Curriculum Vitae

The Honourable Joe Hockey is the Member for North Sydney, the Federal Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing and Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives. 

Known as a reformer, with a deep interest in practical public policy issues, Joe Hockey has been involved in significant policy change since he was first elected to represent the Federation seat of North Sydney in 1996.

As a new parliamentarian, Joe Hockey was appointed Chairman of the Sydney Airport Community Forum at a time when aircraft noise was a major issue for Sydney residents. He shaped and delivered the Howard Government promise to fairly distribute aircraft noise over the city, which included the redesign of Sydney’s contentious flight paths.

When appointed as Minister for Financial Services and Regulation in 1998, Joe Hockey was responsible for developing Australia as a financial hub for Asia. He developed the Australian Financial Centre model by establishing Axiss Australia, gaining a referral of power from the states for a single national Corporations Law, introducing and delivering the Financial Services Reform Act and redesigning and emboldening the Takeovers Panel.

These initiatives provided business and the financial services industry with a clear regulatory platform to compete globally.

As Minister for Small Business and Tourism, Joe Hockey designed and delivered Australia’s first Tourism White Paper, defining a new direction model and significant Australian government funding for the country's $19 billion travel industry. It created Tourism Australia and inoculated Australia’s biggest exporting industry against global shocks such as SARS. He was also instrumental in recognising the future of Australia’s growing Home Based Business sector by conducting national HBB forums and designing new enterprise culture initiatives.

Following the re-election of the Howard Government in 2004 Joe Hockey was appointed  Minister for Human Services.  A new Commonwealth Department was created, employing over 35,000 staff, delivering more than $100 billion in health and welfare services through 1000 offices across Australia. In 2006, Joe Hockey was given the additional responsibilities of Minister Assisting the Minister for Workplace Relations.  His task was to better inform the community about the benefits of the workplace relations reforms, and refute the misinformation being pushed by the Labor Party and unions.

On Tuesday, 30 January 2007, Joe Hockey was sworn in as Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

As Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations,  Joe Hockey’s focus was on creating more jobs and higher wages for Australians. This was achieved through the government’s workplace relations system, making work agreements simpler and more flexible to benefit both workers and businesses.  

Another important portfolio responsibility was the implementation of the next phase of the Welfare to Work reforms, providing businesses with much needed staff and helping people move from welfare into paid work.

Joe Hockey was also the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service.  The Federal Public Sector employs more than 130,000 Australians.

Under the new leadership of the Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson, Joe Hockey has been appointed as the Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing and Leader of Opposition Business in the House. 

Before entering parliament, Joe Hockey was a Banking and Finance lawyer with a major Australian law firm. He was President of the University of Sydney Students Representative Council and State President of the Young Liberals.

Joe Hockey is married and a proud father to Xavier and Adelaide.