25 Facts About Andrew Theophanous

Andrew Charles Theophanous was born on 24 March 1946 and is a Cypriot-born Australian former politician.

Andrew Theophanous was an Australian Labor Party member of the House of Representatives from 1980 to 2000, and an independent member from 2000 to 2001.

Andrew Theophanous is the author of three books and numerous articles on political theory and philosophy, especially in the areas of multiculturalism and social justice.

Andrew Theophanous spent 21 months in jail for one charge of bribery of $2000, two charges relating to misuse of his position over one visa application, and another immigration matter.

Andrew Theophanous later made a Petition of Mercy application seeking a retrial on the three convictions.

Andrew Theophanous is related to many other prominent Australian politicians from Victoria.

Andrew Theophanous was born in Polis Chrysochous, Cyprus, on 24 March 1946, to a Greek Cypriot father and a Greek mother, a refugee who had fled Nazi occupied Greece.

Andrew Theophanous migrated to Australia at the age of eight, with his mother, brother Theo Theophanous and sister; his father had arrived three years earlier.

Andrew Theophanous grew up in Broadmeadows in Melbourne, entered Monash University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours.

Andrew Theophanous became a lecturer in politics at Melbourne State College and later in social theory at Melbourne University.

Andrew Theophanous lectured at the University of Nevada, USA, and as Senior Teaching Fellow at Monash University.

Andrew Theophanous was first elected as the Labor member for the Melbourne electorate of Burke in 1980.

Andrew Theophanous switched to the new safe Labor electorate of Calwell in 1984.

Andrew Theophanous was heavily interested in immigration matters, and from 1989 to 1993, was Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration.

In March 1993, Andrew Theophanous was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Community Services and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health.

The major charge arising out of this was that Andrew Theophanous was involved in a conspiracy with the NCA informant to defraud the Commonwealth by making false representations in relation to attempting to bring the NCA's informant's Chinese girlfriend to Australia unlawfully.

Andrew Theophanous was charged in 2000 with taking an unlawful inducement and soliciting an unlawful inducement.

Andrew Theophanous resigned from the Labor Party on 18 April 2000.

Andrew Theophanous recontested the seat as an independent candidate at the 2001 election.

Andrew Theophanous was jailed in May 2002 and sentenced to six years in prison with a minimum of 3.5 years.

Andrew Theophanous said that Theophanous should not be retried on the charge to defraud the Commonwealth because the former National Crime Authority had withheld evidence crucial to his original case and subsequent appeal.

Andrew Theophanous said 'the conduct of NCA officers who withheld documents for seven and a half years and despite 20 subpoenas was "grossly inadequate" and.

Andrew Theophanous is married to Dr Kathryn Eriksson, an archaeologist and high school teacher.

Andrew Theophanous' brother Theo Andrew Theophanous is a former state Labor politician and minister.

Theo's daughter and Andrew's niece Kat Theophanous is a state Labor politician and is the member for Northcote since 2018.