Michael David Danby

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Date of Birth16 February 1955
ParliamentFederal
DesignationMHR Melbourne Ports
PartyALP
Term1998 to 2019

BiographyMichael David Danby was born in Melbourne becoming politically active at Melbourne University. He was president of the Australian Union of Jewish Students and the Melbourne University Student Union. After his election in 1998, he was the only Jewish member in federal parliament until 2007. His grandparents were murdered in the Holocaust which he felt led him to sometimes controversial defence of Israel against those he saw as expounding extreme antizionist views including some members of his own party. He also advocated for government funding of Jewish and other schools at risk of terrorist attack. His marriage in 2008 to Amanda Mendes da Costa was the first Jewish wedding to be held in Parliament House.