http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/lindsay-tanner/ Lindsay Tanner is the Federal Member for Melbourne and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation in the Rudd Government. Lindsay was born on April 4, 1956 in Orbost in the far east of Victoria. He attended Orbost State School and then received a scholarship to St. Anne’s and Gippsland Grammar School in Sale where he was dux in 1973. After completing high school Lindsay went to Melbourne University where he studied arts and law; graduating with first-class honours.  Lindsay went on to complete a Master of Arts in which his thesis focused on politics and culture in Brunswick in the 1920s. Following graduation, Lindsay spent three years working with Holding Redlich as an articled clerk and solicitor, before joining the staff of Senator Barney Cooney. Immediately prior to becoming the Federal Member for Melbourne, Lindsay worked for the Victorian Branch of the Federated Clerks Unions as Assistant Secretary and then State Secretary. Lindsay has lived in the Melbourne electorate for more than 35 years and has always been an active member of the communities in which he has lived.  For many years, Lindsay played cricket and football for local clubs and worked as a volunteer at Melbourne legal services. Lindsay is committed to social justice and regularly participates in a range of forums on social issues. He is also an accomplished author and has written a number of articles and books on social, as well as economic and labour issues. Lindsay currently writes a weekly blog featured on The Age website. Lindsay’s interests include playing the piano, singing, reading, following sports and spending time with his family. He lives in Alphington with his wife Andrea and two daughters, Ainsley and Remy.  Lindsay also has a daughter, Jemma and a son, James from a previous marriage. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:00:13 +0000 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:00:13 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/buy-australian-not-worth-the-risk-to-our-economy/ You will all be aware of current demands for Australian Government procurement policies to include a “buy Australian” bias. The Government does not support such proposals. We remain resolutely committed to a non-discriminatory purchasing policy. Australia is a signatory to numerous international agreements that seriously inhibit our ability to use discriminatory procurement policies. We have been vocal in international forums warning against the serious threat any upsurge in protectionism poses to the world economy. If we introduce protectionist measures like discriminatory procurement policies we will invite retaliation from other countries. As a trading nation, Australia stands to lose a great deal in any global outbreak of protectionism. The notion that there are big gains for Australian companies and workers to be won from discriminatory procurement policies is essentially a mirage. Research by my Department that I am releasing today shows that the possible benefits are very modest. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Lindsay Tanner) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/buy-australian-not-worth-the-risk-to-our-economy/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/buy-australian-not-worth-the-risk-to-our-economy/#item748 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 02:28:29 +0000 Lindsay Tanner | Author bios | The Punch