Brendan Nelson

Brendan Nelson is a former Australia politician best known for his portfolios of Minister for Education, Science and Training and Minister for Defence. He represented the safe Liberal seat of Bradfield since 1996 until his resignation in 2009. He is a social liberal and had seen his only brother die of AIDS in 1995 and he told parliament 'Homosexual people are our brothers and sisters, our aunts and uncles, our sons and daughters, and some are even parents, and they should be able to live in a society that is free of intolerance, persecution and hatred'.

Politics

He is a moderate or a small "l" liberal and was once quoted as saying 'I would feel equally comfortable as a moderate Liberal as I would in the Labor Right'. He once famously said 'I'd be quite concerned if intelligent design were to replace evolution'. After John Howard's loss along with the Liberal Party in 2007 he became the leader of the Opposition narrowly defeating Malcolm Turnbull with 45 votes - 42 for Malcolm Turnbull. He is the first Catholic to head the Liberal Party.

Nelson was elected to the seat of Northcott in March 1999 at the and represented Northcott until early 2004.

After politics

On 16 September 2009 the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd appointed him as the Australia ambassador to the European Union and NATO.

External links

• Biography -- [1]
• Farewell speech and humor -- [2]