35 Facts About Alex Hawke

Alexander George Hawke was born on 9 July 1977 and is an Australian politician who served as Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs from 2020 to 2022 in the Morrison government.

Alex Hawke previously served as Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Assistant Minister for Defence from May 2019 to December 2020, and Special Minister of State from 2018 to 2019 in the Second and First Morrison Ministries respectively.

Alex Hawke was the national and state president of the Young Liberals.

Alex Hawke was born on 9 July 1977 in Wollongong, New South Wales.

Alex Hawke's mother died when he was 10 years old and he was raised by his father.

Alex Hawke then studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in Government and Public Affairs.

Alex Hawke joined the Liberal Party in 1995, and was elected vice-president of the NSW Division of the Young Liberal Movement in 2001, and became president in 2002.

Alex Hawke served on the Liberal Party NSW State Executive from 2002 to 2005, and in 2005 was elected Federal President of the Young Liberal Movement.

Alex Hawke remains a member of the Liberal Party campaign Committee, and a Delegate to the Liberal Party State Council.

Alex Hawke was one of the orchestraters of the shift to the right for the young Liberals.

Alex Hawke briefly worked part-time in the private sector while studying at university in 1998, becoming an assistant-manager for Woolworths in the Hills District.

Alex Hawke has worked as an adviser to David Clarke MLC and Ray Williams MP.

On 16 June 2007, Alex Hawke gained Liberal Party preselection for the seat of Mitchell by a margin of 81 votes to 20 against David Elliott, then deputy chief of the Australian Hotels Association.

Alex Hawke was seen as highly effective in his factional manipulations, and was called by 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones as "a cancer on the Liberal Party in NSW".

Alex Hawke then proceeded to go into an alliance with the NSW Moderates, ending the right's control over the party.

Alex Hawke was elected to Parliament as Member for Mitchell on 24 November 2007.

In September 2015, Alex Hawke was promoted to Assistant Minister to the Treasurer in the First Turnbull ministry.

Alex Hawke was seen as the tactical leader of the effort to unseat Turnbull.

In May 2019, Alex Hawke was appointed as Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Assistant Minister for Defence.

In December 2020, Alex Hawke was appointed Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs in the Morrison ministry and served until May 2022, following the appointment of the Albanese ministry.

Alex Hawke is a member of the Centre-Right faction of the Liberal Party.

Alex Hawke is a personal opponent of same-sex marriage, and in the debate said that he does "not hold a view that people should not be treated equally under the law".

Alex Hawke called for a conscience vote in parliament on the issue.

Alex Hawke was reported to have abstained from the final vote on the Marriage Amendment Act 2017, which legalised same-sex marriage.

Alex Hawke has supported the shake up of foreign aid which involves a reduction of the foreign aid budget, and according to critics, will allow China more influence in the Pacific region.

Alex Hawke has been consistent in his views of limiting the government responses to climate change.

Alex Hawke has claimed that no one has done more to negate the effects of regional climate change than Australia, a claim the Pacific nations reject.

Alex Hawke declined to intervene as the assistant immigration minister in the case of an intellectually disabled woman who was being cared for in the home by her family in her application for permanent residency.

On 14 January 2022, Alex Hawke exercised personal ministerial powers under sections 133C and 116 of the Migration Act 1958 to cancel the visa of No 1 ranked ATP tennis player Novak Djokovic a few days prior to the commencement of the 2022 Australian Open Grand Slam.

Alex Hawke accused the first Muslim woman elected to parliament, Egyptian born Anne Aly, of thinking that "her diversity as something better than other people's diversity".

When challenged on these statements, Alex Hawke responded by saying that Labor were "feigning outrage and falsely claiming racism" in order to shut down debate, and that they were "fixated on identity politics and appears constantly triggered by anything and everything".

In February 2024, Alex Hawke faced an expulsion motion at the NSW Liberals State Council, accused of delaying preselections ahead of the 2022 Australian federal election for factional benefits.

Alex Hawke has over his time before and during parliament been accused of internal factional dealings and coordinating branch stacking, both in his electorate and on behalf of his faction, across New South Wales.

Alex Hawke married Amelia McManus, a policy advisor for Michael Keenan, later in 2013.

Alex Hawke was raised as an Anglican, but now attends Hillsong Church.