Joe Hockey

Joe Hockey is the federal Member for North Sydney and the Shadow Treasurer.
Joe Hockey was born in North Sydney, as the youngest of four children.
His father was born in Bethlehem of Armenian and Palestinian parentage and his Mum in Chatswood.
His family worked hard running a small business on the North Shore, beginning with a deli in Chatswood and later, a real estate agency in Naremburn.
His enthusiasm for politics began as a young boy when Joe discovered that working with government for a meaningful cause could help bring about real change in a community.  His first victory came at the age of fourteen when he successfully lobbied his local Council to obtain cricket nets for local children in Northbridge.
At university, Joe became involved in student politics and was elected President of the Students Representative Council. He also held the position of President of the New South Wales Young Liberal Movement.
Joe was educated at what is now St Philip Neri Primary School and St Aloysius’ College in Milsons Point.  He attended the University of Sydney where he completed degrees in Arts and Law.
He was elected to the Australian Parliament in 1996 and following his re-election in 1998, was made Minister for Financial Services and Regulation, one of the youngest ministers in the history of the Commonwealth.
After the 2001 election, Joe was appointed Minister for Small Business and Tourism. In October 2004, Joe was appointed the Minister for Human Services in the Fourth Howard Ministry and tasked with delivering a greater customer focus for the Australian Government’s major welfare and health services agencies.
In January 2007, Joe was appointed Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service.
Following the 2007 Federal Election Joe was appointed Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing and Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives.
In February, 2009 Joe was appointed by Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull as Shadow Treasurer.