Mike Nahan

Mike Nahan is a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Western Australian parliament. Prior to being elected to parliament in September 2008 he was a Senior Fellow with the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA). Between 1995 and July 2005 he was the Executive Director of the IPA.

Background
According to the biographical note previously on the Institute of Public Affairs website, Nahan "is an experienced commentator on resource economics, economic development, State finances and inter-governmental relations. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mike Nahan attended the University of Michigan where he graduated with a degree in Economics. Although, after coming to Australia in 1978, he went on to complete a Ph.D. in Economics at the Australian National University, along the way he managed to fit in a degree in Zoology, giving him a breadth of knowledge that many economists lack," his biographical note stated.

"That breadth was enhanced by the experience of owning and running a small trucking company in the United States, five years working and travelling in Asia and, later, working for the Western Australian Ministry of Economic Development as Director of Policy. Mike Nahan joined the IPA as Director of the States' Policy Unit in 1990 and became Executive Director in September 1995. He writes a fortnightly column for Melbourne's Herald-Sun and has a weekly spot on Melbourne ABC Radio 3LO, which is widely broadcast," it stated.

In August 2006 WA Business News reported that, a year after John Roskam took over as Executive Director of the IPA, Nahan was returning to Perth. ABC News also reported that Nahan had been appointed by the Western Australian Liberal Party to chair an inquiry into housing affordability. The report stated that Nahan is a member of the party. 

In September 2008 Nahan narrowly won a seat in the Western Australian state parliament seat of Riverton. Shortly after being elected Nahan proposed that compulsory voting should be abolished. "Going through the last election, I came to the conclusion that forcing people to vote will mean there is a large number of people who were just going through the motions," he said.

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Think tanks

Articles By Nahan

 * Mike Nahan, "Biotech---The Green's Waterloo?", IPA Review 'Musing', September 2002.
 * Mike Nahan, "IT outsourcing makes sense, globally", Australian IT, January 19, 2004.
 * Mike Nahan, "The Green Movement: Time to Get Serious", An address to the Victorian Farmers Federation 24th Annual Conference, Melbourne, 22--23 July, 2003.
 * Mike Nahan, "The resource blessing", Herald Sun, December 25, 2004.
 * Mike Nahan, "Biotech strategy may be poison pill", The Age, June 21, 2005.
 * Mike Nahan, "Protecting feta won't make it betta", Herald Sun, November 5, 2005.
 * Mike Nahan, "Not easy being green but we'll prosper", Herald-Sun, August 26, 2006.

General Articles

 * "Mike Nahan: Senior Fellow", accessed August 2006.
 * Peter Jepperson, "Institute claims public should embrace 24-hour shopping", 'PM', Australian Broadcasting Corporation, July 12, 1999.
 * Luisa Saccotelli, "Govt accused of misusing textile fund", 'AM', Australian Broadcasting Corporation, May 11,2001.
 * Interview with Mike Nahan, "Social Security: a sacred cow of a system, undated, accessed February 19, 2004.
 * Emma Alberici, "Disaster aid funding highlights deficit in permanent aid relief", 7.30 Report, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, January 5, 2005.
 * "WA Opposition launches housing inquiry", August 28, 2006.
 * Mark Pownall, "Nahan to take on policy roles", WA Business News, August 31, 2006.