Fiona Nash

Fiona Joy Nash (née Morton; born 6 May 1965) is a former Australian politician. She represented the National Party of Australia in the Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales from 1 July 2005 and served as the Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Parliament of Australia from 11 February 2016,[1][2][3] having previously served as the party's deputy Senate leader since 2008.

The Honourable Fiona Nash
Nash in 2017
20th Deputy Leader of the National Party of Australia
In office 11 February 2016 – 7 December 2017
Leader	Barnaby Joyce
Preceded by	Barnaby Joyce
Succeeded by	Bridget McKenzie
Minister for Local Government and Territories
In office 19 July 2016 – 27 October 2017
Prime Minister	Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Paul Fletcher (as Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects)
Succeeded by	Darren Chester
Minister for Regional Development
In office 18 February 2016 – 27 October 2017
Prime Minister	Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Warren Truss (as Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development)
Succeeded by	Darren Chester
Minister for Regional Communications
In office 18 February 2016 – 27 October 2017
Prime Minister	Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Sharon Bird (2013)
Succeeded by	Bridget McKenzie
Minister for Rural Health
In office 21 September 2015 – 19 July 2016
Prime Minister	Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Bridget McKenzie (2017)
Assistant Minister for Health
In office 18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015
Prime Minister	Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Christopher Pyne (as Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing)
Succeeded by	Ken Wyatt
Senator for New South Wales
In office 1 July 2005 – 27 October 2017
Preceded by	Aden Ridgeway
Succeeded by	Jim Molan
Personal details
Born	Fiona Joy Morton (1965-05-06) 6 May 1965 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	National Party of Australia
Spouse(s)	David Nash
Children	2
Residence	Young, New South Wales
Alma mater	Mitchell College of Advanced Education
Occupation	Politician

In the Turnbull Government, Nash served as the Minister for Local Government and Territories from 19 July 2016, and the Minister for Regional Development, and the Minister for Regional Communications from 18 February 2016 to 27 October 2017.[4] Nash had previously served as the Minister for Rural Health between 21 September 2015 and 19 July 2016, and as the Assistant Minister for Health in the Abbott Government between 18 September 2013 and 21 September 2015.[5]

On 27 October 2017, the High Court of Australia (sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns) found Nash to be ineligible to have been elected, due to holding British citizenship inherited from her father [6] at the time of the 2016 federal election.

Career

Between 1999 and 2004, she worked as staff member for National Party federal ministers, Mark Vaile, Larry Anthony, and De-Anne Kelly before her election to the Senate. In 2008, she was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources and Conservation on the Opposition frontbench, but was asked to resign by Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull when she expressed her support for a motion by the Australian Greens to block the introduction of up-front tax breaks for carbon sinks. She did so, and subsequently crossed the floor with four other National senators to vote for the motion.[7] After the 2010 election she returned to the Opposition frontbench when appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in September 2010.[8]

Following the 2013 federal election, Nash was appointed as Assistant Minister for Health in the Abbott Government. In February 2014 she came under scrutiny after it was revealed that her chief of staff, Alastair Furnival, held shares in a lobby group, which culminated with his resignation the same month.[9] In March the Senate formally censured Nash after she missed a deadline to produce a letter Furnival apparently wrote, outlining how he would avoid conflicts of interest, given that his wife owned a lobbying company, Australian Public Affairs, which represented junk food clients.[10]

On 17 August 2017, Nash became embroiled in the 2017 Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis, when she informed the Senate that she had received advice that she was a British citizen. Her citizenship had been acquired at birth, by descent from her Scottish-born father. She completed a declaration of renunciation of British citizenship on 18 August 2017.[11] Her eligibility was considered by the High Court of Australia alongside numerous other cases of potential breaches of Section 44 of the Australian Constitution.[12] On 27 October 2017, the court ruled that Nash had been ineligible to have been elected.[13]

Nash is taking up the role of Strategic Adviser, Regional Development at Charles Sturt University.[14]

Personal life

Nash was born in Sydney and was educated at Mitchell College of Advanced Education in Bathurst, New South Wales, where she graduated in arts.[8] Nash is married to David Nash, a farmer, and they have two sons. They live in the Young district in the south-west region of southern New South Wales.[15]

References

1. Murphy, Katharine (11 February 2016). "Barnaby Joyce wins Nationals leadership, Fiona Nash named deputy". The Guardian. Australia. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
2. Gartrell, Adam (11 February 2016). "Parliament pays tribute to retiring deputy PM Warren Truss ahead of Barnaby Joyce elevation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
3. Keany, Francis (11 February 2016). "Barnaby Joyce elected unopposed as new Nationals leader". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
4. "Ministerial Swearing-in Ceremony". Events. Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
5. "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
6. "Barnaby Joyce disqualified by High Court". ABC News. 27 October 2017.
7. Arup, Tom (2 December 2008). "Nats senator axed then crosses floor". The Age.
8. "Senator Fiona Nash - Biography". Senators and Members. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
9. Metherell, Lexi (13 February 2014). "Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash admits chief of staff holds shares in lobby group". PM (ABC Radio). Australia. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
10. Jabour, Bridie (5 March 2014). "Senate votes to censure Fiona Nash after she fails to hand over document". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
11. Submissions of Senator the Hon Fiona Nash (PDF), 28 September 2017, p. 5
12. "Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash reveals she is a British citizen, won't be standing aside". ABC News. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
13. "Barnaby Joyce disqualified by High Court". ABC News. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
14. "CSU strengthens regions" (Press release). Charles Sturt University. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
15. Nash, Fiona (2009). "About Senator Fiona Nash". self. Retrieved 15 February 2014.

External links

• Search or browse Hansard for Fiona Nash at OpenAustralia.org

Parliament of Australia
Political offices
Preceded by Paul Fletcher as Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects	Minister for Local Government and Territories 2016–2017	Succeeded by Darren Chester
Preceded by Warren Truss as Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development	Minister for Regional Development 2016–2017
Vacant Title last held by Sharon Bird	Minister for Regional Communications 2016–2017	Succeeded by Mitch Fifield
Vacant Title last held by Warren Snowdon as Minister for Indigenous Health	Minister for Rural Health 2015–2016	Succeeded by David Gillespie as Assistant Minister for Rural Health
Vacant Title last held by Christopher Pyne as Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing	Assistant Minister for Health 2013–2015	Vacant Title next held by Ken Wyatt
Party political offices
Preceded by Barnaby Joyce	Deputy Leader of the National Party of Australia 2016–2017	Succeeded by Bridget McKenzie
Preceded by Ron Boswell	Deputy Leader of the National Party in the Senate 2008–2017