Bernie Finn

Last updated

Bernie Finn
Bernie Finn, October 2023 b.jpg
Finn in 2023
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Western Metropolitan Region
In office
25 November 2006 –26 November 2022
Website www.berniefinn.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Bernard Thomas Christopher Finn (born 14 April 1961) is a former Australian politician who was a member of the Victorian Legislative Council representing the Western Metropolitan Region from the election of November 2006 until he lost in the November 2022 election. [1] He was previously the member for the electoral district of Tullamarine in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from October 1992 until September 1999.

Contents

Political career

Finn was originally a member of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP). In 1980, aged 19, he was the DLP candidate for the federal seat of Corangamite. [2] Soon after, he left the DLP and joined the Liberal Party. In 1983 he was the Liberal candidate for the federal seat of Burke. [3]

Finn was the Member for the District of Tullamarine from 1992 until 1999 when he lost his seat in the Steve Bracks led victory over the Kennett Liberal Government.

Finn was the number one candidate on the Liberal Party of Australia ticket in the Western Metropolitan Region from 2006 to 2018. He was first elected to the Legislative Council in 2006 and re-elected in 2010, 2014 and 2018. [1]

During the period of the Baillieu and Napthine governments, Finn served as Chairman of the Victorian Parliament's Electoral Matters Committee. [4]

Finn previously served on the Coalition frontbench as the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for autism spectrum disorder, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Electoral Integrity and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Melbourne's West. [1]

In 2018 Finn was involved in a controversy where he returned to vote on a bill despite having been granted a "pair" to be absent from voting due to religious observation. [5]

In May 2022, Finn was expelled from the Victorian Liberal Party for "a series of inflammatory social media posts", including calling for abortion to be made illegal in all circumstances, and comparing the Victorian premier to Adolf Hitler. [6] [7] [8] On 2 June, Finn rejoined the Democratic Labour Party and announced he would recontest the 2022 Victorian state election as the leader of the party. [9] [10] Finn was unsuccessful in his bid for re-election in 2022. Despite winning 5.16% of the vote, after preference distribution Finn narrowly missed out on re-election in the Western Metropolitan Region by only 210 votes, with Legalise Cannabis Party preferences instead electing a third Liberal candidate. [11]

On 6 August 2023, Finn left the Democratic Labour Party and joined Family First Party. [12] [13]

Political views

Finn has drawn controversy for his political views. He has criticised abortion and been rebuked for his remarks that rape victims should not be allowed an abortion; former premier Denis Napthine, who like Finn voted against the 2008 abortion bill, [14] called Finn's views "inappropriate." [15] [16] Finn is a strong opponent of same sex marriage, adoption, [17] [18] and IVF. Finn suggested during the 2012 Australian Open that some ‘gay activists’ had "embarked on a program of rainbow fascism." [19] [20] [21]

Finn is a climate change denier and was a critic of the Gillard government's carbon pricing scheme, stating in the Victorian Parliament in 2013 that "there has been no global warming for 17 years". He has attacked the climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth , as well as reports on the subject in the British newspaper The Guardian . [22] He has claimed that global warming is an invention of the "international left", saying that "it raised a few dollars and promoted its own political interests. It came up with a thing called global warming", which he labelled "nonsense". He went on to say that "we have to come to a conclusion that climate change is not so much a scientific thing as it is a political thing". Finn also told Parliament that "This is a con; the whole thing is a con. Today we are in the Parliament of Victoria wasting our time on something that is largely an invention of the left".

Finn supports reintroducing capital punishment for serious offences, including serious drug trafficking. [23]

Finn is a regular panellist on conservative television channel Sky News Australia and a frequent critic of the Black Lives Matter movement, climate science and members of what he views as ‘the left’, including American Democrats and the Australian Labor Party. Finn is a supporter of former US President Donald Trump and a believer of the Big Lie conspiracy. [24] In January 2021, Finn was criticised for sharing conspiracy theories to his private Facebook page, falsely claiming Donald Trump was being "improperly" removed from office. [25] Finn also falsely suggested that antifa were behind the storming of the US Capitol and repeated unsubstantiated claims of election fraud about the 2020 presidential election. [25] [26]

In February 2021 Finn, addressing the Reignite Democracy Australia Facebook group, criticised the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures imposed by the Victorian government, saying that maybe they were about hardline socialists' dislike of small businesses. [27]

In May 2022, Finn expressed on Facebook that he is “praying” for abortion to be banned in Australia, following the release of the SCOTUS draft decision written by Justice Samuel Alito in Dobbs (19-1392). [28]

Personal life

Before entering Parliament, Finn was a small businessman, broadcaster and a media and ministerial adviser to Chris Pearce. [1] He is married with six children. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denis Napthine</span> Premier of Victoria from 2013 to 2014

Denis Vincent Napthine is an Australian former politician and veterinarian who served as the 47th premier of Victoria from 2013 to 2014. He held office as the leader of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party of Australia (LPA) and was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the district of Portland from 1988 to 2002, before transferring to that of South-West Coast from 2002 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damian Drum</span> Australian politician

Damian Kevin Drum is an Australian politician who has represented Murray and Nicholls in the Australian House of Representatives since the 2016 federal election as a member of The Nationals. Drum served as the Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister in the Second Turnbull Ministry between 20 December 2017 and 5 March 2018.

