The Hon. John Mickel
The Hon. John Mickel
Strategic Director — Government Relations
John Mickel is a former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Minister for multiple portfolios under ALP Governments in Queensland.
Prior to being elected, John worked as a senior policy advisor to the Goss Government and to then-Opposition Leader Peter Beattie.
At the 1998 state election, he became the Member for Logan, winning the seat vacated by former Premier Wayne Goss on his retirement from parliament.
During his time in Parliament, John was Minister in a series of high profile portfolios, including Energy and, more recently, as Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations.
In 2009, after the re-election of the Bligh Labor Government, he was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and won bipartisan respect for his authority in running the Assembly.
In January 2013, John was appointed by the then-Treasurer and Minister for Trade, the Hon Tim Nicholls MP, to review the role of Trade and Investment Queensland. Upon completion, the report’s recommendations were strongly supported by government. The review led to the establishment of Trade and Investment Queensland as a statutory body.
John is a Director of the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and chaired a Review of Trading Hours in Queensland in 2016. He was a member of the Queensland Rail Board from 2013 to 2017. He is an Adjunct Professor with the Faculty of Law at the Queensland University of Technology, where he is also a part-time lecturer in political science. John is a regular political commentator on radio and television
Core skills
- Political strategy and engagement
- Machinery of State Government
- Infrastructure and Transport
- Economic development.
