Steve Fielding
Steven Fielding (born
17 October 1960),
Australian
politician, is parliamentary leader of the
Family First Party.
Fielding was born in
Melbourne and educated at
Melbourne University, where he graduated in engineering, and at
Monash University, where he gained an
MBA. He worked as an engineer and business executive before entering politics. He was a member of the
Knox City Council in
2003-
04.
Fielding was elected to represent
Victoria in the
Senate at the
2004 federal election. He is the first representative of Family First to be elected to the
Federal Parliament.
Since he polled less than 2% of the popular vote, Fielding's election was not expected. Like many Senators he gained quota under the Senate's
proportional representation system by receiving preferences from other parties (see
Australian electoral system). The
Australian Democrats and the
Australian Labor Party agreed to swap preferences with Family First in the belief that Family First could not win a seat. But Fielding benefited from the larger-than-expected surplus of
Liberal preferences, and stayed in the count long enough to receive Democrat and Labor preferences, defeating the
Australian Greens' candidate
David Risstrom for the last Senate place in Victoria.
While Family First is generally regarded as a conservative party, Fielding has said that he will not be an automatic supporter of government legislation in the Senate, where the government has a majority of one. On some issues which he sees as affecting the well-being of families, such as industrial relations, he has indicated disagreement with government policies.
He supported the passage of legislation providing for
Voluntary student unionism which forbids Australian universities from compulsorily levying amenities and services fees on their students. His office was then the target of anti-VSU activists, who
protested the decision by vandalising the walls with pro-union graffiti.
Fielding and his wife Susan have three children, James, Campbell and Gabrielle.
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Steve Fielding's Web page*
Graffiti Attack on Steve Fielding's Office After VSU Vote
