Zed Seselja

Early life and education

Seselja was born in Canberra Hospital, to parents Ljudevit and Katica Seselja, both of whom emigrated separately from Croatia (when it was part of Yugoslavia). His father arrived in 1967. His mother arrived in late 1970 and five months later they married. Both held two jobs each.

Seselja attended St Mary MacKillop College. He graduated from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997, a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1999 and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice in 2002. He received a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration in 2000 from the University of Canberra. He was admitted as a legal practitioner in 2002.

While attending university, he worked at Woolworths Supermarkets from 1995 to 1998; at MacKillop Catholic College (now St Mary MacKillop College) in 1998 as a cleaner; at the Australian Fisheries Management Authority from 1998 to 1999 as a legal assistant; and at the Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services from 2000 to 2004 as a policy officer, lawyer, and then a senior lawyer.

Political career

Australian Capital Territory

At the 2008 election, Seselja received a quota of 1.49 and was elected first in the seven-member Molonglo electorate. There was a decrease in the vote for both major parties, with a swing to the Greens. Labor won 7 seats, the Liberals won 6 seats, while the Greens won 4 seats, giving them the balance of power. Negotiations ensued between the Greens and both major parties over the formation of a government. After almost two weeks of deliberations, the Greens chose to support a minority Labor government, thereby consigning Seselja's party to the opposition benches.

At the 2012 election, Seselja moved to the five member Brindabella electorate where he received a quota of 1.8. He led the Canberra Liberals to their highest-ever number of seats, claiming eight in the seventeen-member ACT Legislative Assembly.

Federal politics

On 4 February 2013, Seselja stated he would challenge incumbent Senator Gary Humphries (who was also a former ACT Liberal leader) for Liberal Party pre-selection for the Senate in the 2013 Australian federal election. Seselja stated he would stand down from leadership of the party in the Legislative Assembly as of Monday 11 February. On 23 February 2013, Seselja won his pre-selection bid, and thus became one of the two official Liberal Party Senate candidates for the ACT.

Seselja was elected Senator for the Australian Capital Territory at the 2013 federal election. In 2014, his former opponent Katy Gallagher resigned as ACT Chief Minister to become the ALP Senator from the ACT. With the ACT having two Senate seats, the ACT was represented in the Senate by the two former territory leaders.

During the 2016 Turnbull government second ministerial reshuffle Seselja was appointed as the Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs. In December 2017 as part of a subsequent rearrangement of the Turnbull ministry, Seselja was appointed as the Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation. In August 2018, he resigned from the Turnbull ministry as part of the failed attempt to have Peter Dutton replace Malcolm Turnbull as leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister.

When Scott Morrison succeeded Turnbull as prime minister in August 2018, Seselja was appointed Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance. His portfolio was changed to Assistant Minister for Finance, Charities and Electoral Matters in May 2019 following the 2019 federal election.

Seselja was appointed Minister for International Development and the Pacific on 22 December 2020.

On 12 April 2022, Seselja flew to the Solomon Islands over a military deal that the Pacific nation was to conclude with China. The deal would allow China to station navy ships and military personnel in order to protect its investment infrastructure. The mission, supported by both of Australia's major parties and taking place during a "caretaker" period in which Seselja fought for his re-election to the Australian Senate, was considered by observers to reflect strategic anxieties over the deal, which extended to allies New Zealand and the United States. The deal was signed days later.

He was unseated at the 2022 federal election by the independent candidate, David Pocock.

Political views

Seselja is a member of the National Right faction of the Liberal Party.

Seselja's political views have been described as conservative and aligned with the views of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, although he is a republican. He opposes same-sex marriage, supports cutting penalty rates, and opposes assisted suicide. Seselja abstained from the Senate vote on same-sex marriage in November 2017, despite having promised to honour the national postal result three months earlier.

On 15 August 2018, he voted 'no' to the Restoring Territory Rights (Assisted Suicide Legislation) Bill 2015, which would have restored to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly the authority to legislate on the matter of voluntary assisted dying.

Personal life

Seselja is a Roman Catholic. He and his wife Roslyn have five children. He is currently a patron/supporter of Karinya House, a member of the Australian Republic Movement and the Australian Red Cross, a volunteer for St. Vincent de Paul, and a KeepWatch Ambassador with the Royal Lifesaving Society (since 2008); he was formerly a mentor for Menslink from 2001 to 2004.

References

References

1. "Canberra Liberals official website". Canberraliberals.org.au.
2. (23 July 2013). "Zed Seselja". Liberal Party of Australia.
3. Thomson, Phillip. (17 March 2013). "Seselja's journey is a family affair". [[Fairfax Media]].
4. (22 December 2012). "Seselja, Zed". ACT Legislative Assembly.
5. (18 October 2008). "2008 Australian Capital Territory Election". ABC.
6. (25 October 2008). "Greens take extra seat in ACT election". Abc.net.au.
7. (31 October 2008). "Labor to form minority government in ACT". News.theage.com.au.
8. [http://www.electionresults.act.gov.au/partycanberraliberals.html Results by party] {{Webarchive. link. (29 October 2012 , electionresults.act.gov.au; accessed 6 February 2013.)
9. [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-04/zed-seselja-moves-into-federal-politics/4499076 "Zed Seselja moves into Federal politics"], [[ABC News Online]], 4 February 2013.
10. [http://www.canberratimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/seselja-beats-humphries-in-senate-preselection-standoff-20130223-2exth.html "Seselja beats Humphries in Senate preselection stand-off"], [[The Canberra Times]], 23 February 2013.
11. "Seselja wins Senate seat, talks PS job losses". The Canberra Times.
12. "Length of tenure for Senators in States and Territories". [[Parliament of Australia]].
13. {{cite Au Parliament
14. (2022-04-12). "Australian minister makes urgent trip to Solomon Islands over China deal". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
15. (2022-04-12). "Minister Zed Seselja to make mid-election dash to Honiara as fears grow over Solomon Islands-China military pact". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
16. (2022-04-20). "Solomon Islands-China pact is worst policy failure in Pacific since 1945, Labor says". [[The Guardian]].
17. (14 June 2022). "David Pocock officially declared first independent senator for the ACT, unseating Liberal Zed Seselja". ABC News.
18. (20 March 2021). "Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions?". Fairfax Media.
19. Peake, Ross. (28 March 2013). "What lies beyond a process bathed in bad blood?". Sydney Morning Herald.
20. Peake, Ross. (4 February 2013). "Seselja's bid for Senate seat a win for the Greens". Canberra Times.
21. Fettes, James. (28 June 2016). "Seselja 'likely' to abstain from same-sex marriage vote".
22. Conifer, political reporter Dan. (23 December 2015). "Liberal senator breaks ranks to push for Sunday penalty rate cut".
23. (13 August 2018). "Why I'm voting 'no' on the assisted suicide bill: Seselja". The Sydney Morning Herald.
24. McIlroy, Tom. (30 November 2017). "ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja backtracks on pledge to honour same-sex marriage vote".
25. (2018). "JOURNALS OF THE SENATE".
26. Burgess, Katie. (16 August 2018). "'This is not the end': ACT reels after Senate rejects territory rights".
27. Alexander, Cathy. (5 February 2013). "And then there were none: ACT Lib moderate faces the chop". [[Crikey]].
28. Moloney, John-Paul. (24 September 2012). "Anti-gay candidate 'like the Taliban': Seselja". [[Fairfax Media]].