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Georgina Mary Beatrice Downer (born 29 September 1979 in Brussels, Belgium)[2] is an Australian political figure and Director of the Robert Menzies Institute. She has unsuccessfully contested several elections, and is a lawyer and former diplomat.[3][4][5][6]
Georgina Downer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Georgina Mary Beatrice Downer[1] 29 September 1979 Brussels |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Member of the Downer family, political candidate |
| Spouse | Will Heath |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
|
Downer was born in Brussels in 1979 to Nicky and Alexander Downer. Her father, later leader of the opposition, was based in Belgium as a diplomat. Nicky had been a journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).[7][8] She is a member of the Downer political family, with several family members active in political life.[9]
After graduating from Seymour College in 1997, Downer moved from Adelaide to study law at the University of Melbourne.[10][11] In 2005, Downer won a Chevening Scholarship to study at the London School of Economics, where she graduated with a master's degree.[12][13][14][15]
Downer joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a graduate trainee in 2007, later spending four years in Japan. Working at the Australian Embassy, she reached the position of second secretary.[14][11][16]
In 2015, Downer was linked in the media to the Senate seat vacated by Michael Ronaldson; and as a possible replacement for Kevin Andrews in the seat of Menzies. In 2016, she was mooted as a possible replacement for Bruce Billson in the seat of Dunkley.[17][18][19]
Downer contested the Liberal pre-selection for the seat of Goldstein in 2016, but was defeated by Tim Wilson.[20][21][22]
She was the endorsed Liberal candidate for the seat of Mayo in the Australian House of Representatives in the 2018 by-election and in the 2019 general election, but both times was unsuccessful.[23][24][25][26][27][28] Her promotion of the funding of a sports grant while a candidate, instead of the current member for the seat, Rebekha Sharkie, was a key initiating factor in the public coverage of the sports rorts affair of 2020.[29][30] Downer returned to Melbourne shortly after her 2019 defeat.
Downer married Will Heath, a lawyer with King & Wood Mallesons, in 2009. The couple had met at university in 2000. They have two children.[28][31][32]
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