Andrew Barr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Barr
MLA
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Barr in 2019
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| 7th Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory Elections: 2016, 2020, 2024 |
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| Assumed office 11 December 2014 |
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| Deputy | Simon Corbell Yvette Berry |
| Preceded by | Katy Gallagher |
| 11th Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory | |
| In office 16 May 2011 – 11 December 2014 |
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| Leader | Katy Gallagher |
| Preceded by | Katy Gallagher |
| Succeeded by | Simon Corbell |
| Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly for Kurrajong | |
| Assumed office 15 October 2016 |
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| Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly for Molonglo | |
| In office 5 April 2006 – 15 October 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Ted Quinlan |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Treasurer of the Australian Capital Territory | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Katy Gallagher |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Andrew James Barr
29 April 1973 Lismore, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse |
Anthony Toms
(m. 2019) |
| Alma mater | Australian National University |
Andrew James Barr (born 29 April 1973) is an Australian politician. He has been the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) since 2014. He is also the Treasurer of the ACT, a role he has held since 2011. Since 2014, he has led the ACT branch of the Australian Labor Party. He has been a member (MLA) of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly since 2006.
Andrew Barr was promoted to the Cabinet soon after he was elected. This happened when the previous Treasurer, Ted Quinlan, left his position. On 11 December 2014, Andrew Barr became Chief Minister. This was after his predecessor, Katy Gallagher, decided to run for the Australian Senate. Besides being Chief Minister, he also handles important areas like Climate Action, Trade, and Tourism.
Andrew Barr is known for being the first Australian leader of a government who is openly gay. He was also the first openly gay member and government minister in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Andrew Barr was born in Lismore, New South Wales. He grew up in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. He went to several local schools, including Turner Primary School and Lyneham High School.
He later studied at the Australian National University. There, he learned about politics, economics, and history. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at university, he was active in student politics. He served as Treasurer for the university's Students' Association.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
After finishing university in 1995, Andrew Barr worked for different politicians. He worked for a federal politician named Annette Ellis. Later, he worked for Jon Stanhope, who was the ACT Opposition Leader at the time. In 1999, he changed careers for a short time. He worked in the private sector, helping with media and managing accounts.
Andrew Barr returned to politics in 2002. He became a senior advisor to John Hargreaves, who was a government whip. When Hargreaves became a minister in 2004, Barr became his chief of staff. He held this job until he was elected to the Assembly himself in April 2006.
Becoming a Member of the Assembly
In 2004, Andrew Barr tried to get elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly. He ran for the Molonglo area. He focused on issues like managing money, making housing affordable, and improving city services. He also supported laws that would help gay people, women's reproductive rights, and multiculturalism. He did well in the inner city areas but just missed out on winning a seat.
However, he got a second chance in March 2006. The Treasurer, Ted Quinlan, resigned from his position. This led to a special process called a "countback." Through this process, Andrew Barr was elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly.
When he joined the Assembly, he immediately became a minister. He was given responsibility for areas like Education, Training, Sport, and Tourism. In his first speech, he talked about managing the economy, affordable housing, and social reforms.
Andrew Barr was re-elected to the Molonglo seat in 2008 and 2012. After some changes to the electoral areas, he was elected to the Kurrajong seat in the 2016 election. He was re-elected again in 2020.
Becoming Chief Minister
In May 2011, Jon Stanhope resigned. Andrew Barr was then appointed Deputy Chief Minister under the new Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher. When Katy Gallagher resigned to run for the Australian Senate, Andrew Barr was elected Chief Minister on 11 December 2014.
As the leader, Andrew Barr led the ACT Labor Party to win a fifth election in a row in October 2016. As of December 2023, he is the longest-serving state or territory leader in Australia. He is also the only leader who has been in power since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Improving the Economy and Taxes
In 2012, Andrew Barr announced a long-term plan to change the ACT's tax system. The goal was to make taxes fairer and simpler. This plan included getting rid of stamp duty on property and insurance. The money lost from this would be made up through general rates. Many experts supported this idea.
