Representative Keith Wolahan Contact information

Keith Wolahan is an Australian politician who was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives for the seat of Menzies in the 2022 Federal Election. He was born in Dublin, Ireland and migrated to Australia with his parents and two brothers in 1988. Wolahan was educated at local public schools and worked part-time at McDonald’s in Ringwood. He graduated from the University of Melbourne with Bachelor degrees in Arts and Commerce, and later from Monash University with a Bachelor of Law (Honours), where he was awarded the Sir Charles Lowe Moot Prize. Wolahan worked as a commercial barrister for twelve years, specializing in commercial and consumer trials, with clients including multinational resource company, Glencore, and individuals accused of war related crimes. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a master’s degree in International Relations in 2013.

Wolahan is also a three-tour veteran of Afghanistan as a commando officer. He joined 2 Commando Company, 1st Commando Regiment, and was promoted to Captain in 2004. He saw several periods of active service in Timor-Leste and Afghanistan, leading intelligence-driven operations and Joint Prioritized Effects List missions, sometimes commanding 80 troops. Wolahan lost two friends in the War in Afghanistan. He entered politics and defeated the sitting member Kevin Andrews in a preselection contest to become a member of the 47th Parliament. Wolahan is a member of the House Economics and Joint Standing National Anti-Corruption Commission Committees.

Wolahan has stated that he voted “yes” in the 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite and has cited plummeting home ownership rates amongst young Australians as one of his party’s top political and societal challenges. He rejects suggestions he is a member of the moderate or conservative factions of the Liberal Party and has been reported to be aligned to a Centrist group in the party room. Wolahan expressed his opposition to a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous Voice to Parliament, calling instead for “minimalist” reforms that “removes race from the Constitution”. He has urged “truth telling over myth making” in response to allegations of war crimes by Australian special forces in Afghanistan and has given several speeches in support of the protests that began in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini. Wolahan is married to his wife Sarah and has two children, Leo and Eva.