The Honourable Stephen Conroy |
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Deputy Leader of The Opposition in The Senate | |
In office 18 September 2013 – 30 September 2016 |
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Leader | Penny Wong |
Preceded by | George Brandis |
Succeeded by | Don Farrell |
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy |
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In office 3 December 2007 – 1 July 2013 |
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Prime Minister |
Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard |
Preceded by | Helen Coonan |
Succeeded by | Anthony Albanese |
Senator for Victoria | |
In office 30 April 1996 – 30 September 2016 |
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Preceded by | Gareth Evans |
Succeeded by | Kimberley Kitching |
Personal details | |
Born |
Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, UK |
18 January 1963
Nationality | Australian |
Political party | Australian Labor Party |
Spouse(s) | Paula Benson |
Children | 1 |
Alma mater | Australian National University |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Stephen Michael Conroy (born 18 January 1963, Ely, Cambridgeshire) is an English-born Australian politician and was the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy in the Second Gillard Ministry. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian Senate from 1996 to 2016, representing the state of Victoria. On 15 September 2016, Conroy tabled a speech in the Senate announcing his retirement from politics effective from 30 September 2016.
Conroy's parents worked at an air force base, where his mother Jean monitored radar and his father Bill was a sergeant. In December 1973 the Conroys moved to Canberra, where he attended Daramalan College. He obtained a Bachelor of Economics at the Australian National University in Canberra. His involvement in student politics was minimal, although he helped organise a rally against student fees.
After university, Conroy worked as an advisor to Ros Kelly and Barry Jones. He moved to Melbourne to pursue a political career where he met Robert Ray, and served for a time as Superannuation Officer with the Transport Workers Union and as a City of Footscray councillor. He was appointed to the Senate in 1996 when Gareth Evans resigned to contest a seat in the Lower House. In October 1998, Conroy joined the Opposition Shadow Ministry and in 2001 became Deputy Opposition Leader in the Senate. He was Shadow Minister for Trade, Corporate Governance and Financial Services from 2003 to 2004, and became Shadow Minister for Communications and Information Technology in October 2004.