Until being maliciously & falsely accused in the NSW Parliament on 24 March 2021, his identity being leaked to media the same day, and his resignation six days later to protect his family from misplaced media and public outrage, Michael Johnsen was the elected New South Wales Member for Upper Hunter for six years and Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture for two years. He was also the elected Mayor of the Upper Hunter Shire Council for four years and a Councillor for eight years.  

 

In total, he has been an elected official for 13 years, and president, chairman and independent chair of not-for-profits and community groups for a further nine years. 

 

Throughout his public career, Michael has liaised at all levels of local, state and federal government to consult, advocate and negotiate pathways for new mining, gas and green energy, agribusiness, dairy, medical, research, education and thoroughbred industry investments and major public roads and infrastructure, including many New South Wales State significant projects, and facilitated stakeholder cooperation. 

 

He has extensive knowledge of legislation and regulatory requirements, and experience in chairing complex, technical, high interest community consultation committees to achieve general agreement and growth and transformation outcomes. 

 

He maintains positive non-partisan relationships with numerous elected officials, peak bodies, councils, Aboriginal land councils, and environmental and heritage groups in NSW and the ACT. And is popular with regional communities, particularly in the Hunter.

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He has considerable television, radio and print media experience, and maintains proactive interests in state and federal politics, justice, media accountability and sport. Michael works as a government and community relations and strategy consultant and is also undertaking post graduate studies in communications.