Michael Sukkar

The Honourable Michael Sukkar MP
Assistant Treasurer
In office 29 May 2019 –23 May 2022

Michael Sven Sukkar (Arabic: [swkar] ; born 11 September 1981) is an Australian politician has served as the Shadow Minister for Housing, NDIS, and Social Services since 2022. ^{[1] [2] [3]} Previously he had served as Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing and as the Minister for Homelessness, Social and Community Housing. Sukkar has been a member of the House of Representatives since September 2013, representing the Division of Deakin in Victoria for the Liberal Party. ^[4]

Early life and background

Sukkar was born in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Ringwood, to a father who was born in Lebanon. He attended primary school at Sacred Heart in Croydon and then secondary school at Aquinas College in Ringwood. ^{[5] [6]} He completed a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University in 2004 and Master of Laws at the University of Melbourne in 2010. ^{[7] [8]}

In 2005, Sukkar worked as a taxation consultant at accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. ^[5] From 2006, he spent seven years working as a tax lawyer with the firm Blake Dawson Waldron (later acquired by Ashurst Australia) where he was a senior associate. ^[5]

In 2008, Sukkar suffered a cardiac arrest while playing basketball, and was treated by a nurse and anaesthetist who were at the game and an off-duty paramedic who was nearby. ^[9] Sukkar later advocated for defibrillators when elected to parliament. ^[10]

Political career

Entry to Parliament

In 2012, Sukkar was endorsed as the Liberal Party candidate for the marginal seat of Deakin. He won the seat at the 2013 election with a swing to the Liberal Party of 3.8 points, succeeding Labor MP Mike Symon ^[11] he joined the government benches of the Abbott government. Sukkar served on a number of parliamentary committees in this Parliament, such as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. ^[5] In 2014 Sukkar launched the Deakin 200 Club with other conservative Liberal MPs to fundraise for marginal seats held by conservatives within the party. ^[12]

Turnbull government and first ministry

Michael Sukkar speaking on government initiatives to release Commonwealth land at a housing industry conference in May 2018

At the 2016 federal election, Sukkar increased his margin by 2.5 points, the Liberal Party's largest swing in Victoria. ^[13] On 24 January 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, appointed Sukkar to the ministry as Assistant Minister to the Treasurer. ^[14] Turnbull gave Sukkar responsibility for addressing housing affordability. ^[15] When asked about housing affordability on 20 February 2017, Sukkar told Sky News that "we're also enabling young people to get highly paid jobs which is the first step to buying a house". ^[16] Labor MP Tim Watts said in response that the remarks showed the Coalition was "back to where Joe Hockey started on housing affordability". ^[17]

In June 2017 Sukkar, Greg Hunt, and Alan Tudge faced the possibility of prosecution for contempt of court after criticising a court's sentencing of terrorists. ^{[18] [19]} They avoided prosecution by making an unconditional apology to the Victorian Court of Appeal. ^{[20] [21] [22]}

Morrison government and return to ministry

Sukkar supported Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton during the Liberal leadership spill in August 2018, and had a pivotal role in removing then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. ^[23] However, Scott Morrison defeated both figures, becoming Prime Minister leaving Sukkar on the back benches. ^{[23] [24]} Opinion polls indicated that only 47% of the two-party-preferred vote would go Sukkar's way. ^[25] Despite this, in the May 2019 federal election he was re-elected for a third term, albeit with a reduced margin of 4.8%. ^[26] Sukkar was not given a ministry by Scott Morrison until after the May election, when he was given the role of Assistant Treasurer. ^[27]

Sukkar was accused of branch stacking, of which he was cleared of "serious misuse" of Commonwealth funds when it moved to formal investigation. ^{[28] [29]} However the inquiry did not interview any witnesses or staff from the electoral offices. ^[30] In 2021, further allegations of branch stacking were aired by 60 Minutes and the Nine newspapers against Sukkar and Marcus Bastiaan, which Sukkar denied. ^{[31] [32] [33] [34]} In January 2021, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) was investigating a donor with ties to Sukkar over foreign interference risks. ^[35]

