Lindsay Tanner is the Federal Member for Melbourne and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation in the Gillard Government.
Lindsay has been a member of the ALP for more than 30 years. He was first elected to the Australian Parliament in March 1993 and after his re-election in 1996 was made Shadow Minister for Transport.
Over the years, Lindsay has held a variety of Shadow Ministerial positions in portfolios including Consumer Affairs; Communications; Community Relations; and Finance.
When the Labor Party was elected to Government in November 2007, Lindsay was appointed the Minister for Finance and Deregulation.
Lindsay was born on April 4, 1956 in Orbost in the far east of Victoria. He attended Orbost State School and then received a scholarship to St. Anne’s and Gippsland Grammar School in Sale where he was dux in 1973.
After completing high school Lindsay went to Melbourne University where he studied arts and law; graduating with first-class honours. Lindsay went on to complete a Master of Arts in which his thesis focused on politics and culture in Brunswick in the 1920s.
In his time at Melbourne University, Lindsay was heavily involved in the University of Melbourne Students Representative Council and the Australian Union of Students. He was also the editor of the University’s student newspaper Farrago.
Following graduation, Lindsay spent three years working with Holding Redlich as an articled clerk and solicitor, before joining the staff of Senator Barney Cooney.
Immediately prior to becoming the Federal Member for Melbourne, Lindsay worked for the Victorian Branch of the Federated Clerks Unions as Assistant Secretary and then State Secretary.
Lindsay has lived in the Melbourne electorate for more than 35 years and has always been an active member of the communities in which he has lived. For many years, Lindsay played cricket and football for local clubs and worked as a volunteer at Melbourne legal services.
Lindsay is committed to social justice and regularly participates in a range of forums on social issues. He is also an accomplished author and has written a number of articles and books on social, as well as economic and labour issues. Lindsay currently writes a weekly blog featured on The National Times website.
Lindsay’s interests include playing the piano, singing, reading, following sports and spending time with his family. He lives with his wife Andrea and two daughters, Ainsley and Remy. Lindsay also has a daughter, Jemma and a son, James from a previous marriage.
Current Ministerial Position
2007 - Current - Minister for Finance and Deregulation
Previous Shadow Ministerial Positions
2005 - 2007 - Shadow Minister for Finance
2004 - Shadow Minister for Community Relations
2001 - 2004 - Shadow Minister for Communications &
Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs
1998 -2001 - Shadow Minister for Finance
1996 - 1998 - Shadow Minister for Transport
Publications
Crowded Lives - Pluto Press (2003)
Open Australia - Pluto Press (1999)
The Last Battle - Kokkino Press (1996)
The Politics of Pollution (co-author) - Visa Books (1978)
