Австралия саяхатшысы Майкл Джонсонның өмірі мен саяси мансабы

Australian politician

Michael Andrew Johnson (born 31 January 1970) is a Hong Kong born Australian former politician who was a member of the House of Representatives for the seat of Ryan in Queensland from 2001 to 2010, representing the Liberal Party from November 2001 to May 2010 and then as an independent from May 2010 until he was defeated by Liberal National member Jane Prentice at the 2010 federal election.

He was born in Hong Kong, and was educated at St. Peters Lutheran College and later at the University of Queensland, the University of Cambridge, where he obtained an MPhil, and the University of Birmingham, where he obtained an MIS. He was the Australian Chevening Scholar in 1994, the Charles Hawker Memorial Scholar in 1996 and was a 2004 graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Executive Leaders’ Program at Harvard. Johnson was a barrister and a university tutor and lecturer before entering politics. He was named in 2007 as a Young Global Leader (YGL) by the Geneva based World Economic Forum (WEF). He was Chairman of the Australia China Business Forum, and was a Member of the Asia Society's International Advisory Board and sits on the Australian Advisory Board.

In February 2001, Johnson first sought to gain Liberal endorsement for Ryan, following the retirement of long serving member, John Moore. Factional rivalries between Johnson and other candidates for preselection led to rampant branch stacking. Johnson had been expected to win preselection, having arranged many of the new members in local branches. He was accused by opponents in the party of signing up ethnic Chinese with only limited connections to the Liberal Party, many from outside the Ryan electorate, and in at least one case, outside Australia. what he describes as his "unorthodox" fundraising of asking businesses for fees for introductions he facilitates in his capacity as an MP, and the alleged improper use of a publicly funded vehicle. Johnson also held the position of Opposition Whip in the federal Liberal Party from February 2008 to February 2010. He resigned from the post when allegations that he had misused his taxpayer funded vehicle were investigated.

In 2010, controversy emerged regarding business dealings involving Johnson and the Australia China Business Forum, of which he was the Chair. On 20 May 2010, he was expelled from the Liberal National Party, the Queensland branch of the Liberal and National parties. Johnson vowed to contest Ryan as an independent at the 2010 federal election. In June 2010, Jane Prentice, a Brisbane City Councillor, was chosen by the LNP to stand for Ryan. On 2 June 2010, Johnson read out a letter to Parliament which he sent to the Australian Federal Police alleging he was subject to "illegal pressure" to resign from Federal Parliament by the Liberal National Party President Bruce McIver, during a meeting on 25 February in Canberra. During the meeting, Johnson claimed that McIver produced a large black folder which he alleged contained material and documents that was evidence of alleged criminal behaviour by Johnson.

Johnson lives in Brisbane's western suburbs with his wife Huyen and their son Ryan, who was born in June 2006.