David Hawker
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The Honourable David Peter Maxwell Hawker (born 1 May 1949), Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives since May 1983, representing the Division of Wannon, Victoria, previously represented by Malcolm Fraser. He was born in Adelaide, South Australia, and was educated at Geelong CEGS and University of Melbourne . A qualified Engineer, he was also a farmer and grazier before entering politics.
Background
Hawker comes from a family with a long history of political involvement. He is a cousin of Charles Hawker, who was a member of the House of Repesentatives from South Australia from 1929 to 1938. His great-grandfather, George Hawker, was Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1860 to 1865.
Career
Hawker was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1990-93, a Deputy Opposition Whip 1989-90 and 1994, and Chief Opposition Whip 1994-96.
On 15 November 2004 Hawker was chosen by the Parliamentary Liberal Party as its candidate for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was formally elected to the position on 16 November without opposition.
Dissent motions
On the opinion of the Australian Labor Party Opposition, Hawker has been somewhat controversial early in his term, with one session of Question Time on December 1, 2004 resulting in twelve points of order, some continuously raised, to Brendan Nelson's response to a question on school funding raised by Sophie Panopoulos, in that it was seen by the Opposition to anticipate debate. This session resulted in a dissent motion regarding the permission of ministers tabling documents at the end of answers, which was negatived. A further dissent motion was raised on December 7, 2004, regarding questions asked relating to public affairs but not directly regarding the subject's portfolio, specifically, the desire of the Opposition to question De-Anne Kelly to her supposed approval of funding of a project not relating to her portfolio of Veterans' Affairs. This dissent motion was also voted down. Likewise, a motion of dissent on 28 November, 2005 to a ruling that the Member for Perth resume his seat, having twice ignored an instruction to desist in argument across the chamber, was voted down. (Immediately thereafter, the motion to place further motions on notice was passed without a vote, and the Speaker responded to the Leader of the Opposition's subsequent Point of Order by stating that the motion was a "request".)
| Preceded by: Neil Andrew | Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives | Followed by: Incumbent |