In December 2020, Sukkar was given further responsibilities, being sworn in to the roles of Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness, Social and Community Housing. ^[36]

In August 2020, there were allegations that Sukkar misused his taxpayer-funded staff for branch stacking and smear campaigns. Sukkar referred himself to the Finance Department for an investigation, and in October 2020 it was found that there was an insufficient basis to reach a finding of serious misuse of money or resources. ^[37] The investigation was outsourced to a law firm where Sukkar worked for seven years. ^[37]

Shadow Cabinet

At the 2022 Australian federal election, Sukkar held his seat by fewer than 500 votes, making it the most marginal Liberal seat in the nation. ^[38] Upon the defeat of the Coalition, he was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Social Services by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in June of that year. ^[39]

As Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness, he has called the Labor Party's Housing Australia Future Fund a "Ponzi scheme". ^[40]

Political views

Sukkar is a member of the National Right faction of the Liberal Party. ^{[41] [42]}

In his maiden speech, Sukkar categorised himself as an "economic liberal" and with "strong conservative foundations". He credited his Catholic religion as being one of the two most significant influences in his life, in addition to his family. ^[8] In 2013, he expressed support for the school chaplaincy program at an Australian Christian Lobby forum. ^[43]

Sukkar opposed same-sex marriage during the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey. ^[44] Although initially stating he would follow the outcome of the survey, ^{[45] [46]} Sukkar abstained from the vote despite his electorate voting 66% in favour, saying that he could not support the bill. ^[47]

Sukkar also intervened during the development of the 2021 Australian census to exclude questions about gender and sexuality despite these being recommended for inclusion by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. ^[48]

Sukkar opposed the Voice to Parliament, describing it as "divisive". ^[49]

Personal life

Sukkar married Anna Duthie in 2010. ^[50] They have two sons. ^[5] He has two investment properties in Ringwood North and Canberra. ^[51] He resides in Blackburn. ^[51]

Sukkar is a fan of soccer, and attended the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification match between Australia and Iran when he was 15 years old. ^[52]

