Nick McKim

Background

McKim was born in London, England. When he was five years old, his family emigrated from the UK to Australia. He attended the Hutchins School, Kingston High School, then Hobart College. He had a younger brother who was killed by falling off a cliff in Blackmans Bay, Tasmania, in the late 1970s. He lived for a number of years in Adelaide, South Australia, before moving to Tasmania. Before entering parliament, McKim worked as a wilderness guide and advertising executive.

McKim served time in prison after being arrested during the Farmhouse Creek Blockade in the early 1980s.

McKim renounced his UK citizenship in 2015. He has since publicised documents supporting this claim.

Political career

Elected to Tasmanian House of Assembly in the Division of Franklin at the 2002 election, McKim was re-elected at the 2006 election, receiving 15.93 per cent of first preferences, an increase compared to his previous vote of 12.59%. He replaced Peg Putt as Leader of the Tasmanian Greens when Putt retired from Parliament in 2008.

McKim supported the government in passing the same sex relationships bill (which recognises same sex relationships in Tasmania under common law) and has promoted the Greens' own Same-Sex Marriage Bill. During 2008, he campaigned heavily against the use of 1080 poison, forestry practices and the state's anti-terrorism bill.

Tasmanian government minister

In the 2010 Tasmanian election McKim achieved 24.1% of first preferences in his lower house seat. On 19 April 2010, Labor premier David Bartlett agreed to appoint McKim as a minister along with Cassy O'Connor as cabinet secretary.

As a minister, McKim originally held the portfolios of Sustainable Transport and Alternative Energy, Corrections and Consumer Protection, Climate Change, Human Services, and Community Development: though he delegated responsibility for the portfolios of Human Services and Community Development to fellow Greens MP and then cabinet secretary Cassy O'Connor. After a Cabinet reshuffle in November 2010 the portfolios of human services and community development were formally assumed by newly appointed Greens minister Cassy O'Connor, whilst McKim was sworn in as minister for the newly created Aboriginal Affairs portfolio alongside his other three portfolios. Another Cabinet reshuffle, caused by Lin Thorp losing her seat in the Tasmanian Legislative Council elections and David Bartlett resigning from the assembly, then saw McKim sworn in on 13 May 2011 as Minister for Education and Skills, whilst retaining the three portfolios of corrections, consumer protection and sustainable transport. McKim was responsible for overseeing the closing of the Hayes Prison Farm and the removal of Flex Learning for prisoners as Minister for both portfolio areas of Education and Corrections.

On 16 January 2014, the premier, Lara Giddings, announced that the power sharing arrangement with the Tasmanian Greens was over, and that McKim and O'Connor would be replaced by Labor MPs effective on 17 January. She said that the ALP would not govern with Greens in the cabinet in future.

McKim was re-elected to the House of Assembly at the 2014 Tasmanian State Election with 13.4% of the primary vote.

Federal politics

After Christine Milne's resignation from the senate, McKim was announced to be one of the 10 Greens members vying to replace her. The ballot, open to Greens members, was held in July 2015.

The Tasmanian Greens announced at a press conference on 30 July 2015 that McKim had won the membership ballot to replace Christine Milne in the Senate. He resigned from the Tasmanian Parliament on 4 August, and a countback was conducted to elect Rosalie Woodruff as his replacement on 17 August. McKim was appointed to the Senate by a joint sitting of the Tasmanian Parliament on 19 August 2015. Unlike other Greens Senators, Senator McKim has had ministerial experience due to him having been a minister in the previous Tasmanian ALP Government whilst as State Greens leader.

Personal life

In July 2009, McKim confirmed he was in a relationship with Cassy O'Connor, also a Tasmanian Greens Member of the House of Assembly.