Joe Francis (politician)

HON Joseph Michael Francis (born 11 December 1970) is a former Australian politician who was a Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 2008 to 2017, representing the seat of Jandakot. He was a minister in the Barnett government from March 2013 to March 2017, and was considered a front runner for the Liberal Party leadership until he lost his seat at the 2017 state election.

Joe Francis
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia
In office 6 September 2008 – 11 March 2017
Preceded by	None (new seat)
Succeeded by	Yaz Mubarakai
Constituency	Jandakot
Personal details
Born	(1970-12-11) 11 December 1970 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Liberal

Early life

Francis was born in Sydney, New South Wales, to Robyn Caroline Mitchell and Charles Henry Francis. He has one sister Janelle May Francis. His primary education was at Spiritus Sanctus Primary school at North Ryde NSW. He attended Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview, and after leaving school joined the Royal Australian Navy. He served in the navy from 1989 to 1994, and subsequently worked as a political staffer for several years.[1] Francis moved to Western Australia in 2000, operating a small business. He re-enlisted in the navy in 2002, and served as a navigator and warfare officer with the RAN Submarine Service, initially aboard HMAS Farncomb and later as an instructor at a training centre.[2]

Politics

In 2008, Francis left the navy in order to run for parliament at the 2008 state election. He was elected to the newly created seat of Jandakot, which had been created with a notional majority for the Labor Party.[3] In June 2012, Francis was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Commerce, and the Minister for Small Business. After the 2013 state election, where he increased his majority in Jandakot, Francis was elevated to the ministry, becoming Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Corrective Services, and Minister for Veterans. In August 2013, he was also made Minister for Small Business. He relinquished that position to Sean L'Estrange in a reshuffle in March 2016, but was made Minister for Fisheries instead.[4]

After losing the seat of Jandakot at the 2017 state election, Francis was appointed general manager of Australian Transit Group. In 2019 he was appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.[5]

Community

Francis was appointed (2017 - current) as WA Chair of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award - Australia[6]

See also

• Barnett Ministry

References

1. Joseph Michael Francis – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
2. HON Joe Francis MLA: Biography Archived 13 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
3. Jandakot (Key Seat), 2008 Western Australian Election, Antony Green's Election Guide. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
4. Hon. Joseph (Joe) Michael Francis MLA – Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
5. Bell, Frances (25 February 2019). "Christian Porter rejects claim 'mate' handed a six-figure job after providing campaign bus". ABC News. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
6. "National Board". Dukeofed. Retrieved 28 June 2019.

Parliament of Western Australia
New seat	Member for Jandakot 2008–2017	Succeeded by Yaz Mubarakai
Political offices
Preceded by Troy Buswell	Minister for Emergency Services 2013–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Murray Cowper	Minister for Corrective Services 2013–present	Incumbent
New creation	Minister for Veterans 2013–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Liza Harvey	Minister for Small Business 2013–2016	Succeeded by Sean L'Estrange
Preceded by Ken Baston	Minister for Fisheries 2016–present	Incumbent