Petro Georgiou

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Petro Georgiou

Petro Georgiou (born 30 November 1947), Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives since November 1994, representing the Division of Kooyong, Victoria. He was born in Kerkyra, Greece, and was educated at Melbourne University.

Georgiou was a senior tutor in politics at La Trobe University 1970-73, Senior Adviser to Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser 1975-79, Secretary of the Ethnic Television Review Panel 1979-80, Director of the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs 1980-85, Senior Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Peacock, 1985, Director of the Victorian Liberal Policy Unit 1985-89 and State Director of the Victorian Liberal Party 1989-94.

In 2005, Georgiou was one of a small number of Liberal parliamentarians who expressed disagreement with the government's policy of mandatory detention for asylum seekers. He began speaking out against the policy in June and began drafting a private member's bill aimed at softening the policy. On June 17, Prime Minister John Howard announced a shift in that policy, allowing families in detention with children to enter the community and ensuring that long-term detainees would have their cases reviewed regularly. Georgiou was given a large amount of credit for the policy change.

Preselection Challenge

In March 2006, Joshua Frydenberg, an investment banker and former political adviser, made known his intention to challenge Georgiou for his seat in an internal Liberal Party preselection. This followed another prominent Liberal former Victorian President Michael Kroger's decision not to contest the seat. Liberal Deputy Leader Peter Costello endorsed Georgiou and Kroger is believed to support him.

In the days leading to the preselection convention, Queensland frontbenchers Ian MacFarlane, Peter Dutton and Santo Santoro backed Frydenburg's credentials, to the dismay of former Premier Jeff Kennett.ABC News Online (2006). ['Musketeers' told to keep out of Georgiou preselection]. Retrieved April 22, 2006.

The preselection was held at Trinity Grammar School on 23 April, 2006. The Age Online (2006). [Liberals in a preselection spin]. Retrieved April 22, 2006. Georgiou retained selection by receiving 62 of the 85 Liberal Party delegates' votes, with challenger Frydenberg receiving 22 votes and a third candidate, Alistair Armstrong, receiving one vote.*AAP (2005). [Georgiou wins preselection battle]. Retrieved April 23, 2006.

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