Wikipedia

Jane Hume

Edwina Jane Hume (née Exell; born 30 April 1971) is an Australian politician who has been a senator for Victoria since 2016, representing the Liberal Party. She served as the Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy in the Morrison government from December 2020; and in March 2021 she took on the additional role of Minister for Women's Economic Security. She held both portfolios until May 2022, following the appointment of the Albanese ministry. Prior to her election to parliament she held senior positions in the banking, finance and superannuation sectors.

Senator the Honourable
Jane Hume
Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy
In office
22 December 2020 – 23 May 2022
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byStephen Jones (Financial Services)
Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology
In office
29 May 2019 – 22 December 2020
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byAbolished
Minister for Women's Economic Security
In office
30 March 2021 – 23 May 2022
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byOffice established
Senator for Victoria
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 July 2016 (2016-07-02)
Personal details
Born
Edwina Jane Exell

(1971-04-30) 30 April 1971 (age 53)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLiberal
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
OccupationFinance, banking

Early life

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Hume was born in Melbourne on 30 April 1971.[1] She is one of two daughters born to Steve and Louise Exell;[2] her father was a senior executive with Quaker Oats and later worked as a management consultant and business broker.[3] She grew up in the suburb of Armadale and attended Lauriston Girls' School. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with the degree of Bachelor of Commerce.[4]

Career

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Hume began working at the National Australia Bank (NAB) in 1995 as a sales and marketing research manager. She completed a graduate diploma in finance and investment with the Securities Institute of Australia in 1996, and subsequently worked with NAB as an investment manager (1996–1998) and private banker (1998–1999). She then moved to Rothschild Australia as a senior business development manager in the asset management division, and briefly as a key accounts manager. She left the workforce in 2002 to start a family,[4] and from 2005 to 2006 served on the management committee of Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA).[1]

Hume was a vice-president of Deutsche Bank Australia from 2008 to 2009 and later served on the boards of the Royal Children's Hospital (2011–2016) and Fed Square Pty Ltd (2015–2016). Immediately before her election to parliament she was a senior strategic policy adviser with AustralianSuper.[4]

Politics

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Hume joined the Liberal Party in 2003.[4] Before her election to the Senate, Hume held senior positions in the Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division), serving on the administrative committee, on the executive of the Women's Council, and as a delegate to state council. She was president of the party's Armadale branch.[1]

Senate (2016–present)

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In March 2016, Hume won Liberal preselection for the Coalition's Senate ticket at the next federal election. She was initially ranked in third position behind James Paterson and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, after losing to Paterson in the ballot for the top position.[5] However, following a double dissolution she was elected in fifth position on the Coalition ticket at the 2016 federal election.[6] Her candidacy was supported by the party's state president Michael Kroger.[7]

Prior to the 2019 election, Hume stated she was "seriously considering" switching to the lower-house seat of Higgins in place of the retiring Kelly O'Dwyer.[8] She subsequently declined to contest the preselection ballot, citing a need for "fresh talent".[9] Prime Minister Scott Morrison subsequently intervened to ensure incumbent senators Hume and Paterson were re-endorsed, following opposition from the party's conservative wing.[10]

In May 2019, Hume was appointed Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology in the Morrison government.[1] In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald after her appointment, she described Australia's superannuation system as "inefficient" due to "high fees, duplicate accounts, underperforming funds and unnecessary insurance". She promised "a much broader vision for super" and said the government would make superannuation insurance voluntary for people under the age of 25 to reduce fees.[11]

Hume's title was changed to Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy as part of a December 2020 cabinet reshuffle. In March 2021, following the allegations of sexual misconduct in parliament, she was additionally appointed Minister for Women's Economic Security, a new position.[1] She held both portfolios until May 2022, following the appointment of the Albanese ministry.

Political views

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Hume reportedly "holds socially liberal views".[12] According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Hume is a member of the Moderate/Modern Liberal faction of the Liberal Party.[13][14] In her maiden speech she said that "my side of politics owes it to our followers and to our most vulnerable to articulate a positive social justice agenda for the Right".[15] She has described herself as a "lifelong monarchist".[16]

In May 2021, Hume stated her philosophy on regulating the cryptocurrency sector, arguing that it was up to Australian investors to "be sensible enough to judge for themselves whether to put their hard earned money into higher-risk assets". She argued that cryptocurrency was subject to Australian laws - “it’s not a free pass” - but that she would not stand in the way of anyone who wanted to buy it. She also said that influencers and social media users offering investment advice should not be subject to the stricter guidelines imposed on registered financial advisers.[17]

In September 2022, Hume spoke in favour of a bill to repeal the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997, which bars Australia's territory governments from legislating for assisted suicide. She had previously been in favour of the ban, but changed her mind following the death of her own terminally ill father via assisted suicide.[18]

Personal life

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Hume has three children with her husband Andrew Hume.[15]

Hume supports the St. Kilda Saints in the Australian Football League.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Senator the Hon Jane Hume". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  2. ^ "First speech". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  3. ^ Rowbotham, Jill (12 July 1991). "Dynamic duos". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "About Jane". Senator Jane Hume. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  5. ^ Lillebuen, Steve (6 March 2016). "IPA's James Paterson wins Coalition's top spot for Victorian Senate ticket". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  6. ^ Osborne, Paul (3 August 2016). "Final Victorian Senate count declared". News Limited. AAP. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  7. ^ Millar, Royce (25 January 2016). "Hume, Paterson lead Liberal Senate field". The Age. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  8. ^ Maiden, Samantha (19 January 2019). "Senator Jane Hume 'seriously considering' bid to fill Kelly O'Dwyer's shoes and seat". The New Daily. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  9. ^ Koziol, Michael (21 January 2019). "'Fresh talent': Liberal senator Jane Hume bails out of race to replace Kelly O'Dwyer". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  10. ^ Norman, Jane (6 September 2018). "Scott Morrison ends impasse over Victorian branch preselection of Jane Hume and James Paterson". ABC News. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  11. ^ Bagshaw, Eryk (25 June 2019). "Putting more money into inefficient super 'immoral', says new minister". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  12. ^ "The religious minority seizing power in the Liberal Party". The Age. 3 June 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  13. ^ Massola, James (20 March 2021). "Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  14. ^ Massola, James (8 April 2023). "How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Maiden speech". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Weddings, Gaza and Losing Faith (transcript)". Q&A. ABC TV. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  17. ^ Mize, Ronald (20 May 2021). "Government won't step in to counter Dogecoin or FinTok influencers". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  18. ^ Roberts, Georgina (28 September 2022). "Senator who opposed euthanasia to change vote after father's death under Victorian voluntary assisted dying laws". ABC News. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Each AFL Teams Biggest Political Fan".
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