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| Danby was one of several ALP members facing a preselection challenge in order to recontest his seat at the ]. However, he defeated challenger Henk van Leeuwen, winning three-quarters of the local vote, thus retaining preselection. | Danby was one of several ALP members facing a preselection challenge in order to recontest his seat at the ]. However, he defeated challenger Henk van Leeuwen, winning three-quarters of the local vote, thus retaining preselection. | ||
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Revision as of 20:31, 10 May 2006
Michael David Danby (born 16 February 1955), Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since October 1998, representing the Division of Melbourne Ports, Victoria. He was born in Melbourne, Victoria and was educated at Melbourne University. He was an editor and ministerial advisor before entering politics.
Danby was Assistant Private Secretary to Barry Cohen, a minister in the Hawke government 1983-84, Editor of the Australia-Israel Review 1986-93 and an Advisor to Alan Griffiths, a minister in the Keating government, 1993-94. He was an industrial officer with the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association 1994-96.
Danby has been an Opposition Whip since November 2001. He is the only Jewish member of the Australian Parliament and has frequently spoken in support of Israel and in opposition to anti-Semitism and other forms of racism.
Danby has sometimes been accused of being hostile to Muslims or to Islam. He commented on this question in an article in the Australian Financial Review in November 2005. "My view is that Australia is at war," Danby wrote, "at war with a new form of totalitarian ideology as evil as the fascist and communist forms that the democracies fought during the 20th century... The enemy in this war adopts the rhetoric of Islam but it is in fact quite alien to the traditions of Islam, and particularly to the traditions of Islam as practised in Indonesia. Some call this ideology Islamofascism, others jihadism... As a social democrat, I believe in a pluralist Australia. I believe Australia should accept, and indeed welcome, migrants and refugees from all countries, including Muslim countries, and that we should prevent victimisation of Australian Muslims. I reject the view that all Australian Muslims are potential terrorists. I am always careful to distinguish Islam from the extremists who misuse it for political ends." (see link below)
At the 2004 federal election, the Liberal Party ran a Jewish candidate, David Southwick, against Danby, hoping to win Jewish votes that had previously gone to Danby. The Liberals secured a two-party swing of two percent, lower than the Victorian and national average swing, and not enough to overcome Danby's 5.7 percent margin.
Danby was one of several ALP members facing a preselection challenge in order to recontest his seat at the 2007 federal election. However, he defeated challenger Henk van Leeuwen, winning three-quarters of the local vote, thus retaining preselection.
Political activist Adam Carr is an associate of Danby.