Daniel Mahoney

The Hon. Daniel Matthew Mahoney (b. March 5, 1960) is the Chief Minister of Delmago Island, Georgeland's smallest state. He is also the state Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Attorney-General and Minister for Federal Relations. He is a member of the Conservative Party of Georgeland. Born and educated in Santa Christina, Mahoney settled on Delmago Island at the age of 25, where he began work in a legal firm. In 1988 he jointed the staff of then federal Tory leader David O'Reilley and moved to Topstad, but he returned home in 1990 to contest the Senate. He was defeated, but was elected the state party president later that year, aged just 30. In 1995 he again contested the Senate and won. Mahoney served as a federal Senator until 1999, when he resigned after his wife Marissa was diagnosed with cancer. Mrs. Mahoney made a full recovery after a difficult series of operations, and in 2001 Mahoney stood for the state legislature and won. In 2002 he was elected as the Leader of the Opposition to the Labour government of Maryanne Hislop. In 2004, the Labour Party formally collapsed at the federal level. Hislop led her government out of the Labour Party three weeks prior to the party's collapse, and her cabinet all sat as Independent legislators. Mahoney, remaining as Opposition Leader, called for a vote of no-confidence in the Hislop government, and was supported by the Liberal Democrat leader, Mike Socic. Governor Michael Walker dissolved the legislature and called a fresh election. Socic's Liberal Democrats won five seats, as did Mahoney's Conservatives, while Mrs. Hislop and former deputy Jeff Calhoun were elected as Independents. One member of the Georgeland Alliance was also elected. Socic was commissioned to form a government with Hislop and Calhoun's support. On April 5, the first sitting day of the new parliament, Mahoney moved a no-confidence motion in the government, and was supported by the Georgeland Alliance. With Hislop and Calhoun abstaining, the government was defeated and Mahoney was commissioned as Chief Minister. Shortly thereafter, both Hislop and Calhoun resigned. Mahoney's government won one of their seats in a by-election; the other went to the Alliance. Mahoney therefore had enough support to survive for the forseeable future. He has so far had the support of the Georgeland Alliance on procedural matters, ensuring his minority government is able to govern with little difficulty. In October 2005, Mahoney was arrested for drink-driving on a Georgetown street. He was later released when evidence came to light that the officer concerned had targeted Mahoney because of his politics. Mahoney recieved a full apology from the police department, and the officer was dismissed.