View source for Stephen Conroy

{{Short description|Australian former politician (born 1963)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Redirect|Senator Conroy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name = Stephen Conroy
| image = StephenConroy.jpg
| caption = Conroy in 2004
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|1|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Ely, Cambridgeshire]], England
| nationality = Australian
| death_date =
| death_place =

| office1 = [[Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Australia)|Deputy Leader of The Opposition in The Senate]]
| term_start1 = 18 September 2013
| term_end1 = 30 September 2016
| leader1 = [[Penny Wong]]
| predecessor1 = [[George Brandis]] 
| successor1 = [[Don Farrell]]

| order2           = [[Leader of the Government in the Senate (Australia)|Leader of the Government in the Senate]]
| term_start2      = 4 February 2013
| term_end2        = 26 June 2013
| predecessor2     = [[Chris Evans (Australian politician)|Christopher Evans]]
| successor2       = [[Penny Wong]]

| office3 = [[Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Australia)|Minister for Broadband, Communications<br/>and the Digital Economy]]
| term_start3 = 3 December 2007
| term_end3 = 1 July 2013
| primeminister3 = [[Kevin Rudd]]<br/>[[Julia Gillard]]
| predecessor3 = [[Helen Coonan]]
| successor3 = [[Anthony Albanese]]

| office4 = [[Australian Senate|Senator]] for [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
| term_start4 = 30 April 1996
| term_end4 = 30 September 2016
| predecessor4 = [[Gareth Evans (politician)|Gareth Evans]]
| successor4 = [[Kimberley Kitching]]

| party = [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| alma_mater = [[Australian National University]]
| spouse = Paula Benson
| children = 1
}}

'''Stephen Michael Conroy''' (born 18 January 1963) is an Australian former politician who was an [[Australian Labor Party]] member of the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] from 1996 to 2016, representing the state of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]].<ref name="Conroy aph">{{cite Au Parliament |mpid=3L6 |name=Former Senator Stephen Conroy |access-date=2021-11-07}}</ref> He served as a minister in the [[First Rudd Government|Rudd]] and [[Gillard government]]s. He resigned from the Senate in September 2016.<ref name="retirement">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-16/former-minister-stephen-conroy-announces-retirement/7851500|title=Former minister Stephen Conroy announces retirement|date=16 September 2016|work=ABC News}}</ref> He has since worked as a lobbyist, political commentator and [[Association football|football]] administrator.

==Early life==
Conroy was born in [[Ely, Cambridgeshire|Ely]], [[Cambridgeshire]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. His parents both worked at an air force base, where his mother Jean worked as a radar technician and his father Bill as a sergeant. In December 1973 the Conroys moved to [[Canberra]], [[Australia]], where he attended [[Daramalan College]]. He obtained a Bachelor of Economics at the [[Australian National University]] in Canberra. His involvement in student politics was minimal, although he helped organise a rally against student fees.<ref name="Conroy aph"/><ref name=minifut>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/minister-for-the-future/2008/12/12/1228585118391.html?page=fullpage Minister for the Future], smh.com.au, 12 December 2008; accessed 18 September 2014.</ref>

==Politics==
[[File:Stephen Conroy.jpg|thumb|left|Official portrait, 1996]]
After university, Conroy worked as an advisor to [[Ros Kelly]] and [[Barry Jones (Australian politician)|Barry Jones]]. He moved to Melbourne to pursue a political career where he met [[Robert Ray (Australian politician)|Robert Ray]], and served for a time as Superannuation Officer with the [[Transport Workers Union of Australia|Transport Workers Union]] and as a [[City of Footscray]] councillor. He was appointed to the Senate in 1996 when [[Gareth Evans (politician)|Gareth Evans]] resigned to contest a seat in the Lower House. In October 1998, Conroy joined the Opposition [[Shadow Ministry]] and in 2001 became Deputy Opposition Leader in the Senate. He was [[Shadow Minister]] for Trade, Corporate Governance and Financial Services from 2003 to 2004, and became Shadow Minister for Communications and Information Technology in October 2004.<ref name="Conroy aph"/><ref name=minifut/>

