Michael John Johnsen (born 15 March 1964) is an Australian former politician who served in the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament Ho ...

as the member for

Upper Hunter The Upper Hunter Shire is a local government area in the Upper Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed in May 2004 from the Scone Shire and parts of Murrurundi and Merriwa shires. The Mayor of the Upper Hunter Shir ...

for the Nationals from 2015 to 2021. Johnsen served as Mayor for the

Upper Hunter Shire Council The Upper Hunter Shire is a local government area in the Upper Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed in May 2004 from the Scone Shire and parts of Murrurundi and Merriwa shires. The Mayor of the Upper Hunter Shi ...

from 2009 to 2012 and previously contested the seat of

Hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

for the Nationals at the

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

and 2013 federal elections. Johnsen was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in March 2015 "after a traditional Nationals family values election campaign in which his wife featured prominently." Johnsen announced he was standing aside temporarily on 24 March 2021 due to an ongoing police investigation into a rape allegation against him. He stood aside from his role as parliamentary secretary, and moved to the crossbench and did not sit in the Nationals nor the joint party room. Following further allegations of inappropriate conduct in Parliament House, Johnsen resigned from parliament on 31 March 2021.

Personal life

Michael Johnsen married Zenda Casey in November 1985 and the couple had two children. The marriage ended in late 2015, nine months after Johnsen's election as the member for Upper Hunter.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnsen, Michael Living people People from the Hunter Region National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly 1964 births Place of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Australian politicians