Dr Christian Andrew Carr Rowan (born 5 October 1972) is an Australian politician and specialist physician. He has been the Liberal National Party State Member for Moggill in the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 2015.[1]
Dr Christian Rowan | |
|---|---|
 Queensland Parliament | |
| Shadow Minister for Education | |
| In office 15 November 2020 – 28 October 2024 | |
| Leader | David Crisafulli |
| Preceded by | Jarrod Bleijie |
| Shadow Minister for Arts | |
| In office 15 December 2017 – 28 October 2024 | |
| Leader | Deb Frecklington David Crisafulli |
| Preceded by | Tim Nicholls |
| Shadow Minister for Communities, Disability Services and Seniors Shadow Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships | |
| In office 15 December 2017 – 15 November 2020 | |
| Leader | Deb Frecklington |
| Preceded by | Ros Bates (Communities, Disability Services and Seniors) Steve Minnikin (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships) |
| Succeeded by | John-Paul Langbroek (Communities, Disability Services and Seniors) John-Paul Langbroek (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships) |
| Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, Shadow Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef | |
| In office 6 May 2016 – 15 December 2017 | |
| Leader | Tim Nicholls |
| Preceded by | Stephen Bennett |
| Succeeded by | David Crisafulli |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Moggill | |
| Assumed office 31 January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Bruce Flegg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 October 1972 Brisbane, Queensland |
| Political party | Liberal National Party |
| Spouse | Jane Louise Rowan |
| Children | 4 children |
| Education | University of Queensland |
| Profession | Physician |
Professional career
editRowan is a specialist physician in addiction medicine[2][3] and medical administration.[4]
Rowan served as President of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ) from 2006 to 2007, and served as President of the Australian Medical Association of Queensland (AMAQ) from 2013 to 2014. Rowan was awarded an Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Distinguished Service Award in 2010.[5]
Rowan was previously the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Uniting Care Health and Director of Medical Services at St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital. He has also worked as a Director of Medical Services and Medical Superintendent in rural and regional Queensland, predominantly in South-West Queensland but also on the Darling Downs.[6]
Rowan has also advocated about the growing public health problems of over-the-counter codeine misuse and the emergence of new synthetic drugs.[2]
Political career
editAt the 2004 Queensland state election, Rowan unsuccessfully ran for the Queensland National Party in the seat of Gympie, finishing in third place behind Labor and incumbent Independent MP Elisa Roberts.[7] Eleven years later, at the 2015 state election, he won the seat of Moggill for the Liberal Nationals, defeating Labor candidate Louisa Pink with 58.2 percent of the two-party preferred vote.[1] He was a Deputy Chair of the Health, Communities, Disability Services and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Committee in the 55th Queensland Parliament.[5]
In 2014, Rowan was sidelined as a spokesman for the AMAQ after he informed doctors he supported the Newman LNP Government's public hospital contracts. Rowan said the contracts had the "capacity to drive productivity, efficiency, value for money and enhance transparency of outcomes for the public hospital system." The AMA federal president Steve Hambleton replaced Rowan as spokesman for the Queensland campaign to force the State LNP Government to continue negotiating with doctors over dispute resolution procedures, transfers, and dismissal procedures. Rudd reaffirmed that the Queensland division of the association fully supported the doctors' stance on the contracts.[8]
Rowan in his maiden speech to the Queensland Parliament said "The sustainability of our health system requires productivity, efficiency, accountability, transparency and the ongoing measurement and public reporting of the effectiveness of government investment. Unfortunately, often in health-care individuals and sectional interest groups pursue conflicted agendas related to power, profit and prestige with little regard to the interests of patients, despite the public protestations of those individuals and sectional interest groups to the contrary. That was evident during the recent public sector medical contracts dispute in Queensland."[6]
In 2015, Rowan called for a debate about reinstating the Death penalty for terrorist acts.[9][10][11] In 2019, Rowan argued that pill testing should be considered as a harm reduction strategy in Queensland.
Early life and education
editRowan was born in Brisbane, Australia. He completed his secondary education at the Anglican Church Grammar School in East Brisbane. He received his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from The University of Queensland in 1996. He attained a Master of Diplomacy & Trade from Monash University in 2002.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b Green, Antony. "Moggill". Queensland Election 2015. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ a b Scott, Leisa (31 August 2013). "Codeine addiction a growing problem". QWeekend The Courier Mail.
- ^ "Dr Christian Rowan, The Wesley Hospital". The Wesley Hospital.
- ^ "New Brisbane service to help tackle pain and pharmaceutical dependence". St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital. 2 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Queensland Parliament, Dr Christian Rowan".
- ^ a b c "Inaugural Speech, Christian Rowan" (PDF). Queensland Parliament, Record of Proceedings. 27 March 2015.
- ^ "2004 State General Election - Gympie". Electoral Commission Queensland. 20 February 2004. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "AMAQ boss Christian Rowan sidelined after backing Newman Government doctor contracts". Courier Mail. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- ^ "Queensland MP Christian Rowan calls for debate on reinstating the death penalty in Australia". Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ "Former head of Queensland AMA suggests return of death penalty". Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ "Queensland MP calls for debate on death penalty for terrorists". Retrieved 24 October 2024.