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Julian Martin Leeser (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian politician. He is a member of the Liberal Party and has represented the Division of Berowra since the 2016 federal election. He was a shadow minister under Peter Dutton from 2022 to 2023.
Leeser attended Cranbrook School, Sydney. He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (Honours degree) and Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales. He sat on Woollahra Council for Bellevue Hill Ward from 1995 to 1999 as an independent. Aged 19 at the time, he was estimated to be the youngest local councillor elected in NSW history. Liberal candidate Julian Leeser follows in the footsteps of neighbour and political giant Philip Ruddock. Retrieved 3 July 2016 In 1999 he served as a member of Prime Minister John Howard's No campaign during the republic referendum. In 2000, he was an associate to Justice Ian Callinan of the High Court of Australia.
Leeser has written several articles defending the legacy of Prime Minister William McMahon, Julia has nothing on Billy, The Spectator, 11 February 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2017. How McMahon was beaten by Whitlam and the Coalition, The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 January 2003. Retrieved 8 November 2017. as well as an obituary of McMahon's wife Sonia McMahon for The Australian. Gracious, stylish and steadfast, The Australian, 5 April 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2017. He authored McMahon's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, McMahon, Sir William (Billy) (1908–1988), Australian Dictionary of Biography, 2012. and as of 2016 was working on a full-length biography. ABC Guide to the Federal Election 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
After the 2019 election Leeser became chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration and the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs.
After the 2022 election, Leeser was elevated to Peter Dutton's shadow ministry as the Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians.
He resigned from shadow cabinet in April 2023 after the Liberal Party resolved to support the "No" vote at the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.
Leeser supports Australian recognition of West Jerusalem as capital of Israel, as implemented by the Morrison government in 2018. In October 2022, he described the Albanese government's decision to reverse the Morrison government's stance as "shambolic". The following month, he and deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley travelled to Israel to "reaffirm the Coalition's commitment to West Jerusalem as the nation's capital", in a trip organised by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council.
Following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and resulting Gaza war, Leeser called on Australia to suspend its diplomatic relations with Iran, which he said had been "deeply involved" in the attack and was a "criminal regime". He subsequently announced that he would wear a kippah in federal parliament for one week as a statement against increased anti-semitism in Australia. In November 2023, in response to protests in Australia against the Gaza war, Leeser called for the New South Wales state government to ban vehicle convoys from carrying Palestinian flags, stating that drivers who participate in pro-Palestinian vehicle convoys should have their licences cancelled and their vehicles impounded.
In January 2025, following a rise in antisemitic incidents in Australia, Leeser called for mandatory jail sentences for people convicted of vandalising Jewish sites, stating that "people need to know that if you graffiti a synagogue or a Jewish communal property, you will go to jail".
Career
Leeser worked as an adviser for Minister for Workplace Relations Tony Abbott in 2001 and for Philip Ruddock between 2004 and 2006. He worked as a solicitor for Mallesons Stephen Jaques between 2002 and 2004. In 2006 he joined the Menzies Research Centre as executive director, before becoming Director of Government Policy & Strategy at the Australian Catholic University in July 2012. Julian Leeser Mercy Health Julian Lesser to head government relations at ACU Australian Catholic University August 2012
Parliament
Leeser joined the Liberal Party in 1992 and served as vice-president of the Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division from 2015 to 2016. In April 2016 he won Liberal preselection for the safe seat of Berowra. Federal election 2016: Julian Leeser wins Liberal Party preselection for seat of Berowra Hills News 18 April 2016 He was elected to parliament at the 2016 federal election, succeeding the retiring Philip Ruddock in Berowra. In his maiden speech he spoke of the impact of his father's suicide when he was 20 years old.
Political views
Leeser has been identified as a member of the Liberal Party's moderate faction.
Personal life
Leeser is married to Joanna Davidson and has two children; James, born in 2018 and Ruth, born in 2022. He lives with his family in Thornleigh. Leeser is the first Jewish Liberal member of the House of Representatives from New South Wales and a member of the Emanuel Synagogue in Woollahra.
Categories: 1976 Births, Academic Staff Of The Australian Catholic University, Australian Monarchists, Australian Mps 2016–2019, Australian Mps 2019–2022, Australian Mps 2022–2025, Australian Mps 2025–2028, Australian Solicitors, Jewish Australian Politicians, Lawyers From Sydney, Living People, Members Of The Australian House Of Representatives, Members Of The Australian House Of Representatives For Berowra, Municipality Of Woollahra, New South Wales Local Councillors, People Educated At Cranbrook School, Sydney, People From The North Shore, Sydney, Politicians From Sydney, University Of New South Wales Alumni, University Of New South Wales Law School Alumni
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