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Warren Entsch

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The Honourable
Warren Entsch
MP
Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Representatives
In office
14 September 2010 – 18 September 2013
LeaderTony Abbott
Preceded byAlex Somlyay
Succeeded byPhilip Ruddock
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Leichhardt
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 August 2010
Preceded byJim Turnour
In office
2 March 1996 – 17 October 2007
Preceded byPeter Dodd
Succeeded byJim Turnour
Personal details
Born
Warren George Entsch

(1950-05-31) 31 May 1950 (age 74)[1]
Babinda, Queensland, Australia
Political partyLiberal (LNP)
SpouseYolonde Entsch (nee Werner)
Children3
Residence(s)Cairns, Queensland, Australia
OccupationPolitician
Websitewarrenentsch.com.au

Warren George Entsch (born 31 May 1950) is an Australian politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives from 1996 to 2007 and since 2010, representing the Division of Leichhardt. He is a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland, and sits with the Liberal Party in federal parliament.[2]

Early life

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Entsch was born in Babinda, Queensland and served in the Royal Australian Air Force 1969–78. He was a railway porter, maintenance fitter and welder, real estate agent, farmer, grazier, crocodile catcher and company director before entering politics.[3]

In his time outside of Parliament between 2007 and 2010, Entsch worked as an independent director on the board of CEC Group, a Cairns-based property development company,[4] and a Director of the Australian Rainforest Foundation, a Cairns-based organisation focussing on the Daintree Rainforest.[5]

Politics

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Entsch was first elected to the House of Representatives at the March 1996 federal election. He was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Science and Resources 1998–2001 and was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources from 2001 to 2006. He then decided on retirement, ostensibly to spend time with his teenage son, and did not contest the November 2007 election.[6] He remained a member of the Liberal Party of Queensland until the formation of the Liberal National Party of Queensland in 2008. At that time, he supported the leadership of Brendan Nelson, regarding the spill against him by Malcolm Turnbull as "treachery."[7]

On 10 November 2009, Entsch announced that he would again run for pre-selection for the seat of Leichhardt[8] and was re-elected to parliament at the August 2010 election defeating the man who had succeeded him in 2007, Labor incumbent Jim Turnour. Entsch was subsequently appointed Chief Opposition Whip by then-opposition leader Tony Abbott.[9][10]

At the 2016 federal election Entsch was re-elected with 39.4% of first-preference votes[11] marking his seventh election victory in 20 years.[12] Entsch played a part in deposing of Malcolm Turnbull in the 2018 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spills.[13] He was again re-elected at the 2019 Australian federal election[14] with 37.6% of first-preference votes.[15] He was shortly afterwards appointed to the position of "special envoy to the Great Barrier Reef" by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.[16]

In May 2019, in his re-election victory speech, claimed his own success in the legalisation of same-sex marriage: "I've been very successful in campaigning for national change. Medical cannabis was one that I was able to successfully implement, the other was same-sex marriage, which I'm very proud of."[17][better source needed]

In his role as Chair of the Parliament's Northern Australia Committee and the Juukan Gorge Inquiry, Entsch tabled the interim report of the "Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000-year-old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia" in December 2020.[18][19]

Entsch was able to retain his seat at the 2022 election.[20] He argued for the "No" case in the 2023 referendum on the Voice to Parliament.[21] In local matters, Entsch has proposed the sale of housing commission properties to tenants, the same mechanism by which his own parents had become home owners.[22] Enstch has become a supporter of a spaceport on the Cape York Peninsula proposed by Space Centre Australia, where “I started as a sceptic and I’m now an absolute disciple."[23]

Political positions

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Entsch is a member of the Moderate faction of the Liberal Party.[24][25] He is known for supporting progressive causes.

Cannabis reform

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Further information: Cannabis in Australia

Access to medical cannabis was a long campaign for Entsch. In February of 2016 he was one of the politicians who succeeded in passing a reform bill approved for conditions ranging from chronic pain to anxiety and depression.[26]

Indigenous Voice to Parliament

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While Entsch did not campaign for or against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, in the eventually-unsuccessful referendum on the matter in 2023, Entsch voted No. His reasoning was that he believed it would not have provided adequate support for Indigenous people and their communities. He does, however, support the constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians. He also criticised prominent Yes campaigner Noel Pearson, who he called a "crony" and rejected his large influence in local politics on the Cape York Peninsula.[27] 65.55% of voters in Entsch's seat of Leichhardt voted No in the referendum.[28]

Maritime environment

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Entsch has strongly prosecuted the issue of plastic pollution on the reef, asserting that climate change was not a threat to the existence of the Great Barrier Reef.[29] By the end of 2019 Entsch acknowledged climate change and its impact as a serious threat to the Great Barrier Reef. In his December 2019 report to environment minister Sussan Ley he stated "Global climate change looms as the most serious existential threat to the long-term health and viability of the Reef."[30]

Same sex marriage

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Further information: Same-sex marriage in Australia

During the lead-up to Australia legalising same-sex marriage in 2017, Entsch was for a long time a strong advocate for marriage equality in the Coalition.[31][32]

In December 2005, Entsch pledged support for a civil union scheme after Britain began granting civil partnerships. In September 2010 Entsch indicated that he did not consider same-sex marriage an important issue[33] and voted against the Australian Greens 2010 motion for members of the house to poll their constituents on the issue of same-sex marriage.[34] Two years later he voted against a Bill sponsored by Labor's Stephen Jones that would have legalised same-sex marriage.[35] On 17 August 2015, in defiance of Prime Minister Abbott, Entsch introduced a private member's bill to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia, arguing it would prevent Australia from being "a divided nation."[36] On 7 December 2017, Entsch spoke in favour of and voted for,[37] the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill that enabled same-sex marriage in Australia.

