Andrew McLachlan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senator forSouth Australia | |
| Assumed office 6 February 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Cory Bernardi |
| President of the South Australian Legislative Council | |
| In office 3 May 2018 – 5 February 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Russell Wortley |
| Succeeded by | Terry Stephens |
| Member of theSouth Australian Legislative Council | |
| In office 15 March 2014 – 5 February 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Ann Bressington |
| Succeeded by | Nicola Centofanti |
| Deputy President of the Australian Senate | |
| In office 26 July 2022 – 22 July 2025 | |
| President | Sue Lines |
| Preceded by | Sue Lines |
| Succeeded by | Slade Brockman |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Party | Liberal Party of Australia (SA) |
| Residence(s) | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide |
| Occupation | Lawyer business executive army officer |
| Website | Official website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch/service | Australian Army Reserve |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Australian Army Legal Corps |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Conspicuous Service Cross[1][2] Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John[3] |
Andrew Lockhart McLachlanCSC (born 14 January 1966) is an Australian politician who has been aSenator for South Australia since 6 February 2020, representing theLiberal Party of Australia. He was previously a member of theSouth Australian Legislative Council, having been elected at the2014 state election, and was subsequently electedPresident of the South Australian Legislative Council in May 2018. He resigned as president and member of the Legislative Council in February 2020, to take up the vacant seat in the Senate caused by the resignation ofCory Bernardi. He was re-elected in 2022, with his term expiring in 2028.
Prior to entering state parliament, McLachlan was a lawyer, army officer and a businessman working in the financial services industry.
McLachlan was born inAdelaide on 14 January 1966.[4]
McLachlan holds aBachelor of Laws from theUniversity of Adelaide, aMaster of Laws from theUniversity of Edinburgh and aMaster of Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management (University of Sydney andUniversity of New South Wales).[5][6]
McLachlan commenced his legal career as a young lawyer in regional South Australia, based in Port Augusta.
McLachlan has held senior leadership and executive positions in the financial services industry. He also served on the national executive of the Trustee Corporations Association of Australia and on the compliance and investment boards of the Financial Services Council. He served as the Director of the International Centre for Financial Services at theUniversity of Adelaide. Prior to taking up executive appointments, McLachlan worked as a lawyer specialising in superannuation, banking and finance law. McLachlan is also a Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia and the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.
McLachlan was elected to theSouth Australian Legislative Council at the2014 state election for an eight-year term.[7][8]
In March 2015, the 99-year grave licence atCentennial Park for anANZACWorld War I veteran who had fought atGallipoli expired. No family was located to pay for the continuation of the lease, and there was a possibility of the site being reused. As a fellow veteran, McLachlan paid the licence renewal fee to preserve the historical site.[9]
In July 2015, McLachlan crossed the floor and voted against the Statutes Amendment (Serious and Organised Crimes) Amendment Bill 2015, better known at the time as the 'Bikies Bill', which was contrary to theLiberal Party's position at the time. McLachlan had argued thatParliament should not act like a court and the provision in the Bill breached the principle of theseparation of powers. He was the onlyLiberal Member of Parliament to vote against the Bill.[10] McLachlan is a strong supporter of therule of law.
In late 2015 McLachlan introduced a Bill that would give legal protections to the identity of individuals who provide sensitive information to journalists. This is a common protection in other Australian jurisdictions, however; inSouth Australia the current law requires journalists to identify sources during court proceedings or commissions of inquiry, otherwise face a potential prison sentence.[11] The Bill was ultimately not supported by theGovernment.
In August 2017, McLachlan introduced an amendment to a motion put forward by theSA Greens andAdvance SA MLCs calling for theAustralian Government to 'recognise theState of Palestine, as we have recognised the state ofIsrael, and announce the conditions and timelines to achieve such recognition.'[12] McLachlan's amendment called 'on both sides to resume direct negotiations in good faith' and 'on the Commonwealth government to recognise the state of Palestine once the two sides have successfully negotiated atwo-state solution, as required byinternational law.' This amended motion was passed by theSouth Australian Legislative Council and welcomed by manyJewish organisations including the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council, theExecutive Council of Australian Jewry and the Jewish Community Council of South Australia.[13][14]
At the time of moving his successful amendment, McLachlan told Members of theLegislative Council:
In the land of questionable regimes that are often founded on intolerance,Israel has a vibrant democracy that operates under rule of law and is innovative and prosperous. For Israel to have the security, it needs a viable Palestinian state, a Palestinian state that recognises Israel and rejects violence against theJewish people. In my own lifetime, I dream of seeing a state of Palestine working cooperatively and collaboratively with its neighbour.Palestinians of all factions must reject violence.
On 3 May 2018, McLachlan was nominated to serve asPresident of the South Australian Legislative Council being elected by the Members of the Legislative Council unopposed.
On 1 February 2020, McLachlan was selected by the South Australian Liberal Party to fill avacant seat in theAustralian Senate caused by the resignation of former Liberal SenatorCory Bernardi. McLachlan defeated formerLaw Council of Australia president Morry Bailes and former state party treasurer Michael van Dissel.[15][16] He resigned as president and a member of the Legislative Council on 5 February 2020, and was appointed to theSenate by a joint sitting of theSouth Australian Parliament the following day.[4] He served the remainder of Bernardi's term expiring on 30 June 2022, and was re-elected for another six year term at the2022 federal election.
McLachlan is a member of the Centrist faction of the Liberal Party,[17] after previously being aligned with theModerate/Modern Liberal faction during theMorrison government years.[18]
For outstanding achievement as South Australian Panel Leader, Australian Army Legal Corps, in support of Australian Defence Force units in South Australia, in particular the 9th Brigade.
| Parliament of South Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theSouth Australian Legislative Council 2014–2020 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the South Australian Legislative Council 2018–2020 | Succeeded by |
| Parliament of Australia | ||
| Preceded by | Senator forSouth Australia 2020–present | Incumbent |