References

1. "More staff, longer-term support plans, cost crackdown in minister's sights as Shorten plans NDIS 'reboot'". ABC News. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
2. September 19; 2023 - 4:59pm (19 September 2023), PM and Victorian Premier's social housing claims 'business as usual' , retrieved 25 February 2024
3. "Housing future fund set to appear in front of Parliament again". www.abc.net.au. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
4. "Michael Sukkar Candidate for Deakin". Liberal Party of Australia. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
5. "Michael Sukkar". Q+A. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
6. "Hon Michael Sukkar MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
7. "Electorate: Deakin". Australia: ABC News. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
8. "First Speech". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
9. "Near-death experience brings tax lawyer to politics". 10 March 2014.
10. "Campaigners call for defibrillators at sporting clubs in bid to save lives". www.abc.net.au. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
11. "Deakin Results". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 21 February 2017.
12. McColl, Gina (5 March 2017). "The right-wing Liberal club hiding donors and building conservative clout". The Age. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
13. "Victorian Liberals should be proud of their results". Herald Sun. 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
14. "New federal ministers officially sworn in". Australia: Sky News. AAP. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
15. "Sukkar to tackle housing affordability". 21 February 2017.
16. Bourke, Latika (21 February 2017). "Coalition MP tasked with housing affordability says 'highly paid job' is 'first step' to home ownership". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
17. "Michael Sukkar: get a highly paid job to buy a house". The Australian. 21 February 2017.
18. "Greg Hunt, Alan Tudge, Michael Sukkar face contempt charge". Financial Review. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
19. Hutchens, Gareth (14 June 2017). "Greg Hunt declines to say if he'll be in court for hearing over potential contempt charges". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 15 June 2017.
20. Wahlquist, Calla (23 June 2017). "Coalition ministers will not face contempt charges after court accepts apology". The Guardian . Retrieved 23 June 2017.
21. Bucci, Nino; Massola, James (23 June 2017). "Ministers escape contempt charges after 'unconditional apology' to Supreme Court". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 23 June 2017.
22. "An Executive and Judicial tussle: Is this healthy for our democracy?". Constitution Education Fund Australia. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
23. "Behind the scenes of the Liberal Party leadership spill". Australian Financial Review. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
24. "Scott Morrison's reshuffle suitably vengeful". Australian Financial Review. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
25. Latika Bourke & David Crowe (28 August 2018). "Michael Sukkar faces backlash over role in Liberal leadership crisis". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
26. "Deakin (Key Seat) - Federal Election 2019 Electorate, Candidates, Results | Australia Votes - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
27. corporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House, Canberra. "Hon Michael Sukkar MP". www.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
28. "Michael Sukkar, Kevin Andrews implicated in Liberal Party branch-stacking scandal". 23 August 2020.
29. "Federal Government MPs cleared of wrongdoing and misusing public funds". www.abc.net.au. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
30. Crowe, David (14 October 2020). "Inquiry that cleared Liberal MPs did not hear from key witnesses". The Age. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
31. "Sukkar aware of branch stacking". 8 November 2021.
32. "Allegations of Liberal Party branch stacking involving Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar aired in defamation case - ABC News".
33. "Michael Sukkar's brother Paul recruited 58 Liberal members in two months".
34. "Michael Sukkar engulfed in branch-stacking scandal: Court documents". 7 November 2021.
35. Hui, Echo; Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Sean (3 January 2021). "ASIO red-flags Liberal Party donor Huifeng 'Haha' Liu over foreign interference risks". ABC News . Retrieved 3 January 2021.
36. Chambers, Geoff (19 December 2020). "Cabinet reshuffle". The Australian. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
37. Knaus, Christopher (20 October 2020). "Investigation that cleared MP Michael Sukkar of wrongdoing was carried out by his old law firm". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 8 May 2024.
38. "Deakin (Key Seat) - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results". Australian Broadcasting Corporation .
39. "Peter Dutton sidelines Scott Morrison allies in shadow cabinet as Nationals take six spots". the Guardian. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
40. "Housing Australia Future Fund a 'ponzi scheme': Shadow housing minister". Savings.com.au. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
41. Massola, James (20 March 2021). "Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
42. Massola, James (8 April 2023). "How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
43. "Michael Sukkar at Australian Christian Lobby". Australian Christian Lobby. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
44. "Conservatives target parental rights in same-sex marriage bill". Australian Financial Review. 26 November 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
45. "Michael Sukkar: any hate speech is the fault of marriage equality advocates | OUTInPerth – Gay and Lesbian News and Culture". www.outinperth.com. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
46. "Whitehorse MPs to respect public vote" . Retrieved 16 September 2017.
47. "Sukkar abstains from marriage vote". Herald Sun. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
48. "Liberal MP calls for sexuality questions in census after ABS dumped them on minister's guidance". the Guardian. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
49. Statement by Members: Voice to Parliament . Retrieved 8 May 2024– via www.youtube.com.
50. "Michael Sukkar". IMDb. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
51. "The private interests of Michael Sukkar MP". openpolitics.au. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
52. "The Source: Peter Dutton wins jibe contest at Parliamentary Friends Of The AFL shindig". 10 August 2023.

External links

• Official site

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Mike Symon	Member for Deakin 2013–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Stuart Robert	Assistant Treasurer 2019–2022	Succeeded by Stephen Jones
Preceded by Sarah Henderson	Minister for Housing 2019–2022	Succeeded by Julie Collins
Preceded by Luke Howarth	Minister for Homelessness, Social and Community Housing 2020–2022