Conroy is a leading member of the [[Labor Right]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/labor-factions-show-scant-regard-for-democracy-push-20131125-2y62f.html|title=Labor factions show scant regard for democracy push|work=[[The Age]]|date=25 November 2013|access-date=19 July 2014|author=Millar, Royce}}</ref> and was criticised in early 2006 by members of the [[Socialist Left (Australia)|Labor Left]] and [[Simon Crean]] for working for the replacement of several long-serving MPs with new members, including [[Bill Shorten]], [[Richard Marles]], [[Mark Dreyfus]], Nathan Murphy and Matt Carrick.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} After Simon Crean's win in the [[Division of Hotham|Hotham]] pre-selection, where Conroy supported [[Martin Pakula]] for the position, Crean attacked Conroy repeatedly, calling on him to resign his position as Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/03/08/1586935.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216230905/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/03/08/1586935.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 February 2009|title=Conroy shrugs off resignation call|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=8 March 2006}}</ref>

In April 2009, Conroy faced criticism after he made comments disparaging the ISP [[iiNet]]'s defence in a [[Federal Court of Australia|Federal Court]] case against a number of film studios and [[Seven Network|Channel Seven]]. Opposition spokesmen described the comments as prejudicial.<ref name=smh1>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/conroy-rapped-for-improper-iinet-gaffe-20090615-c9qo.html
| title=Conroy rapped for 'improper' iiNet gaffe|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=Asher|last=Moses|date=2 April 2009}}</ref> After iiNet won, Conroy said it was disappointing the two sides had ended up in court.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/conroy-calls-for-mature-talks-after-iinet-decision/story-e6frfro0-1225827822674|title=Conroy calls for 'mature' talks after iiNet case|author=Andrew Ramadge|date=8 February 2010|work=news.com.au}}</ref> In February 2010, he admitted using his influence to have a former Labor politician [[Mike Kaiser]], take the position of Government Relations and External Affairs Executive with the [[National Broadband Network]].<ref name=abc1>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/09/2813886.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231092923/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/09/2813886.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 December 2012 |title=Conroy under fire over mate's top job |date=8 February 2010 |publisher=ABC|location=Canberra, Australia|access-date=9 June 2010}}</ref> Kaiser was previously forced to retire from the Labor party due to electoral fraud. Also in February 2010, he was reported to have spent some time while on holiday with [[Kerry Stokes]] weeks before cutting licence fees that are charged to free-to-air networks, including Stokes' broadcasting Seven Network.<ref name=new1>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/minister-in-secret-snow-dinner-with-mogul/story-e6frfkw9-1225830083475|title= Minister in 'secret' snow meeting with mogul|work=Sunday Herald Sun|first=Ellen|last=Whinnett|date=13 February 2010}}</ref>

In June 2010, Conroy was criticised by [[SAGE-AU]] for "misinformation that verged on fear-mongering" when he suggested [[Google]] [[street view]] cars could have captured internet banking details in their recording of wireless network traffic, as these are generally exchanged over secure [[HTTPS]] connections.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sage-au.org.au/conroy-gets-it-wrong-google-sage-au|title=Conroy gets it wrong on Google: SAGE-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Google Street View cars may have obtained bank details|work=The Australian|date=7 June 2010|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/google-street-view-cars-may-have-obtained-bank-details/story-e6frgakx-1225876377711}}</ref> In March 2013, he introduced six media reform bills, one of which would have been the establishment of a Public Interest Media Advocate, a government organisation set up to regulate the previously self-regulated media in Australia. After announcing there would be no discussion over the bills, and that they would be passed or failed as a package, he backed down, allowing negotiation with parties who held the balance of power in the senate. The content of the bills were largely condemned by media.  Ultimately, only two of the six bills passed, and at that the least controversial ones. Should he have introduced the 7 bills, the controversy may have been surpassed.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