Inga Peulich (; née Došen was an Australian politician. She was a member of the Victorian Legislative Council representing South Eastern Metropolitan Region from 2006 to 2018 and before that the Member for Bentleigh from 1992 to 2002.

Terence Wynn Mulder is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2015, representing the Colac-based electorate of Polwarth. He served as Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Roads in the Baillieu and Napthine governments from 2010 to 2014.

Russell John Northe is an Australian former politician who was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 2006 until his retirement in 2022. Prior to winning preselection by The Nationals for the seat of Morwell, he was a local Australian rules footballer. He resigned from The Nationals in August 2017, and served the rest of his time in office as an independent member of parliament. Following Northe's retirement at the 2022 state election, National member Martin Cameron won Northe's previous seat of Morwell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Smith (Australian politician)</span> Australian state politician

Ryan James Smith is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2023, representing the electorate of Warrandyte. He was Minister for Environment and Climate Change and Minister for Youth Affairs from 2010 to 2014, serving in both the Baillieu and Napthine governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Guy</span> Australian politician

Matthew Jason Guy is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal Party member of the Parliament of Victoria since 2006, representing the Northern Metropolitan Region in the Legislative Council (2006–2014) and Bulleen in the Legislative Assembly (2014–present). He was Leader of the Opposition in Victoria and state leader of the Liberal Party from 2014 to 2018, when he resigned the leadership after the Liberal Party's landslide defeat in the 2018 Victorian election. From 7 September 2021, Guy again served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Party in Victoria, but he again resigned after another heavy defeat in the 2022 state election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Bulleen</span> State electoral district of Victoria, Australia

The electoral district of Bulleen is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers an area of 39 square kilometres (15 sq mi) in eastern Melbourne, including the suburbs of Bulleen, Doncaster, Templestowe Lower, and part of Templestowe. It lies within the Eastern Metropolitan Region of the upper house, the Legislative Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Blackwood (politician)</span> Australian politician

Gary John Blackwood is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly between November 2006 and November 2022, representing the electorate of Narracan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Victorian state election</span> Australian state election

The 2014 Victorian state election, held on Saturday, 29 November 2014, was for the 58th Parliament of Victoria. All 88 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly and 40 seats in the Victorian Legislative Council were up for election. The incumbent centre-right Coalition minority government, led by Liberal Party leader and Premier Denis Napthine and National Party leader and Deputy Premier Peter Ryan, was defeated by the centre-left Labor Party opposition, led by Daniel Andrews. The Greens won two lower house seats, their first Legislative Assembly seats in a Victorian state election, whilst increasing their share of upper house seats. The new Andrews Ministry was sworn in on 4 December 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoff Shaw (politician)</span> Australian politician

Geoffrey Page Shaw is an Australian politician who represented Frankston in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 2010 to 2014. He was initially a member of the Parliamentary Liberal Party until March 2013, before becoming an independent politician. In March 2014, Shaw resigned as a member of the Liberal Party as moves were being made to expel him from the party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Southwick</span> Australian politician (born 1968)

David James Southwick is an Australian Liberal politician, and has been the member for Caulfield in the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2010. Southwick has been the Parliamentary Secretary for Police and Emergency Services and is currently the Shadow Minister for Trade and Investment, Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Shadow Minister for Major Projects and Shadow Minister for Cost of Living. As of 7 September 2021, Southwick is the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Carling-Jenkins</span> Australian politician (born 1975)

Rachel Carling-Jenkins is an Australian politician. She was a member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 2014 to 2018, representing Western Metropolitan Region for the Democratic Labour Party (2014–2017), Australian Conservatives (2017–2018) and as an independent (2018). She did not recontest her Legislative Council seat at the 2018 election, instead unsuccessfully contesting the Legislative Assembly seat of Werribee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Victorian state election</span> Election for the 59th Parliament of Victoria

The 2018 Victorian state election was held on Saturday, 24 November 2018 to elect the 59th Parliament of Victoria. All 88 seats in the Legislative Assembly and all 40 seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The first-term incumbent Labor government, led by Premier Daniel Andrews, won a second four-year term, defeating the Liberal/National Coalition opposition, led by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy in a landslide victory. Minor party the Greens led by Samantha Ratnam also contested the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victorian Liberal Party</span> Political party in Australia

The Victorian Liberal Party, officially known as the Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division) and branded as Liberal Victoria, is the state division of the Liberal Party of Australia in Victoria. It was formed in 1944. It became the Liberal and Country Party (LCP) in 1949, and simplified its name to the Liberal Party in 1965. The party sits on the centre-right to right-wing of the Australian political spectrum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Newbury</span> Australian politician

James Benjamin Kingsley Newbury is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since November 2018, representing the seat of Brighton. Newbury is the currently the Shadow Minister for Planning, Environment and Climate Change, Equality, and the Manager of Opposition Business.

