Mel Queanbeyan

The Honourable 	The Honourable
Dame Mel Queanbeyan 	Dame Mel Queanbeyan
22nd Prime Minister of CraftiaElections: 2052, 2055, 2058	22nd Prime Minister of CraftiaElections: 2052, 2055, 2058
In office 	In office
24 June 2051 – 17 September 2058 	24 June 2051 – 17 September 2058
President 	Ben ReedChen Weilin
Deputy 	John HammondReagen Queanbeyan
Preceded by 	Vincent Leonard
Succeeded by 	Zahab Wibowus
12th Leader of the Conservative Party 	12th Leader of the Conservative Party
In office 	In office
24 June 2051 – 29 January 2059 	24 June 2051 – 29 January 2059
Deputy 	John HammondReagen Queanbeyan
Preceded by 	Vincent Leonard
Succeeded by 	Reagen Queanbeyan
23rd Leader of the Opposition 	23rd Leader of the Opposition
In office 	In office
18 September 2058 – 29 January 2059 	18 September 2058 – 29 January 2059
Prime Minister 	Zahab Wibowus
Preceded by 	Zahab Wibowus
Succeeded by 	Reagen Queanbeyan
28th Deputy Prime Minister of Craftia 	28th Deputy Prime Minister of Craftia
In office 	In office
8 October 2050 – 23 June 2051 	8 October 2050 – 23 June 2051
Prime Minister 	Vincent Leonard
Preceded by 	Anthony Rudd
Succeeded by 	John Hammond
Minister for Education 	Minister for Education
In office 	In office
8 October 2050 – 23 June 2051 	8 October 2050 – 23 June 2051
Prime Minister 	Vincent Leonard
Preceded by 	Zahab Wibowus
Succeeded by 	Tracey Leung
Member of the Craftian Parliamentfor Chifley 	Member of the Craftian Parliamentfor Chifley
In office 	In office
19 September 2037 – 5 February 2059 	19 September 2037 – 5 February 2059
Preceded by 	Jim Hunt
Succeeded by 	Gaben Wodogongo
Personal details 	Personal details
Born 	Melanie Elise Twangusua22 June 2005 (age 67)Yarrayonga, Craftia
Political party 	Conservative
Spouse(s) 	Ron Queanbeyan (2031–)
Children 	Reagen Queanbeyan (2030–)
Alma mater 	University of Bonestan
Religion 	Roman Catholicism
Melanie Elise "Mel" Queanbeyan CD, née Twangusua (/kwiːnˈbiːən/ kween-bee-ən, born 22 June 2005) is a former Craftian politician who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Craftia from 2051 to 2058. She is the first woman to have served as Prime Minister and Leader of the Craftian Conservative Party (2051–2059), and was also the first Prime Minister of Reatinese heritage. She is Craftia's fourth longest-serving Prime Minister and longest-serving Conservative Prime Minister, with a tenure of over seven years, assuming office after ousting sitting Prime Minister Vincent Leonard in a leadership spill in June 2051.
Queanbeyan entered parliament at the 2037 federal election. She entered the Shadow Ministry in 2041 under new Conservative Party leader Leonard, serving as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs (2041–2046), Indigenous Affairs (2046–2049) and Education (2049–2050). She became the first female Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party in 2048 under John Hammond, becoming Deputy Prime Minister in 2050 after the 2050 Craftian constitutional crisis, which enabled Leonard to become Prime Minister. After defeating Leonard in a leadership spill 8 months later, Queanbeyan became the first female Prime Minister of Craftia.
The Queanbeyan Government had a highly neoliberal, free market and fiscally conservative platform, and enacted expansive economic reforms while heavily cutting taxes and allowing for economic deregulation. Economic growth rebounded and remained particularly strong under Queanbeyan's prime ministership, after a period of stagnation in the late 2040s. Queanbeyan's personal popularity and middle class appeal contributed to her government being reelected twice – a record for the Conservatives – despite being called 'illegitimate' by the Liberals and trade unions for coming into power by the virtue of Kevin Abbott's dismissal.
In terms of social issues, Queanbeyan's Catholicism played a minimal role in policy making, although government funding of private and Catholic schools increased during her term. Queanbeyan belonged to the libertarian faction of the Conservative Party, and sought to relax gun control laws and was strongly against the military intervention in North Tendos during her term. A national referendum regarding firearms deregulation and relaxed gun laws was held in 2056, resulting in a landslide defeat for the 'Yes' side, which Queanbeyan heavily campaigned for. This contributed towards her landslide defeat by Zahab Wibowus of the National United Party at the 2058 election. She continued to serve as Leader of the Opposition until January 2059, when she resigned from parliament.
The Queanbeyan Government today is remembered for being arguably the most economically liberal and pro-free market government in Craftian history, its emphasis on increasing civil liberties, reform of the national education system and development of regional cities. Queanbeyan's tenure as Prime Minister is highly ranked by historians and scholars but her legacy has been tarnished by allegations of nepotism towards her son Reagen Queanbeyan (highlighted by the fact that she appointed him Deputy Prime Minister in 2055) and factionalism during her time in office.