Political Career
Hockey was Minister for Financial Services and Regulation 1998–2001 and Minister for Small Business and Tourism 2001–04. With the return of the Howard Government in 2004, Hockey was appointed Minister for Human Services and was elevated to the Cabinet in January 2007, when appointed Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.
Hockey regularly appeared on the Seven Network's morning program Sunrise in the 'Big Guns of Politics' section debating Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd until the arrangement was mutually terminated on 16 April 2007, following controversy over plans to stage a pre-dawn Anzac Day service in Vietnam.
In December 2007, Joe Hockey was made Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, and Manager of Opposition Business in the House. In September 2008 he became Shadow Minister for Finance, Competition Policy and Deregulation. Hockey became Shadow Treasurer in February 2009 when Julie Bishop stepped down from the portfolio.
Hockey's popularity among voters grew under the leadership of Malcolm Turnbull, and in October 2009 polls showed him as the preferred Liberal leader. However Hockey announced that he had no intentions to challenge for the leadership.
On 9 November 2009, Hockey gave a speech, In Defence of God, at the Sydney Institute. "Australia has embraced religious diversity. It must always remain so, and as a Member of Parliament I am a custodian of that principle of tolerance. That is why it is disturbing to hear people rail against Muslims and Jews, or Pentecostals and Catholics. Australia must continue, without fear, to embrace diversity of faith provided that those gods are loving, compassionate and just."
On 1 December 2009, Hockey chose to include his candidacy in a party room ballot to determine the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia. The ballot was between Hockey, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott. Hockey was eliminated in the first round of the ballot, with the eventuating winner being Tony Abbott. Following the change of leadership, Hockey remained Shadow Treasurer.
Hockey told ABC TV's Q&A audience on 7 March 2011 that corporate Australia had fallen behind in female boardroom representation, and if companies failed to meet a reasonable target within a period of time, then "more punitive measures" needed to be taken by parliament. He later said that, "quotas must be a last resort".
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