Andrew Bragg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Bragg
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![]() Official portrait, 2021
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Senator for New South Wales | |
Assumed office 1 July 2019 |
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Personal details | |
Born | Carlton, Victoria, Australia |
11 July 1984
Political party | Liberal |
Occupation | Accountant Manager |
Andrew Bragg (born 11 July 1984) is an Australian politician. He is a Senator for New South Wales. He was elected at the 2019 federal election. Andrew Bragg is a member of the Liberal Party. He works on committees about money and technology. He wants to change Australia's retirement system. He also supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart. This statement aims to give Indigenous Australians a voice in parliament.
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Early Life and Education
Andrew Bragg was born in Melbourne. He grew up in Shepparton, Victoria. He went to Catholic schools in his local area. Later, he studied accounting at the Australian National University. His father and three grandparents were born in the United Kingdom. He was a British citizen by birth until 2017.
Career Before Politics
Andrew Bragg is a trained accountant. He first worked at Ernst & Young. After that, he spent seven years at the Financial Services Council. There, he worked on policies for superannuation (retirement savings) and managing money.
From 2014 to 2016, he was the Director of Policy & Global Markets. He helped create rules for the superannuation industry. He also worked on a code of conduct for life insurance. In 2016, he became the policy director for the Menzies Research Centre. This is a think tank linked to the Liberal Party. In 2017, he became an executive director at the Business Council of Australia. While working, he also earned a Master's degree in Financial Regulation.
Political Journey
Before the 2016 election, Andrew Bragg tried to become a Liberal Party candidate. He wanted to be a Senator for New South Wales. He also tried for a seat in Victoria. He was not chosen at that time.
In 2017, he became the acting federal director of the Liberal Party. He was a supporter of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Later that year, he led a campaign for the "Yes" vote. This was during the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.
In 2018, Andrew Bragg was a candidate for a special election. This election was in the Division of Wentworth. He decided to withdraw from the race. He said the Liberal Party should choose a woman for the role. In 2018, he was chosen to be a candidate for the Senate. He was elected as a Senator at the 2019 federal election.
Work in the Senate
Senator Bragg works on several Senate committees. These committees focus on:
- Financial technology (FinTech)
- Economics
- Financial services
He led an important inquiry into Australia's financial technology sector. He also formed a group of experts to advise the government. This group helps Australia compete globally in financial technology. Senator Bragg also asked the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to share details. He wanted to know about their content deal with The New Daily. The ABC later ended this contract.
Key Views and Stances
Andrew Bragg is part of the Moderate Faction of the Liberal Party.
He has strong views on industry superannuation funds. These funds manage money for people's retirement. He believes they should have independent directors. He also thinks these funds should be more open about how they manage money. He wants them to show how much money goes to trade unions.
Senator Bragg supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart. This statement calls for a voice for Indigenous Australians in parliament. He has encouraged other politicians to support it. He also supported the government buying the copyright to the Aboriginal flag. This allows people to use the flag freely. He also supports creating a special place for Indigenous Australian remains. This place would be called the National Resting Place.
He wants Australia to have clear rules for cryptocurrency. This would help cryptocurrency companies start in Australia. He also believes big tech companies like Facebook should make deals with smaller news publishers. He helped negotiate content agreements between Facebook and smaller news groups. Senator Bragg was also important in creating the "Consumer Data Right". This law helps protect people's private data.
Andrew Bragg led the Liberal Party's campaign for same-sex marriage. He spoke out against anti-Asian comments during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also supports policies that aim for carbon neutrality.
Author and Media Appearances
Andrew Bragg writes for several newspapers. These include The Australian Financial Review, The Daily Telegraph, and The Australian. He also appears on TV and radio. You might see him on the ABC or Sky News.
He has written several books:
- Fit for Service (2017)
- "Scrap Iron for Japan" (an essay in Forgotten People Updated, 2018)
- Bad Egg: How to Fix Super (2020)
- Buraadja: The Liberal Case for National Reconciliation (a series about Indigenous Australian rights)
Personal Life
Andrew Bragg lives in Paddington, New South Wales. In March 2020, he tested positive for coronavirus. This was part of a group of cases linked to a wedding.
He holds a special honor from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. He received it for helping the Archbishop get permanent residency in Australia.