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Revenue, Shadow Minister for Banking & Financial Services. In July 2005, Small Business and Competition were added to his Assistant Treasurer and Revenue portfolios.

After Kevin Rudd was elected Labor Leader in December 2006, Joel was appointed Shadow Minister for Defence. He became Mininster for Defence after Labor's November 2007 federal election victory.

Prior to entering Parliament Joel spent 10 years in the motor industry as a small business operator. He also served eight years as a Councillor on Cessnock City Council including a term as Deputy Mayor. Joel is a former director of the Hunter-Manning Tourist Authority.

In 2004, Joel completed a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration at Newcastle University and has previously studied economics, politics and law at the University of New England, completed trade qualifications and studied small business at NSWTAFE.

Joel lives in Cessnock with his wife Dianne and their three children - Caitlin, Jack and Grace. Dianne has been a small business operator for twenty years in the personal services sector. Joel has a keen interest in sport and in his younger days played first-grade rugby league for Cessnock.

Hunter is a semi-rural NSW electorate and includes the Cessnock, Maitland , Muswellbrook and Singleton Local Government Areas. The Hunter electorate boasts a diverse range of industries from rural through to electricity, mining, aluminium smelting and tourism.

Electorate Profile

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State: New South Wales

Name Derivation: Named after John Hunter 1737-1821, second Governor of New South Wales 1795-99.

Area and Location Description: Hunter covers an area of approximately 18 604 sq km from Maitland in the east to Cassilis in the west, Murrurundi in the north and south to Wollombi. The main towns include Aberdeen, Branxton, Cessnock, Denman, Kurri Kurri, Maitland, Merriwa, Murrurundi, Muswellbrook, Scone and Singleton.

Products/Industries of the Area: Agriculture, aluminium smelting, coal-mining, dairy farming, engineering, farming, forestry, fruit and vegetables, horse studs and racing, timber milling, tourism, wine grapes, wineries and wool. Liddell Power Station and Bays Water Power Station are also in the division.

First Proclaimed/Election: 1901

Demographic Rating: Rural

Members: