Vale Kevin Andrews AM, man of faith, family and service

The Hon Kevin Andrews AM, who served in the Australian Parliament from 1991 to 2022 as member for the Victorian seat of Menzies in the House of Representatives, died from cancer on 14 December 2024, aged 69 years. A little over a month later, in the 2025 Australia Day honours, he was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for ‘significant service to the people and Parliament of Australia, to the Catholic Church, and to the community’.

Known for his deep faith and unshakeable principles, he leaves behind a legacy of unwavering commitment to service and an enduring love for his wife of 45 years, Margaret, and his five children and seven grandchildren.

Kevin Andrews was born in 1955 in the country town of Sale in north-west Victoria. He displayed an early passion for learning, completing a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws at the University of Melbourne, where he resided at Newman College. He later earnt a Master of Laws at Monash University. Kevin’s early professional life saw him excel as a barrister and serve as an associate to Sir James Gobbo in the Victorian Supreme Court. He was named Australian Young Lawyer of the Year for his pioneering work establishing legal support for disaster victims, and for publishing a book for seniors about the law. He was also a race-caller and sports reporter for more than a decade.

Kevin’s focus was always on building strong family relationships as the cornerstone of a healthy society. He believed that if families were supported and encouraged, society would flourish.

In 1979, Kevin married Margaret, the love of his life and his partner in faith, family and service. Together, they co-convened the Marriage Education Programme in Melbourne (1984–1996), assisting couples prepare for marriage. They were also members of the Australian Catholic Marriage and Family Council from 1998 to 2015, and Kevin served as a member of the executive of the Catholic Society for Marriage Education (1988–1995) and the Australian Association for Marriage Education (1988–1996).

Fr Tony Kerin, Vicar General for the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, first met Kevin and Margaret in 1989. The three of them were involved in marriage education, along with some other couples, for many years. ‘Kevin’s focus was always on building strong family relationships as the cornerstone of a healthy society,’ Fr Tony says. ‘He believed that if families were supported and encouraged, society would flourish.’

This commitment carried through to his political life, where he worked to combat ideologies that sought to undermine family structures. Fr Tony notes, ‘Not everyone was as faith-filled or loyal to their Catholic faith as Kevin was, but he never thought less of those who disagreed with him. His debates were always directed at ideas, not individuals. Kevin’s ability to balance principle with pragmatism was a hallmark of his character.’

Kevin’s life of public service began in 1991, when he was elected to the Australian Commonwealth Parliament as the member for Menzies, a role he held until his retirement in 2022. Over three decades, Kevin served in numerous ministerial and cabinet appointments, including Minister for Ageing (2001–2003), Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (2003–2007), Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service (2003–2007), Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (2007), Minister for Social Services (2013–2014) and Minister for Defence (2014–2015).

Whether it was supporting the aged, the terminally ill or refugees escaping persecution, Kevin’s work was always marked by genuine compassion and an unwavering sense of justice.

His legislative achievements and policy initiatives reflected his commitment to protecting the dignity of human life, supporting families and fostering social cohesion. Notably, he introduced a private member’s bill in 1996 to overturn the Northern Territory’s euthanasia laws, a decision grounded in his deep belief in the sanctity of life.

Anthony Moate was Kevin Andrews’ senior advisor during two of Kevin’s ministerial appointments. Both he and his wife, Sarah, worked for Kevin over many years and know the Andrews family through their shared involvement and attendance at their local Catholic parish. He describes Kevin’s extraordinary dedication: ‘I witnessed firsthand his commitment to serving the most vulnerable in the Australian community. Whether it was supporting the aged, the terminally ill or refugees escaping persecution, Kevin’s work was always marked by genuine compassion and an unwavering sense of justice. He also worked tirelessly to promote social cohesion, recognising the value of Australia’s multicultural society.

‘He always treated his staff, and those he encountered—on both sides of politics—with the utmost respect and dignity. For Kevin, being a public servant was very much a vocation, not as a member of the public service, but as a servant of the public.’

Faith, love and service were the cornerstone of Kevin’s life, shaping his worldview and guiding his actions, whether in the political or private realm. He was a lifelong parishioner at St John’s Catholic Church in Heidelberg, contributing tirelessly to the parish community. He chaired the finance committee, and oversaw church renovations and the establishment of the St Mary MacKillop Chapel. Kevin’s leadership was integral to the parish’s growth and vitality.

Parish priest of St John’s Fr Vinh Nguyen describes Kevin as ‘a man of prayer who lived by his faith, a gentle and staunchly dedicated servant to his family, his community and his country’. Adding to these sentiments, Fr Tony Kerin notes, ‘He will be remembered by all of his parish priests as a great support and encouragement in their ministry.’

Demonstrating his great love of his parish and church, Kevin documented the history of the parish in his latest book, A Mission to Evangelise: The Heidelberg Mission and St John the Evangelist, which was launched last year by renowned historian Geoffrey Blainey. He is also the author of Maybe I Do: Modern Marriage and the Pursuit of Happiness (Connor Court, 2012), Joseph Lyons and the Management of Adversity (Connor Court, 2016), One People One Destiny (Threshold Publishing, 2017) and Great Rivalries: Cycling and the Story of Italy (Connor Court, 2019). A prolific writer, even in his last days when his cancer was taking hold, he was sending messages to his publisher about the memoirs he was working on.

Kevin Andrews was an exemplar of someone who had obviously had an encounter with Christ and lived his faith according to that encounter. He lived his life in a way that the Catholic faith informed all his actions.

Throughout his life, Kevin remained deeply involved in community and charitable work. He served on the Council of Newman College at the University of Melbourne from 1990 and the Institute for Social Neuroscience from 2017, and was appointed a director of Villa Maria Catholic Homes in 2022. He was also appointed a mentor to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Parliamentary Academy in 2022.

He was also involved with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta throughout much of his life, and was one of the inaugural members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Kevin Bailey AM, Lieutenant of the Victorian branch of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, became good friends with Kevin through the Order, but also through being among the couples who assisted in the marriage preparation and education programs held over many years. Reflecting on Kevin’s mission and purpose in life, he says, ‘Kevin Andrews was an exemplar of someone who had obviously had an encounter with Christ and lived his faith according to that encounter. He lived his life in a way that the Catholic faith informed all his actions. He was a witness to the world of what the truth is.’

‘He lived his whole life serving others, and that was really evident in his chosen profession as a barrister, first, and then as a politician. He was quite an extraordinary example of someone who not only talked the talk but walked the talk. What you saw is what you got. He was the real deal. We need more people like him.’

A state funeral was held for the Hon Kevin Andrews MP at St Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne on 23 December 2024. Former prime minister of Australia the Hon Tony Abbott AC shared words of remembrance on behalf of the Andrews family, noting most importantly Kevin’s love of his family.

‘For all of his achievements on the national stage, it’s the family that Kevin and Margaret have built inside their home, with five wonderful children and their spouses and seven adored grandchildren, that will stand as his legacy as much as anything he did in Canberra.

‘As Margie has said in messages to many of you, speaking for all the family, including Kevin’s 99-year-old mother, Sheila, here today, and his brothers, Paul and Mark, “My beautiful husband was courageous and uncomplaining to the end. He leaves a proud legacy of service to his family, his country and his faith, which has sustained him always, but particularly in recent times.”’

He continued: ‘The consolation to Margie and to the family is that Kevin turned out to be such a singular politician, so universally admired for being a decent human being. We are indeed much the poorer for his passing, but we are so much the richer for his living. Kevin was a man of character, conviction and courage; a man of honour in the bear pit of public life, for whom politics was a calling, not a career, and who never put personal preferment ahead of principle.’