As Treasurer and Chief Minister, Andrew Barr has focused on growing the ACT's economy. He has encouraged private businesses to invest in higher education, trade, tourism, and major events. Because of this, the ACT's economy has become more diverse. It now relies less on government jobs.
In 2016, the ACT Government helped bring international flights to Canberra. This connected Canberra with Singapore and Wellington. He also created an office to build international relationships. This helps the ACT with its economy, society, and culture.
In October 2019, Andrew Barr shared the ACT Government's Infrastructure Plan. This plan outlined important projects for health, transport, and education. It included a new hospital, a stadium, and upgrades to the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT). It also planned for the second stage of the light rail. In 2020, he announced a big expansion of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Canberra.
Public Transport
The construction of Canberra's light rail was an important project. It was part of an agreement between the Labor government and the ACT Greens after the 2012 election. This agreement continued after the 2016 election.
In April 2019, Stage 1 of the Canberra light rail opened. It connected the northern suburbs of Gungahlin with the city center.
In September 2019, the government approved plans for Stage 2A of the light rail. This will extend the line with three more stops to Commonwealth Park. Work for this started in November 2022.
In October 2024, work began on a new ticketing system called 'MyWay+'. This system will allow people to pay for public transport with credit cards, phones, and smart devices. It will also provide more accurate real-time information about transport.
Clean Energy Efforts
Andrew Barr's government has continued policies to fight climate change. These policies aim to reduce carbon emissions and use more renewable energy. The ACT Government wants to reduce emissions by 50–60% by 2025. Their goal is to have net zero emissions by 2045. In May 2019, the ACT declared a state of climate emergency.
In 2020, the ACT became the first major area outside the European Union to get all its electricity from net-zero greenhouse gas sources.
In 2021, the government started the 'Sustainable Household Scheme'. This program offers loans with no interest, up to $15,000. These loans help families make their homes more energy-efficient. They can install solar panels, battery storage, or buy electric vehicles.
In July 2022, the government announced plans to ban the sale of new petrol cars in the ACT from 2035. As of 2023, the ACT has the highest number of electric vehicles in Australia. About 20% of all new cars bought in the ACT are electric.
In June 2023, the government passed a law to ban new gas connections in new buildings. This ban started in December 2023.
Recycling and Circular Economy
The Barr government has promoted ideas for a circular economy. This means reusing and recycling materials as much as possible.
In June 2018, the government started a container deposit scheme. This program encourages people to return empty drink containers for a small refund. In its first four years, this scheme helped recycle 300 million containers.
In April 2019, the government finished rolling out green waste bins to all Canberra suburbs. These bins are for garden waste. In November 2021, they started a trial program for collecting food and garden organics (FOGO) in some suburbs. This program expanded to more suburbs in September 2024.
Since 2021, the government has also gradually restricted single-use plastics. As of 2024, these restrictions apply to plastic cutlery, stirrers, straws, and some takeaway containers. They also include non-compostable coffee cups and heavy plastic bags.
Supporting LGBTI Rights
Andrew Barr has strongly supported LGBTI rights. He has voted for laws that prevent discrimination. He also supported laws for civil unions, civil partnerships, and same-sex marriage.
His government continues to support anti-discrimination and inclusion for LGBTI communities. In 2017, Andrew Barr was a strong supporter of the 'Yes' campaign for the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey. The ACT had the highest 'Yes' vote (74%) and participation rate (82.5%) in Australia.
In 2020, the Barr government passed a law that bans LGBTI conversion therapy. This therapy tries to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Personal Life
Andrew Barr married his long-term partner, Anthony Toms, on 13 November 2019. He became the first leader of an Australian state or territory government to marry someone of the same sex.
See Also
- List of openly LGBT heads of government
- List of LGBTI holders of political offices in Australia
- 2020 Australian Capital Territory election
Images for kids
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Barr speaking at a 2015 ceremony at the Australian War Memorial
