Fran Logan

Francis Michael Logan (born 25 February 1956) has been the Minister for Emergency Services and Corrective Services in the McGowan Labor Government since 17 March 2017[1] and sits in Western Australia's Legislative Assembly.

The Honourable Fran Logan MLA
Logan at an army cadet graduation at Banksia Hill Detention Centre in 2017
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Cockburn
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 February 2001
Preceded by	Bill Thomas
Personal details
Born	Francis Michael Logan 23 March 1956 Whyteleafe, Surrey, England
Citizenship	Australian
Political party	Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Vivienne Burnham
Children	Two
Alma mater	University of Sydney
Occupation	Mechanic, union official

He was elected to the south western electorate of Cockburn for the Labor Party in 2001.

Biography

Logan trained as a mechanic in his native England before emigrating to Western Australia in 1980 after travelling around Asia.[2]

He worked in the aircraft and mining industries in New South Wales and Western Australia and later completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Economics at Sydney University where he won the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia National Award for his thesis examining Australia's trade relations with Japan and China.[3]

Logan was employed as a trade research officer, industrial advocate and organiser with the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union from 1986 until entering parliament in 2001.[4]

He is married to wife Vivienne and has two adult children Alexandra and Henry.

Political career

Under Logan's tenure as the current minister for emergency services and corrective services, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services has been restructured to include a Rural Fire Division[5] and the Office of Emergency Management has been integrated into the department's structure.[6]

A new Bushfire Centre of Excellence is also planned and will research bushfire management and response.

The Department of Corrective Services has been merged with the previous Department of the Attorney-General to become the Department of Justice.[7]

Logan won preselection for the seat of Cockburn on the retirement of Bill Thomas. Logan won the seat at the 2001 election, subsequently retaining it at both the 2005 and 2008 elections.[8]

Early in his time in office, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment. Following the 2005 election, he was promoted to the Ministry on 10 March 2005, becoming the Minister of Housing and Works and Minister for Heritage, as well as the Minister assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Alannah MacTiernan.

On 3 February 2006, Logan was appointed Minister for Energy, Science and Innovation in the Carpenter Ministry. Following a reshuffle of the Ministry on 13 December 2006, he gained the Resources portfolio as well as Industry and Enterprise, whilst losing Science and Innovation to Alan Carpenter. Logan served in the Carpenter Ministry as Minister for Energy; Resources; Industry and Enterprise until the Labor government's defeat at the 2008 election.[9]

In May 2008, allegations surfaced that Logan had discussed with one of his female ministerial staffers about having sex with him and another employee of the government. Logan claimed he was joking with a staffer that he had known for some years and it was part of an "ongoing, light-hearted, two-way banter[10]".

He said that the woman involved did not express any offence or concern at the time. However, the former ministerial staffed claimed that Logan had made the comment on more than one occasion and she had found the remarks completely inappropriate, offensive and not fitting of a minister of the Crown.[11][12]

Then WA Premier Alan Carpenter ignored Opposition calls to remove Logan over the allegations after Logan claimed it was a joke.

Following Labor's loss at the 2008 state election, he formally ceased his duties as a Minister on 23 September 2008, and became the Shadow Minister for Water, Consumer Protection and Industrial Relations.

He became the minister for emergency services and corrective services on 17 March 2017 following the McGowan Labor Government's defeat of the Barnett Liberal-National Government at the 11 March 2017 election.

References

1. "Mark McGowan sworn in as new WA Premier". ABC News. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
2. "Science and innovation in Western Australia". Radio National. 12 April 2006. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
3. "Francis Logan MLA Biography". www.premier.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
4. "Hansard extract 2 May 2001" (PDF). 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
5. Kagi, Jacob (13 April 2018). "WA to get new country fire service funded by levy hike". ABC News. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
6. "Media Statements - Department restructure to benefit State's emergency services". www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
7. "2017 Machinery of Government changes". Public Sector Commission. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
8. "ABC News Online - Western Australian Election 2008". 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
9. "Extract from the Western Australian Parliamentary Handbook". 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
10. "Minister escapes from sex scandal". The Australian. 26 May 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
11. Gosch, Elizabeth (27 May 2008). "The Australian - Fran Logan escapes from sex scandal". The Australian. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
12. Strutt, Jessica; Adshead, Gary (24 May 2008). "The Age - MP accused over 'threesome'". Melbourne. Retrieved 11 June 2008.