Mike Freelander

Mike Freelander
MP
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Macarthur
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 July 2016
Preceded byRussell Matheson
Personal details
Born (1953-04-23) 23 April 1953 (age 71)
Sydney, Australia
CitizenshipAustralian
Political partyLabor
SpouseSharon
ChildrenSix[1]
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
OccupationPaediatrician
Websitewww.drmikefreelander.com.au

Michael Randolph Freelander (born 23 April 1953) is an Australian politician and paediatrician. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has held the Division of Macarthur in the House of Representatives since the 2016 federal election.

Early life

Freelander was born in Sydney.[2] His father Selwyn was a dentist and president of West Harbour RFC, while his mother Ruth was a preschool teacher. His paternal grandfather William Freelander arrived in Australia as a cabin boy and became mayor of Katoomba and the City of Blue Mountains.[3] Freelander attended Trinity Grammar School from 1965 to 1970, playing cricket and rugby and being appointed a prefect of the school. In the Higher School Certificate he qualified to study Medicine at Sydney University.

Medical career

Freelander studied medicine at the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP).[2] He trained as a paediatrician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children. In 1984 he moved to the Macarthur region of Sydney and established his own practice, also working at Camden and Campbelltown Hospitals for several decades. He additionally lectured at the University of Western Sydney.[4]

Politics

Freelander was elected to parliament at the 2016 federal election, defeating sitting Liberal member Russell Matheson in the Division of Macarthur. He was assisted by a favourable redistribution.[5] He became the first Labor MP to hold Macarthur since the Keating government lost the 1996 election, and gained increased majorities, after preference distribution, at the 2019[6] and 2022 elections.[7]

Freelander has served on the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport from 15 September 2016 and on the standing committee for Social Policy and Legal Affairs from 12 October 2016.[8] He has also served as the Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport.[9]

Personal life

Freelander has six children with his wife Sharon,[3] and had five grandchildren as of 2016.[1] He has said that he is "not a particularly religious Jew, but I still describe myself as Jewish".[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Macarthur – Australia Votes". Election 2016. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Dr Mike Freelander MP". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Maiden speech". 14 September 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  4. ^ a b Desiatnik, Shane (28 April 2016). "Doctor aims for Canberra". The Australian Jewish News. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  5. ^ James Robertson (2 July 2016). "Federal Election 2016: Labor's Mike Freelander wins Macarthur". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  6. ^ "Macarthur – Federal Election 2019 Electorate, Candidates, Results | Australia Votes – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  7. ^ "Macarthur – Federal Election 2022 Electorate, Candidates, Results | Australia Votes – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  8. ^ "Dr Mike Freelander MP".
  9. ^ "Committee Membership".
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Macarthur
2016–present 		Incumbent