Stephen Conroy

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"The regulation of telecommunications powers in Australia is exclusively federal. That means I am in charge of spectrum auctions, and if I say to everyone in this room 'if you want to bid in our spectrum auction you'd better wear red underpants on your head', I've got some news for you. You'll be wearing them on your head ... I have unfettered legal power." [24]

Resignation from Parliament

Stephen Conroy foreshadowed his resignation from parliament in a tabled speech on 15 September 2016; he resigned on 30 September 2016. [2] [25]

On 25 October, a joint sitting of the Victorian Parliament appointed Kimberley Kitching as his replacement. [26]

Career after politics

In December 2016 it was announced that Conroy would be head of a new industry body for the gambling industry, Responsible Wagering Australia, backed by bookmakers CrownBet, Sportsbet, Betfair, Unibet and Bet365. [27] In 2017, he joined Sky News Australia as a political commentator. [28]

In 2023 Conroy became the Independent Chairman of the Australian Professional Leagues, the organisation responsible for administration of the A-Leagues professional soccer competitions. [29]

Political positions

Conroy is a Roman Catholic and socially conservative. While he voted against the abortion drug RU486 in a conscience vote, [30] he has claimed not to have taken a conservative position on all issues:

"I think the point I made was that while I would prefer there to be a parliamentary framework for the RU486, I think it was, debate, if the actual issue was before Parliament I would probably vote for the distribution of the pill. People often say, oh no Steve's a conservative Catholic, but they won't ever find on my voting record something that backs that up. I voted against the Northern Territory's euthanasia legislation. I voted for some of the cloning debate. So I voted in, I like to consider the issues on their merits and I voted what some would characterise as conservatively and some would characterise as progressively on a number of issues." [31] [32]

When a bill seeking to legalise same-sex marriage was debated by the Senate in 2012, Conroy was one of 11 Labor Senators to vote against the legislation. [33] By the time of Conroy's resignation, Labor Party policy supported same-sex marriage and bound its MPs to vote in favour of legislation from the end of the 2016–19 parliamentary term. [34]

Personal life

Conroy and his wife, Paula Benson, have one daughter. [30] [35] [36]

He was a national volleyball representative as a teenager and was the President of Volleyball Victoria from 2004 to 2019. [3] [37] [38]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Former Senator Stephen Conroy". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia . Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Former minister Stephen Conroy announces retirement". ABC News. 16 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Minister for the Future, smh.com.au, 12 December 2008; accessed 18 September 2014.
  4. ↑ Millar, Royce (25 November 2013). "Labor factions show scant regard for democracy push". The Age . Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Conroy shrugs off resignation call". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 8 March 2006.
  6. ↑ Moses, Asher (2 April 2009). "Conroy rapped for 'improper' iiNet gaffe". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. ↑ Andrew Ramadge (8 February 2010). "Conroy calls for 'mature' talks after iiNet case". news.com.au.
  8. ↑ "Conroy under fire over mate's top job". Canberra, Australia: ABC. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  9. ↑ Whinnett, Ellen (13 February 2010). "Minister in 'secret' snow meeting with mogul". Sunday Herald Sun.
  10. ↑ "Conroy gets it wrong on Google: SAGE-AU".
  11. ↑ "Google Street View cars may have obtained bank details". The Australian. 7 June 2010.
  12. ↑ Conroy announces mandatory internet filters to protect children – ABC News, 31 December 2007
  13. ↑ National Broadband Network Archived 21 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ "Conroy joins UN broadband commission". 11 May 2010.
  15. ↑ "Web censorship plan heads towards a dead end - BizTech - Technology". 26 February 2009.
  16. ↑ Dentist, tuckshop cited on web blacklist, smh.com.au; accessed 18 September 2014.
  17. ↑ Moses, Asher (19 March 2009). "Blacklisted websites revealed". Brisbane Times . Retrieved 19 March 2009.
  18. ↑ Conroy named Internet Villain of the Year, smh.com.au; accessed 18 September 2014.
  19. ↑ Moses, Asher (18 December 2009). "Spoof Conroy website protests at internet filter plan".
  20. ↑ "The swift takedown of stephenconroy.com.au". 21 December 2009.
  21. ↑ "Media Release: Electronic Frontiers Australia Surprised at auDA Decision to Remove StephenConroy.com.au - Electronic Frontiers Australia".
  22. ↑ "iiNet says Sen. Conroy lied". Archived from the original on 3 June 2010.
  23. ↑ "iiNet: Conroy misrepresents our filtering stance".
  24. ↑ "Senator's 'red undie' remarks fall flat in New York". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 September 2012.
  25. ↑ "Labor senator Stephen Conroy retires". 16 September 2016.
  26. ↑ "Vic parly green lights Kitching for Senate". AAP. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  27. ↑ "Labor powerbroker Stephen Conroy joins new gambling lobby". 7 December 2016.
  28. ↑ "Stephen Conroy joins Sky News as political contributor". Mediaweek . 20 March 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  29. ↑ "A-Leagues Alumni".
  30. 1 2 "The senator, the surrogate and the new baby - National - theage.com.au". 7 November 2006.
  31. ↑ "AM - Sounds of Summer: Stephen Conroy on his complicated surrogacy arrangement". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 27 June 2023.
  32. ↑ "Senate rejects RU486 veto - National". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 February 2006.
  33. ↑ "Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012". Journals Of The Senate No. 114—20 September 2012. Commonwealth of Australia: Senate. 20 September 2012. p. 3055.
  34. ↑ Phillip Coorey (26 July 2015). "Bill Shorten forced to compromise on gay marriage". Australian Financial Review.
  35. ↑ "Senator battles infertility laws - National". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 December 2007.
  36. ↑ "The Australian, Labor rooster's surrogate by two mothers". Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
  37. ↑ Profile Archived 20 August 2006 at archive.today , volleyballvictoria.com.au; accessed 18 September 2014.
  38. ↑ "General Manager's Update | Volleyball VictoriaVolleyball Victoria". volleyballvictoria.org.au. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

 

The Honourable
Stephen Conroy
StephenConroy.jpg
Deputy Leader of The Opposition in The Senate
In office
18 September 2013 –30 September 2016
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Broadband, Communications
and the Digital Economy
2007–2013		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Australian Labor Party in the Senate
2013		Succeeded by
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