Joe Hockey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Hockey
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Official portrait, 2016
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| 21st Ambassador of Australia to the United States |
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| In office 29 January 2016 – 30 January 2020 |
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| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Kim Beazley |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Sinodinos |
| Treasurer of Australia | |
| In office 18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015 |
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| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Chris Bowen |
| Succeeded by | Scott Morrison |
| Manager of Opposition Business | |
| In office 3 December 2007 – 16 February 2009 |
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| Leader |
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| Preceded by | Anthony Albanese |
| Succeeded by | Christopher Pyne |
| Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | |
| In office 30 January 2007 – 3 December 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Kevin Andrews |
| Succeeded by | Julia Gillard |
| Minister for Human Services | |
| In office 26 October 2004 – 30 January 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Jocelyn Newman |
| Succeeded by | Ian Campbell |
| Minister for Small Business and Tourism | |
| In office 26 November 2001 – 26 October 2004 |
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| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Ian Macfarlane |
| Succeeded by | Fran Bailey |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for North Sydney |
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| In office 2 March 1996 – 23 October 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Ted Mack |
| Succeeded by | Trent Zimmerman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joseph Benedict Hockey
2 August 1965 North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Other political affiliations |
Coalition |
| Spouse |
Melissa Babbage
(m. 1994) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney |
| Signature |  |
Joseph Benedict Hockey (born 2 August 1965) is an Australian who used to be a politician and a diplomat. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of North Sydney from 1996 until 2015.
He served as the Treasurer of Australia from 2013 to 2015. This important role meant he was in charge of the country's money and economy. He also worked as the Minister for Human Services and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations in an earlier government.
Later, from 2016 to 2020, Joe Hockey was the Ambassador of Australia to the United States. This meant he represented Australia in the USA.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joe Hockey was born in North Sydney, Australia, on 2 August 1965. He was the youngest of four children. His mother was Australian, and his father, Richard Hokeidonian, was from Mandatory Palestine. His father's family name was changed to "Hockey" when he came to Australia in 1948. Joe was named after Joseph Benedict Chifley, a former prime minister.
He went to St Aloysius' College and then studied at the University of Sydney. While at university, he was the President of the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council. He even helped invite Pope John Paul II to visit the university in 1986.
In 1987, Joe Hockey protested against new university fees. After university, he worked as a lawyer and then as a policy director for the Premier of New South Wales before starting his political career.
Political Career Highlights
Before becoming a federal politician, Joe Hockey worked as an advisor for the Premier of New South Wales. He also became the president of the NSW Young Liberals.
Joining the Howard Government
In 1996, at 29 years old, Joe Hockey was chosen to run for the Liberal Party of Australia in the Division of North Sydney. He won the election and became a Member of Parliament.
During his first election campaign, he used a bus painted in the colours of a local rugby team, the North Sydney Bears. This helped him connect with local voters. He also focused on local issues like aircraft noise around Sydney Airport.
Soon after being elected, he became the chair of the Sydney Airport Community Forum. He worked with Anthony Albanese, a politician from the opposing party, to address issues with airport noise.
In 1998, he became the first Minister for Financial Services and Regulation. From 2001 to 2004, he was the Minister for Small Business and Tourism.
In 2000, he caused some discussion when he talked about how businesses could round prices up or down with the new GST.
When a large insurance company, HIH Insurance, went bankrupt in 2001, Joe Hockey was the minister responsible for the agency that oversaw it. He worked to understand the problem and sought solutions.
In 2004, he became the first Minister for Human Services. He was later promoted to the Cabinet in 2007, becoming the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. He was the first person holding the North Sydney seat in over 60 years to reach Cabinet.
Joe Hockey often appeared on the TV show Sunrise in a segment called "Big Guns of Politics." This helped him become well-known to many Australians.
Time in Opposition
After the government changed in 2007, Joe Hockey became a "Shadow Minister." This means he was part of the opposition party, preparing to take on government roles if his party won the next election. He was the Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, and later the Shadow Treasurer, which meant he was the main spokesperson for the opposition on money matters.
In 2009, many people thought Joe Hockey might become the leader of the Liberal Party. However, he chose not to challenge for the leadership at that time.
He gave several speeches during this period, including "In Defence of God" and "In Defence of Liberty." These speeches showed what he believed in and were seen as his way of showing he was ready for leadership.
Treasurer in the Abbott Government
The Liberal Party won the election in 2013, and Joe Hockey became the Treasurer of Australia. This was a very important job, managing the country's finances.
In 2014, he delivered the 2014 budget. This budget aimed to reduce government spending and faced a lot of public discussion.
In June 2015, he was asked about how young people could afford homes. He suggested that first home buyers should "get a good job that pays good money," which led to some criticism.
Later in 2015, the Liberal Party changed leaders, and Malcolm Turnbull became Prime Minister. Joe Hockey decided to leave Parliament after this change.
Leaving Parliament and Becoming Ambassador
Joe Hockey officially left Parliament on 23 October 2015. Soon after, in December 2015, it was announced that he would become the next Ambassador of Australia to the United States. He started this role in January 2016.
As Ambassador, he represented Australia's interests in the USA. His term as ambassador was extended but ended on 30 January 2020. He was replaced by Arthur Sinodinos.
Life After Politics
After his time as Ambassador, Joe Hockey decided to stay and work in the United States. He took a part-time job as a guest lecturer at American University in 2020, teaching about public policy.
In the same year, he started his own company called Bondi Partners in Washington, D.C. This company helps businesses in Australia, the U.S., and other global markets.
Personal Life
Joe Hockey married Melissa Babbage in 1994. She was an investment banker. They have three children. When his youngest child was born, Joe Hockey was the first federal Minister to take paternity leave (time off work to care for a new baby).
He enjoys outdoor activities like walking the Kokoda Track and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. He did these to raise money for medical equipment. He and his wife also own a cattle farm in Queensland.
In 2012, he had surgery and lost more than 20 kilograms.
In 2014, Joe Hockey took legal action against a media company, Fairfax Media, over an article. He said the article falsely suggested he accepted money to influence his decisions. In 2015, a judge ruled partly in his favour, saying that the headline of the article was misleading without the full story. He was awarded $200,000 in damages.
Images for kids
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Joe Hockey's signature
