| Honorific-Prefix: | The Hon |
| Matt Foley | |
| Office: | Minister for Employment and Training of Queensland |
| Term Start: | 22 February 2001 |
| Term End: | 12 February 2004 |
| Premier: | Peter Beattie |
| Predecessor: | Paul Braddy |
| Successor: | Tom Barton |
| Term Start1: | 24 September 1992 |
| Term End1: | 31 July 1995 |
| Premier1: | Wayne Goss |
| Predecessor1: | Ken Vaughan |
| Successor1: | Wendy Edmond |
| Office2: | Attorney-General of Queensland and Minister for Justice |
| Term Start2: | 29 June 1998 |
| Term End2: | 22 February 2001 |
| Premier2: | Peter Beattie |
| Predecessor2: | Denver Beanland |
| Successor2: | Rod Welford |
| Term Start3: | 31 July 1995 |
| Term End3: | 19 February 1996 |
| Premier3: | Wayne Goss |
| Predecessor3: | Dean Wells |
| Successor3: | Denver Beanland |
| Office4: | Shadow Attorney-General Shadow Minister for Justice |
| Term Start4: | 22 February 1996 |
| Term End4: | 26 June 1998 |
| Leader4: | Peter Beattie |
| Predecessor4: | Denver Beanland |
| Successor4: | Lawrence Springborg |
| Office5: | Minister for Industrial Relations of Queensland |
| Term Start5: | 24 September 1992 |
| Term End5: | 19 February 1996 |
| Premier5: | Wayne Goss |
| Predecessor5: | Ken Vaughan |
| Successor5: | Santo Santoro |
| Constituency Am9: | Yeerongpilly Yeronga (1989–2001) |
| Assembly9: | Queensland Legislative |
| Term Start9: | 2 December 1989 |
| Term End9: | 7 February 2004 |
| Predecessor9: | Norm Lee |
| Successor9: | Simon Finn |
| Birth Date: | 24 January 1951 |
| Birth Place: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Birthname: | Matthew Joseph Foley |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Party: | Labor Party |
| Children: | 2 sons, 4 stepchildren |
| Alma Mater: | University of Queensland |
| Occupation: | Solicitor, Social worker |
The Hon. Matthew Joseph Foley (born 24 January 1951) is a former Australian politician.
Before entering politics, he was a barrister and social worker, and sub-dean of the Social Work Faculty at Queensland University 1981 - 1983. He was chairperson of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (1983 - 1986), president of the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties (1985 - 1987), a member of the Criminal Law Sub-Committee of the Bar Association of Queensland and of the National Consumer Affairs Advisory Council (1988 - 1989) and National President of the Labor Lawyers Association (1989).[1]
In 1989, Foley was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as the Labor member for Yeronga.[1] From 1992 onward, Foley served as Attorney-General of Queensland and Minister for the Arts, among other roles, in the Wayne Goss Government.[1]
In opposition from 1996 to 1998, Foley was Shadow Attorney-General.[1]
When Labor won government under Peter Beattie in 1998, Foley was appointed Minister for the Arts, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. At the 2001 election, his seat was abolished and he successfully contested Yeerongpilly. Judge Roslyn Atkinson has credited Foley, in his role as Queensland Attorney-General, with making the Bench more inclusive and representative of wider society, and specifically appointing more women to the Bench.[2] After the election, he became Minister for Employment, Training and Youth, keeping his responsibility for the Arts but leaving his legal portfolios.
Foley retired from politics in 2004.[1]