Political Career
At the 2001 election, O'Connor was elected as the Member for Burke, When the division was abolished by the 2003 redistribution, O'Connor successfully contested the new electoral division of Gorton at the 2004 election.
In December 2005, he was elected to the position of Chair of the Federal Labor Industrial Relations Taskforce in a caucus ballot. The Taskforce was instigated by the caucus in order to investigate the adverse effects of the Howard Government's WorkChoices legislation, a controversial package of industrial relations changes. In 2006, the Taskforce travelled to every state and territory convening meetings with individuals, employers, church and community groups and trade unions, collecting testimony. An interim report, WorkChoices: A Race to the Bottom was launched by Opposition Leader Kim Beazley at Parliament House, Canberra on 20 June 2006.
Shortly after the election of Kevin Rudd to the office of federal Labor leader and Leader of the Opposition on 4 December 2006, O'Connor was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations.
Following the Labor victory at the 2007 federal election, Prime Minister Rudd announced that O'Connor would serve as the Minister for Employment Participation from 29 November 2007.
On 6 June 2009 O'Connor was announced as the Minister for Home Affairs in the Rudd Government, replacing Bob Debus who retired at the 2010 election. Following Labor's narrow victory, Prime Minister Julia Gillard allocated increased responsibilities to O'Connor. He became Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Justice and Minister for Privacy and Freedom of Information. In December 2011, O'Connor became the Minister for Human Services and Minister Assisting for School Education. On 5 March 2012, O'Connor was sworn in as Minister for Small Business, Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness. He was also promoted to Cabinet for the first time.
On 30 August 2012, O'Connor and the Council of Australian Governments released the Housing Supply and Affordability Reform report, proposing reforms to increase housing affordability in Australia. The report omitted the fact that of the 20% of Australia, or more than 1,500,000 square kilometres (580,000 sq mi), that is owned or managed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, they are not allowed to own their own home.
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