18 Facts About Michael Berkman

Michael Craig Berkman was born on 13 March 1981 and is an Australian politician and the member for Maiwar in Brisbane's inner-west.

Michael Berkman is the first member for Maiwar, after the electorate was created from the merger of the former Indooroopilly and Mt Coot-tha electorates.

Michael Berkman's father worked in the media and his mother had trained as a secondary school teacher.

Michael Berkman grew up in Toowoomba, Queensland after the family moved there when Michael was 3 years old.

Michael Berkman attended Wilsonton State School and Toowoomba State High School.

Michael Berkman first attended the University of Queensland to commence a Bachelor of Science before moving to Griffith University, attending the Nathan campus, where he graduated in 2009 with a double degree, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Laws.

Michael Berkman began his legal career as a clerk with Freehills in Brisbane, and spent some time working there following his graduation.

Michael Berkman left legal practice to work in the Queensland Government's office of climate change until this group was made redundant following the election of the Newman Government in 2012.

Michael Berkman then accepted a position with the Environmental Defenders Office in Brisbane.

Michael Berkman has been involved in the not-for-profit sector, having previously worked with Millen Farms.

In 2016, Michael Berkman ran in the local government elections for Moreton Bay Region in District 10, and then against Peter Dutton for the Dickson at the 2016 federal election.

Michael Berkman was the first Greens member to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland in the seat of Maiwar in Brisbane's inner-west.

In 2018, Michael Berkman introduced a private member's bill to ban all political donations from businesses to state and local government politicians, candidates and parties, excluding charities and employee or employer organisations.

Michael Berkman said the community overwhelmingly supported reform to get big money out of politics.

In November 2018, Michael Berkman said schools in Maiwar, Michael Berkman's electorate, should allow students to attend climate change events during school hours.

In 2018, Michael Berkman called for investigations into Facebook comments from prison officers which advocated for extrajudicial violence against detainees.

Michael Berkman has opposed youth crime bills that would override the Human Rights Act and make breach of bail by juvenile offenders a criminal offence.

Michael Berkman is married with three children and lives in Bardon.