This is a list of members of the Victorian Legislative Council, as elected at the 2018 state election. It includes members who were appointed to replace members who left office during this period.

This is a list of the candidates of the 2022 Victorian state election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moira Deeming</span> Australian politician

Moira Deeming is an Australian politician who has been a member for the Western Metropolitan Region of the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house of the Parliament of Victoria, since November 2022. She is currently an Independent Liberal, having been expelled from the parliamentary Liberal Party. She previously sat as a councillor for the Melton City Council representing the Watts Ward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Labour Party (Australia, 1978)</span> Political party in Australia

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP), formerly known as the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist), is an Australian political party which broke off from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) as a result of the 1955 ALP split. Following the partial dissolution of the party as a result of many members re-joining the ALP after the departure of Gough Whitlam in 1977, the DLP was re-formed by members of the original Democratic Labor Party

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Bernie Finn (Western Metropolitan)". Members Information. Parliament of Victoria . Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  2. ↑ Carr, Adam. "1980 Election". Psephos.
  3. ↑ Carr, Adam. "1983 Election". Psephos.
  4. ↑ Media release parliament.vic.gov.au
  5. ↑ "Victorians 'betrayed' over Liberals pairing controversy, Acting Premier says". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 2 April 2018.
  6. ↑ "Liberal MP slammed over Nazi comparison – the Australian Jewish News".
  7. ↑ "Victorian Liberal MP says he is 'praying' for abortion to be banned in wake of concern about US law change". ABC News. 5 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Victorian Liberal MP who posted anti-abortion comments expelled from party". ABC News. 23 May 2022.
  9. ↑ "I'm mighty proud to announce I am now the State Leader of the Democratic Labour Party - a genuinely conservative labour party fighting for workers, small businesses, traditional families and regional Victoria". Bernie Finn MP. Facebook. 2 June 2022.
  10. ↑ Cassandra Morgan (2 June 2022). "Expelled Liberal MP Finn finds new party". 7news.com.au.
  11. ↑ "Legislative Council Results - VIC Election 2022". Australian Broadcasting Corporation .
  12. ↑ "Facebook post". www.facebook.com.[ better source needed ]
  13. ↑ Press release Family First website
  14. ↑ "The Victorian State Government Election". Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  15. ↑ Alison Savage (18 March 2014). "Victorian Liberal MP Bernie Finn says no abortions for rape victims". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  16. ↑ Josh Gordon and Henrietta Cook (18 March 2014). "State MP Bernie Finn says there is no acceptable reason for abortion". The Age . Fairfax Media.
  17. ↑ "Should gay couples be able to adopt?". 3AW Mornings. 27 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Liberal MP Bernie Finn has sparked fierce debate about same-sex couples adopting children after posting controversial anti gay-adoption comments on his Facebook page. Last week, state Labor voted in favour of changing the law, which could pave the way for homosexual couples to adopt if Daniel Andrews wins November's election. However, Mr Finn, MP for the Western Metropolitan Region, who is a Richmond supporter, said he'd join the Collingwood cheer squad before he'd ever support gay adoption, while in another post he asked for "proof" that having two mothers or two fathers wouldn't hurt children. Labor today lashed out at Mr Finn, saying the outspoken MP has offended hundreds of loving parents.
  18. ↑ Benjamin Riley (29 May 2014). "Calls for Premier Napthine to condemn MP over same-sex adoption remarks". Star Observer.
  19. ↑ Benge Nsenduluka (18 January 2012). "Teenage Tennis Star Denies Making Gay Protest at Australian Open". Christian Post . Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  20. ↑ Andie Noonan (16 January 2012). "Liberal MP hits out at 'rainbow fascists'". Star Observer.
  21. ↑ Chip Le Grand (18 January 2012). "MP slams Open 'rainbow fascism' over Margaret Court". The Australian.
  22. ↑ "PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD)" (PDF). PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA. 11 December 2013.
  23. ↑ "Liberal MP's call to bring back death penalty for drug dealers". 12 April 2018.
  24. ↑ "'America is finished if campaign to bring down Trump succeeds'". Sky News Australia. 5 June 2020.
  25. 1 2 "Victorian Liberal MP posts Trump conspiracy theories to Facebook". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 7 January 2021.
  26. ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (8 January 2021). "Victorian Liberals confront Bernie Finn over pro-Trump social media posts". The Age . Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  27. ↑ Kristian Silva (18 February 2021). "Liberal MP Bernie Finn tells anti-lockdown protest Victorian restrictions were 'not about a virus'". ABC News .
  28. ↑ Victorian Liberal MP 'praying' for abortion to be banned in wake of concern about US law change, Richard Willingham, ABC News Online, 2022-05-05
  29. ↑ "Bernard (Bernie) Finn". Parliament.vic.gov.au. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
Victorian Legislative Assembly
District created Member for Tullamarine
1992–1999		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.