Jeff Lawrence (unionist)

Jeff Lawrence
8th Secretary of the ACTU
In office
2007–2012
PresidentSharan Burrow
Ged Kearney
Preceded byGreg Combet
Succeeded byDave Oliver
Deputy President of the Fair Work Commission
In office
2013–2016/17
Personal details
Born (1952-05-17) 17 May 1952 (age 72)
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationTrade unionist

Jeff Lawrence (born 17 May 1952) is an Australian trade unionist who was the Secretary of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LMHU).[1] Lawrence was Secretary of the LHMU, one of Australia's biggest unions, from 1990 to 2007.[citation needed]

Lawrence was born in Newcastle, New South Wales in 1952. He became an Assistant General Secretary of the Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union in 1986 and became the General Secretary two years later.[2] The union changed its name two years later. Lawrence became the Vice-President of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party in 2002.[3]

In 2007, Lawrence was chosen to replace Greg Combet as the Secretary of the ACTU, Combet stood down to contest the safe Labor seat of Charlton in the 2007 Federal election.[4] Lawrence resigned from his position with the NSW ALP when he became the Secretary of the ACTU.[5]

In 2013, Lawrence was appointed by then Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Financial Services and Superannuation Bill Shorten as a Deputy President of the Fair Work Commission.[6] His appointment was criticised by Senator Eric Abetz due to his links with the ALP.[7] Lawrence served on the Fair Work Commission until the 2016-17 financial year.[8]

  1. ^ "Union body chooses Combet replacement" Archived 13 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine, The Australian, 13 June 2007.
  2. ^ Crown Content, Who's Who in Australia 2007 page 1216
  3. ^ Crown Content, Who's Who in Australia 2007, p. 1216
  4. ^ "Hospitality union boss named new ACTU secretary", ABC News Online, 13 June 2007.
  5. ^ "Lawrence denies he'll be a Rudd 'patsy'" Archived 5 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, ninemsn.com.au, 14 June 2007.
  6. ^ Shorten, Bill (28 March 2013). "New appointments to Fair Work Commission". Ministers' Media Centre: Ministers of the Education, Skills and Employment Portfolio. Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  7. ^ Schneiders, Ben (29 March 2013). "New Fair Work posts labelled jobs for mates". Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  8. ^ "2016–2017 ANNUAL REPORT ACCESS TO JUSTICE" (PDF). Fair Work Commission. Commonwealth of Australia. p. 18. Retrieved 1 June 2023.