Tim Holding

The Honourable Tim Holding
Tim Holding, 2009
Minister for tourism and major events
In office 3 August 2007 – 2 December 2010
Premier	John Brumby
Preceded by	John Pandazopoulos (tourism)
Succeeded by	Louise Asher
Minister for water
In office 3 August 2007 – 2 December 2010
Premier	John Brumby
Preceded by	John Thwaites
Succeeded by	Peter Walsh
Minister for finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission
In office December 2006 – 2 December 2010
Premier	John Brumby (2007–) Steve Bracks (2006–2007)
Preceded by	John Lenders (finance, WorkCover & Transport Accident Commission)
Succeeded by	Robert Clark (finance)
Member of the Victorian Parliament for Lyndhurst
In office 30 November 2002 – 18 February 2013
Preceded by	New creation
Succeeded by	Martin Pakula
Member of the Victorian Parliament for Springvale
In office 18 September 1999 – 30 November 2002
Preceded by	Eddie Micallef
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	21 August 1972 Melbourne
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Alma mater	University of Melbourne
Military service
Service/branch	Australian Army Reserve
Years of service	1991–1993
Unit	1st Commando Regiment

Timothy James Holding (born 21 August 1972) is a former Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2013. He served as minister for water; minister for finance, WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission; and minister for tourism and major events in the Brumby Ministry.

Early life

Holding was educated at Haileybury College and the University of Melbourne, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1997.^[1] From the early 1990s he was active in the Australian Labor Party and Young Labor; being elected President of Australian Young Labor in 1993;^[2] working as an electorate officer to state and federal Members of Parliament, and later as an assistant ministerial adviser, including Senator Robert Ray.^[2]

He served in 126 Signals Squadron of the 1st Commando Regiment in the Australian Army Reserve from 1991 until 1993.^[2]

Political career

Local government

Holding served on the City of Waverley council between 1992 and 1994.^[2]

State government

In 1999, Holding was elected to Victorian Legislative Assembly as the Member for Springvale at the age of 27. In 2002 he was elected the Member for Lyndhurst and appointed minister for manufacturing and exports, and minister for the financial services industry. Earning praise from former premier, Steve Bracks, as a 'rising star' of the government he was promoted in 2005 to the position of minister for police and emergency services and minister for corrections.^[3]

Although there was a swing of 3.0% against Labor, Holding easily won the safe Labor seat of Lyndhurst in the 2006 state election by a margin of 25.1%.^[4]

After the 2006 election, he was given the portfolios of finance (including WorkCover and the Transport Accident Commission) and tourism as well as information and communication technology. Some initially saw this as a demotion, but Premier Steve Bracks described Holding as having done a 'great job' with finance being seen as central to government decision-making with fewer potential political difficulties than the notoriously tricky police portfolio.^[2][5]

Due to his relative youth and prominence, Holding has often been touted as a possible future Victorian Labor leader.^[6] He is recognised for his ability to master complex policy issues and combine this with his political capacity.^[7] Holding is well regarded by his colleagues who would value these attributes in the event of a vacancy for the Labor leadership. Holding suffered some criticism for his performance as police minister, however this would be unlikely to effect his chances of promotion given his steady performance in his current portfolios.^[8][9]

He was promoted in an August 2007 reshuffle following the ascension of John Brumby to the premiership, receiving the responsibilities he held until the Labor party was voted out in the 2010 election. Holding had been touted as a serious candidate for treasurer, but lost out to John Lenders.^[10]

On 15 February 2013, Holding announced that he would be resigning as shadow treasurer and shadow minister for industry effective immediately, and as the Member for Lyndhurst on 18 February.^[11]

Disappearance and rescue

On 31 August 2009, Holding was reported missing after he failed to return from a solo hiking expedition of Mount Feathertop, Victoria's second highest mountain, having walked up the Bungalow Spur.^[12] He was due to return at 4pm on Sunday 30 August, but made no contact with his family.^[13][14] Holding was located by the Australian Federal Police and was rescued on 1 September by a Victoria Police helicopter during a large scale search involving the Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad, the State Emergency Service and Bush Search and Rescue Victoria.^[15][16][17]

References

1. Tim Holding MP | About Tim
2. "Parliamentary Handbook – Hon. Tim Holding". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 26 December 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
3. http://sl.farmonline.com.au/news/state/agribusiness-and-general/general/twinkle-a-precocious-overachiever/1610854.aspx?storypage=2
4. 2006 Victoria State Election. Party Totals. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
5. Bracks names his team
6. Tomazin, Farrah; Nguyen, Kenneth (29 January 2005). "Labor's young man in a big hurry". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
7. Mickelburough, Peter (29 January 2009), Sharp Operator, The Herald Sun, p. 27
8. Training wheels Tim losing his sheen
9. Tomazin, Farrah (30 November 2006). "Shake-up aimed at reviving leadership team". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
10. "Treasurer's job a 'two-horse race'". PerthNow. 31 July 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
11. Holding, Tim (15 February 2013). "Statement from Tim Holding". The Age. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
12. Rood, David; Lahey, Kate; Cooper, Mex (31 August 2009). "Water Minister Tim Holding missing on freezing mountain". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
13. Schulz, Matthew (31 August 2009). "Tim Holding not seen since leaving for summit". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
14. "Victorian Minister Tim Holding missing on Mt Feathertop". news.com.au. 31 August 2009. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
15. "Holding found alive on Mt Feathertop". ABC News. ABC. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
16. Trickey, Gareth; McMahon, Stephen (1 January 2009). "Tim Holding torchlight spotted last night paved way for rescue". Herald Sun.
17. Horan, Patrick; Murphy, Padraic (2 September 2009). "Federal Police admit confirm aircraft's role in Tim Holding rescue". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2 September 2009.