Personal life

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Entsch is married to Yolonde.[38]In March 2023, she was named by Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli to be the LNP's candidate for the electoral district of Cairns in the 2024 Queensland state election.[38]

References

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  1. ^ "Hom Warren Entsch MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Leichhardt (Key Seat)". Australia Votes 2010. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 August 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2010. Warren Entsch 54.6% vs. Jim Turnour 45.4%
  3. ^ "Warren Entsch's unconventional pathway to politics" (Audio + text). ABC Radio. Conversations with Richard Fidler. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 December 2010. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  4. ^ "The missing link in CEC's collapse is access to justice". Sydney Morning Herald. 31 July 2017. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Australian Rainforest Foundation". Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Get to Know Warren Entsch". PakMag. 2 July 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  7. ^ November 13; 2023 - 9:00pm (13 November 2023), 'Remind him of his own treachery': Warren Entsch on 43rd signature to oust Malcolm Turnbull, retrieved 18 December 2023{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Entsch Announcement". cairns.com.au.
  9. ^ Hills, Ben. "The barefoot kid from the bush". SBS News. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Opposition whip moots civil partnerships". ABC listen. 19 September 2012. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Leichhardt, QLD". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024. Warren Entsch 53.95% vs. Sharryn Howes 46.05%
  12. ^ "Veteran MP Warren Entsch claims outright victory in Leichhardt". The Cairns Post. 3 July 2016. Archived from the original on 5 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  13. ^ November 13; 2023 - 9:00pm (13 November 2023), 'Remind him of his own treachery': Warren Entsch on 43rd signature to oust Malcolm Turnbull, archived from the original on 23 December 2023, retrieved 18 December 2023{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Leichhardt 2019 Federal Election Result". Australian Electoral Commission. 10 June 2019. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Leichhardt (Key Seat) - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Only one envoy and it's not Barnaby Joyce". 26 May 2019. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  17. ^ Cairns Post, 20 May 2019, page 2
  18. ^ "Never Again". Parliament of Australia (Press release). 9 December 2020. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  19. ^ Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia (December 2020). Never again: Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia - Interim Report. Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. ISBN 978-1-76092-196-5. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Returned Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch reveals his plans for the next three years". www.tropicnow.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  21. ^ McKillop, Charlie (presenter) (6 April 2023). 'I won't support the Voice to parliament': Warren Entsch explains why he's voting 'no' (Radio program). ABC listen. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Subscribe to the Cairns Post". Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  23. ^ Nicholls, Matt. "Race is on to build Cape York spaceport". Cape York Weekly. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  24. ^ Massola, James (21 March 2021). "Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  25. ^ Massola, James (8 April 2023). "How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  26. ^ "It's been seven years since medicinal cannabis was legalised. Is access now 'too easy'?". SBS News. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  27. ^ "Why I won't be supporting the Voice: Entsch". Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  28. ^ "Referendum division results". Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  29. ^ "New reef envoy Warren Entsch takes aim at 'coaching' of kids over climate change". SBS News.
  30. ^ The Hon. Warren Entsch MP Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef (19 December 2019). Report to the Minister for the Environment the Hon. Sussan Ley MP June – December 2019 (PDF). dcceew.gov.au (Report). Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2021.
  31. ^ Remeikis, Amy (11 October 2016). "How same-sex marriage warrior Warren Entsch has been left to shoulder the blame". Archived from the original on 20 November 2024.
  32. ^ McInerney, Marie (12 August 2015). "'Crocodile Dundee' MP leads Australia gay marriage push". Melbourne, Victoria. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024.
  33. ^ "'Disappointed, not surprised' – Warren Entsch and Leichhardt go against bellwether trend [in embedded video from 2:00]". cairnsblog.net. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  34. ^ "18th Nov 2010, 10:27 AM – Representatives Motions - Same-Sex Marriage - Agree to motion". They Vote For You. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  35. ^ Cullen, Simon (19 September 2012). "Lower House votes down same-sex marriage bill". ABC News. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  36. ^ Henderson, Anna (17 August 2015). "Warren Entsch introduces same-sex marriage bill with warning over 'divided nation'". ABC News. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  37. ^ Warren Entsch (7 December 2017). "Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017: Second Reading". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. p. 12997. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2018. Archived 20 November 2024 at the Wayback Machine
  38. ^ a b McKay, Jack (26 March 2023). "LNP leader David Crisafulli reveals candidates for Redlands, Cairns and Thuringowa". The Sunday Mail. Retrieved 26 March 2023. Ms Entsch, whose husband is federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch...
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Further reading

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Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Leichhardt
1996–2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member for Leichhardt
2010–present 		Incumbent
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