===Portfolio===
Conroy was [[Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Australia)|Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy]] in the [[First Rudd Ministry|First Rudd]], [[First Gillard Ministry|First Gillard]] and [[Second Gillard Ministry|Second Gillard]] Ministries. The NBN roll out was dogged with delay and cost blowouts in his time as minister. In that role, he was responsible for [[Internet censorship in Australia|internet censorship]],<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080101054613/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/31/2129471.htm Conroy announces mandatory internet filters to protect children] – ''ABC News'', 31 December 2007</ref> the [[National Broadband Network]],{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} and the proposed [[Freeview (Australia)|switch to digital television]] as a complete replacement for analogue.<ref name=minifut/><ref>[http://www.dbcde.gov.au/communications_for_business/funding_programs__and__support/national_broadband_network National Broadband Network] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521213707/http://www.dbcde.gov.au/communications_for_business/funding_programs__and__support/national_broadband_network |date=21 May 2009 }}</ref> In May 2010 he was appointed as a founding member to a new United Nations commission, the [[Broadband Commission for Digital Development]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/conroy-joins-un-broadband-commission-20100511-urmc.html|title=Conroy joins UN broadband commission|date=11 May 2010 }}</ref>

==== Internet censorship ====

{{Main|Internet censorship in Australia}}
Conroy faced severe criticism over his Internet censorship policies from various groups. While initially promoted as a way to block child pornography, the censorship policy has been extended to include legal material traditionally refused classification by the [[Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia)|Office of Film and Literature Classification]] (now known as the [[Australian Classification Board]]), including sites depicting drug use, crime, sex, cruelty, violence or "revolting and abhorrent phenomena" that "offend against the standards of morality".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/biztech/web-censorship-plan-heads-towards-a-dead-end/2009/02/26/1235237810486.html|title=Web censorship plan heads towards a dead end - BizTech - Technology|date=26 February 2009}}</ref> On 19 March 2009 it was reported that [[Australian Communications and Media Authority|ACMA]]'s blacklist of banned sites had been leaked online, and had been published by [[WikiLeaks]]. About half of the list was child-porn related; the remainder included sites dealing with legal porn, online gambling, euthanasia, Christianity and fringe religions; sites belonging to a tour operator, dentist and animal carers were also listed.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/dentist-tuckshop-cited-on-web-blacklist-20090615-ca9x.html Dentist, tuckshop cited on web blacklist], smh.com.au; accessed 18 September 2014.</ref> Conroy described the leak and publication of the blacklist as "grossly irresponsible" and that it undermined efforts to improve "cyber safety".<ref>{{cite web|last=Moses|first=Asher|title=Blacklisted websites revealed|work=[[Brisbane Times]]|date=19 March 2009|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/technology/blacklisted-websites-revealed/2009/03/19/1237054961383.html|access-date=19 March 2009}}</ref> In June 2009 he was named "Internet villain of the year" at the 11th annual Internet industry awards in the UK, for "individuals or organisations that have upset the Internet industry and hampered its development – those whom the industry loves to hate."<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/conroy-named-internet-villain-of-the-year-20090713-di8q.html Conroy named Internet Villain of the Year], smh.com.au; accessed 18 September 2014.</ref>

In December 2009 "Internet pranksters" registered the domain name stephenconroy.com.au<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/spoof-conroy-website-protests-at-internet-filter-plan-20091218-l1bn.html|title=Spoof Conroy website protests at internet filter plan|first=Asher|last=Moses|date=18 December 2009}}</ref> which was swiftly removed by [[auDA]], raising concerns about auDA's political neutrality and the further potential for suppression of political speech after the proposed mandatory Internet filter is legislated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2009/12/21/the-swift-takedown-of-stephenconroy-com-au/|title=The swift takedown of stephenconroy.com.au|date=21 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.efa.org.au/2009/12/22/media-release-electronic-frontiers-australia-surprised-at-auda-decision-to-remove-stephenconroy-com-au/|title=Media Release: Electronic Frontiers Australia Surprised at auDA Decision to Remove StephenConroy.com.au - Electronic Frontiers Australia}}</ref>

