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John McVeigh (politician)

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The Honourable
John McVeigh
Official portrait, 2017
Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government
In office
20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) – 28 August 2018
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison
Preceded byPaul Fletcher
Succeeded byBridget McKenzie
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Groom
In office
2 July 2016 – 18 September 2020
Preceded byIan Macfarlane
Succeeded byGarth Hamilton
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry of Queensland
In office
3 April 2012 – 14 February 2015
PremierCampbell Newman
Preceded byTim Mulherin (Primary Industries, Food and Rural Economies)
Craig Wallace (Fisheries)
Succeeded byBill Byrne
Member of the Queensland Parliament
for Toowoomba South
In office
24 March 2012 – 29 April 2016
Preceded byMike Horan
Succeeded byDavid Janetzki
Personal details
Born (1965-05-13) 13 May 1965 (age 59)
Allora, Queensland, Australia
Political partyLiberal
Other political
affiliations		LNP (state)
Young Nationals (1980s)
RelationsTom McVeigh (father)
Alma materUniversity of Southern Queensland
Bond University
University of Queensland
OccupationSalesman, management consultant

John Joseph McVeigh (born 13 May 1965) is an Australian former politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 2016 to 2020, representing the Queensland seat of Groom for the Liberal Party. During the Turnbull government he served in cabinet as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government from 2017 to 2018.[1] He was previously a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2012 to 2016 and was Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry under Premier Campbell Newman.

Early life

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McVeigh was born on 13 May 1965 in Allora, Queensland.[2] His father Tom McVeigh was a federal Nationals MP from 1972 to 1988 for Groom and its predecessor, Darling Downs, and served as a minister in the Fraser government.[3]

McVeigh grew up on a grain farm on the Darling Downs, and was educated at Jondaryan State School, St Joseph's College, and Downlands College.[3] He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Business from the University of Southern Queensland, Master of Business Administration from Bond University and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Queensland.[2] He began his PhD in 2005 through the Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures and was awarded the degree in 2012, by which time he had become state agricultural minister. His thesis was titled "Influencing sustainable water use in Australian irrigated agriculture: a value chain management approach".[4]

Career

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Prior to entering politics McVeigh worked in agribusiness. He entered the Bank of Queensland's graduate program as an executive trainee in 1986. He later worked as a sales representative for Elders Pastoral (1986–1988), marketing coordinator for Cargill Seeds Australia (1988–1990), and market development officer for the state Department of Primary Industries (1990–1992). He then co-founded a management consulting firm, Ellis Foster McVeigh, and served as managing director from 1992 to 2008.[2]

McVeigh was president of the Toowoomba branch of the Young Nationals from 1987 to 1988. He served on the Toowoomba Regional Council from 2008 to 2012.[2]

State politics

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McVeigh served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Toowoomba South between 2012 and 2016;[5] and served as the Queensland Government Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 3 April 2012 until 14 February 2015.[6] After the LNP lost the 2015 state election he served as Shadow Minister for Science, Information Technology and Innovation.[7] On 9 April 2016, the LNP announced that McVeigh had been preselected to contest Groom at the 2016 federal election. His resignation from the Queensland Parliament on 29 April 2016 triggered a by-election in the district of Toowoomba South.[8][9]

Federal politics

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In April 2016, McVeigh won LNP preselection for the Division of Groom, which his father had held 30 years earlier. He was endorsed by the retiring member, Ian Macfarlane.[10][11] He retained the seat for the LNP at the 2016 federal election and sat with the Liberal Party.[12]

Following a ministerial reshuffle in December 2017, McVeigh was promoted to cabinet as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government. He said that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was looking to increase the representation of regional Queensland. He and David Littleproud were the first MPs elected in 2016 to be promoted to cabinet.[13] McVeigh did not retain his position when Scott Morrison succeeded Turnbull as prime minister in August 2018.[2] In the two leadership spills, he supported Turnbull against Dutton in the first vote and Dutton against Morrison in the second.[14][15]

On 18 September 2020, McVeigh announced his immediate resignation from parliament. He said that he needed to concentrate on caring for his wife Anita, who was suffering from a major illness.[16]

Later activities

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After leaving parliament, McVeigh was appointed director of the University of Southern Queensland's SQNNSW Innovation Hub and chair of the Regional Economies Centre of Excellence. He also took up board roles with the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Council and the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland.[17]

In August 2024, it was announced that McVeigh would become chancellor of the University of Southern Queensland from 1 December 2024.[17]

Personal life

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McVeigh has one son and five daughters with his wife Anita, whom he married in 1987.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Turnbull, Malcolm (19 December 2017). "Ministerial Arrangements" (Press release). Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018. John McVeigh, who previously served as a minister in the Queensland Liberal National Party State Government, will join Cabinet as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Hon Dr John McVeigh MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b "About". John McVeigh MP. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  4. ^ "John McVeigh gains postgraduate degree from UQ". University of Queensland. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  5. ^ Green, Antony (2012). "Toowoomba South". Election Guide 2012. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  6. ^ "Premier announces new Ministry". Department of Premier and Cabinet. 30 March 2012. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  7. ^ a b "McVeigh, Dr John Joseph". Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Queensland MP John McVeigh wins preselection in Ian Macfarlane's federal seat". ABC News. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Meanwhile, in Queensland: who's who on LNP, Labor Senate tickets". The Australian. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Queensland MP John McVeigh wins preselection in Ian Macfarlane's federal seat". ABC News. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Ian Macfarlane backs McVeigh pre-selection". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Maiden speech". 12 September 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  13. ^ Gillespie, Tom (19 December 2017). "John McVeigh's meteoric rise continues to federal cabinet". The Chronicle. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  14. ^ "John McVeigh breaks silence on leadership crisis". Daily Mercury. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Hon Dr John McVeigh MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  16. ^ Chen, David; Robinson, Lucy (18 September 2020). "Federal LNP MP John McVeigh resigns from Groom electorate in Toowoomba". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  17. ^ a b "UniSQ appoints John McVeigh as new Chancellor". University of Southern Queensland. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.

 

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Groom
2016–2020 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded byas Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government
2017–2018 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Toowoomba South
2012–2016 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded byas Minister for Primary Industries, Food and Rural Economies Queensland Government
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestries
2012–2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Minister for Fisheries
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