In May 2010, Conroy was accused of deliberately misrepresenting iiNet's position with regards to the new internet filter.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/government-tech-policy/39475-iinet-says-sen-conroy-lied |title=iiNet says Sen. Conroy lied |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603041132/http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/government-tech-policy/39475-iinet-says-sen-conroy-lied |archive-date=3 June 2010}}</ref> His department could also not say where he obtained other figures from, such as how he believes that 85% of ISPs support the new filter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/348361/iinet_conroy_misrepresents_our_filtering_stance/?fp=16&fpid=1 |title=iiNet: Conroy misrepresents our filtering stance}}</ref>

In September 2012 Conroy stated:{{blockquote|"The regulation of telecommunications powers in Australia is exclusively federal. That means I am in charge of spectrum auctions, and if I say to everyone in this room 'if you want to bid in our spectrum auction you'd better wear red underpants on your head', I've got some news for you. You'll be wearing them on your head ... I have unfettered legal power."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/government-it/senators-red-undie-remarks-fall-flat-in-new-york-20120928-26pqt.html|title=Senator's 'red undie' remarks fall flat in New York|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=29 September 2012}}</ref>}}

==Resignation from Parliament==
Stephen Conroy foreshadowed his resignation from parliament in a tabled speech on 15 September 2016; he resigned on 30 September 2016.<ref name="retirement"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/labor-senator-conroy-to-retire/news-story/44c5b53ca489b52b83bd4d0011355331|title=Labor senator Stephen Conroy retires|date=16 September 2016}}</ref>

On 25 October, a joint sitting of the Victorian Parliament appointed [[Kimberley Kitching]] as his replacement.<ref name="aap">{{cite news|title=Vic parly green lights Kitching for Senate|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/33003639/vic-parly-green-lights-kitching-for-senate/#page1|access-date=25 October 2016|agency=AAP|date=25 October 2016}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Career after politics==
In December 2016 it was announced that Conroy would be head of a new industry body for the gambling industry, [[Responsible Wagering Australia]], backed by bookmakers CrownBet, Sportsbet, Betfair, Unibet and Bet365.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/labor-powerbroker-stephen-conroy-joins-new-gambling-lobby-20161207-gt6391.html|title=Labor powerbroker Stephen Conroy joins new gambling lobby|date=7 December 2016}}</ref> In 2017, he joined [[Sky News Australia]] as a political commentator.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediaweek.com.au/stephen-conroy-joins-sky-news/|title=Stephen Conroy joins Sky News as political contributor|work=[[Mediaweek (Australia)|Mediaweek]]|date=20 March 2017|access-date=30 November 2017}}</ref>

In 2023 Conroy became the Independent Chairman of the [[Australian Professional Leagues]], the organisation responsible for administration of the [[A-Leagues]] professional soccer competitions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://keepup.com.au/news/a-league-new-independent-chair-stephen-conroy/ | title=A-Leagues Alumni }}</ref>

==Political positions==
Conroy is a Roman Catholic and socially conservative. While he voted against the abortion drug [[RU486]] in a conscience vote,<ref name=baby>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/the-senator-the-surrogate-and-the-new-baby/2006/11/06/1162661617858.html|title=The senator, the surrogate and the new baby - National - theage.com.au|date=7 November 2006}}</ref> he has claimed not to have taken a conservative position on all issues:

<blockquote>"I think the point I made was that while I would prefer there to be a parliamentary framework for the RU486, I think it was, debate, if the actual issue was before Parliament I would probably vote for the distribution of the pill. People often say, oh no Steve's a conservative Catholic, but they won't ever find on my voting record something that backs that up. I voted against the Northern Territory's euthanasia legislation. I voted for some of the cloning debate. So I voted in, I like to consider the issues on their merits and I voted what some would characterise as conservatively and some would characterise as progressively on a number of issues."<ref name=abc>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2008/s2472653.htm|title=AM - Sounds of Summer: Stephen Conroy on his complicated surrogacy arrangement|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=27 June 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/ru486-a-path-to-euthanasia/2006/02/09/1139379617316.html|title=Senate rejects RU486 veto - National|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=9 February 2006}}</ref></blockquote>

When a bill seeking to legalise [[Same-sex marriage in Australia|same-sex marriage]] was debated by the Senate in 2012, Conroy was one of 11 Labor Senators to vote against the legislation.<ref>{{Cite Hansard|jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia |title= Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012 |hansard= Journals Of The Senate No. 114—20 September 2012|page=3055 |url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/chamber/journals/20120920_SJ114/toc_pdf/jnlp_114.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf |house=[[Australian Senate|Senate]] |date= 20 September 2012}}</ref> By the time of Conroy's resignation, Labor Party policy supported same-sex marriage and bound its MPs to vote in favour of legislation from the end of the 2016–19 parliamentary term.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.afr.com/news/politics/bill-shorten-forced-to-compromise-on-gay-marriage-20150726-giklt1|title=Bill Shorten forced to compromise on gay marriage|date=26 July 2015|publisher=Australian Financial Review|author=Phillip Coorey}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Conroy and his wife, Paula Benson, have one daughter.<ref name=baby/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/senator-battles-infertility-laws/2007/12/02/1196530481824.html|title=Senator battles infertility laws - National|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=3 December 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20714082-601,00.html |title=The Australian, Labor rooster's surrogate by two mothers |access-date=18 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322182220/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20714082-601,00.html |archive-date=22 March 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

He was a national volleyball representative as a teenager and was the President of Volleyball Victoria from 2004 to 2019.<ref name=minifut/><ref>[http://www.volleyballvictoria.com.au/about.php Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20060820183618/http://www.volleyballvictoria.com.au/about.php |date=20 August 2006 }}, volleyballvictoria.com.au; accessed 18 September 2014.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=General Manager's Update {{!}} Volleyball VictoriaVolleyball Victoria|url=https://volleyballvictoria.org.au/general-managers-update-23/|access-date=2022-01-06|website=volleyballvictoria.org.au}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[First Rudd Ministry]]
* [[First Gillard Ministry]]
* [[Second Gillard Ministry]]

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081029214252/http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/ Stephen Conroy's website as minister for DBCDE]
* [https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/victoria/stephen_conroy Summary of parliamentary voting for Senator Stephen Conroy on TheyVoteForYou.org.au]
&nbsp;
{{S-start}}
{{S-off}}
{{succession box |before=[[Helen Coonan]] |title= [[Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Australia)|Minister for Broadband, Communications<br/>and the Digital Economy]]|years=2007–2013|after=[[Anthony Albanese]]}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{succession box | before = [[Chris Evans (Australian politician)|Chris Evans]] | title=Leader of the [[Australian Labor Party]] in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] | years=2013 | after=[[Penny Wong]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{Gillard Ministry}}
{{First Rudd Cabinet}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conroy, Stephen}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia]]
[[Category:Labor Right politicians]]
[[Category:Australian National University alumni]]
[[Category:Australian Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Australian people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:English emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:English people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:English Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Members of the Australian Senate for Victoria]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of Australia]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of Australia]]
[[Category:People from Ely, Cambridgeshire]]
[[Category:People who lost British citizenship]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:People educated at Daramalan College]]
[[Category:Intelligent Community Forum]]
[[Category:Australian Professional Leagues]]