Christopher Pyne

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The Honourable
Christopher Pyne
MP
Christopher Pyne Policy Exchange 2.jpg
Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science
Assumed office
21 September 2015
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Ian Macfarlane
Leader of the House
Assumed office
18 September 2013
Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Malcolm Turnbull
Deputy Darren Chester
Preceded by Anthony Albanese
Minister for Education and Training
In office
18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015
Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Bill Shorten
Succeeded by Simon Birmingham
Manager of Opposition Business in the House
In office
16 February 2009 – 18 September 2013
Deputy Luke Hartsuyker
Leader Malcolm Turnbull
Tony Abbott
Preceded by Joe Hockey
Succeeded by Tony Burke
Minister for Ageing
In office
21 March 2007 – 3 December 2007
Prime Minister John Howard
Preceded by Santo Santoro
Succeeded by Justine Elliot
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Sturt
Assumed office
13 March 1993
Preceded by Ian Wilson
Personal details
Born (1967-08-13) 13 August 1967 (age 57)
Adelaide, South Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party Liberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s) Carolyn Pyne
Children 4
Alma mater University of Adelaide, University of South Australia
Profession Lawyer, politician, author
Religion Roman Catholicism
Website http://www.pyneonline.com.au

Christopher Maurice Pyne, MP (born 13 August 1967), Australian politician and author,[1] has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives since 13 March 1993, representing the Division of Sturt, South Australia.[2] Pyne was Minister for Education and the Leader of the House in the Abbott Government from September 2013,[3] renamed Minister for Education and Training from December 2014.[4] In September 2015 he became Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science and remained Leader of the House in the Turnbull Government.

Early years and education

The fifth and youngest child of prominent ophthalmic surgeon, Remington Pyne and his wife Margaret,[5] Pyne was born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1967. He was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Adelaide and the University of Adelaide, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and was President of Adelaide University Liberal Club from 1987 to 1988.[6][7]

Career

He was a research assistant to Senator Amanda Vanstone and later became President of the South Australian Young Liberals from 1988–1990. Pyne was selected as the Liberal candidate for the state seat of Ross Smith, a safe Labor seat, at the 1989 election but was defeated by the sitting member and Premier of South Australia, John Bannon.[8] He earned a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the University of South Australia and began practising as a solicitor in 1991.

Political career

Pyne in 2006.

At the 1993 Australian federal election, aged 25, Pyne was elected to the Division of Sturt in the House of Representatives. He had earlier defeated Ian Wilson, who had held the seat for most of the time since 1966, in a pre-selection battle for the seat. Wilson was 35 years Pyne's senior; indeed, he had won his first election a year before Pyne was born.[2]

Pyne is a republican[9] and established himself as a member of the moderate, "small-l liberal" faction of the Liberal Party, supporting then Deputy Leader Peter Costello. Pyne remains a close ally of state Liberal Vickie Chapman.[10]

In 1994, after serving in the backbenches for a period, Pyne was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Social Security. He retained this position after John Howard was elected as leader, and up to the 1996 election.[7]

After the Coalition victory at the 1996 election, he remained in the backbench. In 2003, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Family and Community Services, where he remained until 2004, when named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing.[7] As Parliamentary Secretary, he defended the government's "War on drugs" and established his strong support of illicit drug prohibition, as opposed to harm minimisation.[11]

He is an advocate for mental health, founding the youth mental health initiative Headspace during his time as Parliamentary Secretary.[12] He remained Parliamentary Secretary until 30 January 2007 when he was appointed Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing. He held this portfolio until 21 March, when he was appointed Minister for Ageing, succeeding resigning Minister, Senator Santo Santoro.[2] Pyne chaired the Australia Israel Parliamentary group from 1996 to 2004.[8]

In Opposition

Pyne came close to losing Sturt at the 2007 federal election to Labor candidate Mia Handshin, after suffering a primary vote swing of 4.5 percent and a two-party swing of 5.9 percent, to finish with 50.9 percent of the two-party vote. Following the election in which the John Howard-led Coalition government was defeated by the Kevin Rudd-led Labor opposition, Pyne put himself forward as a candidate for Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. In a ballot of Liberal parliamentary members, Julie Bishop prevailed with 44 votes, ahead of Andrew Robb, who won 25 votes, and Pyne with 18 votes.[13] Following the election of Brendan Nelson as party leader, Pyne was appointed Shadow Minister for Justice and Border Protection.[14]

Following Malcolm Turnbull's election as Liberal Party Leader in September 2008, Pyne was elevated to the position of Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training.[15] After Deputy Leader Julie Bishop stepped down from the portfolio of Shadow Treasurer, Joe Hockey took up the portfolio, with Pyne replacing Hockey as Manager of Opposition Business. Pyne was reappointed as Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training and Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives by Tony Abbott when he became Leader of the Opposition after deposing Malcolm Turnbull.[16]

Pyne was re-elected at the 2010 federal election, receiving a primary vote swing of 0.9 percent and a two-party swing of 2.5 percent, to finish with 53.4 percent of the two-party vote.[17] In September 2010 he was re-appointed to Abbott's Shadow Ministry as Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training and Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives.[18]

Abbott Government

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Pyne was re-elected at the 2013 federal election, receiving a primary vote swing of 6.3 percent and a two-party swing of 6.51 percent, to finish with 60.11 percent of the two-party vote. On 18 September 2013 he was sworn in as Minister for Education and Leader of the House in the Abbott Government. In December 2014, the portfolio was renamed and he became Minister for Education and Training.[19]

In May 2014, Pyne suggested that HECS debts should be reclaimed from the estates of deceased students.[20]

On the announcement on 20 September 2015 that he would move to another ministry, Pyne declared that much had been achieved in his two years as education minister, including in the area of schools, the promotion of curriculum reform, teacher quality, school autonomy and parental engagement; and in higher education, the advocacy of major reforms, the promotion of international education, reduction of red tape, and encouragement of industry links with university research.[21]

Turnbull Government

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Pyne was appointed as Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, (despite much speculation he would be appointed as Defence Minister)[22] in the Turnbull Government in September 2015. He retained the position of Leader of the House.

Since February 2016, Pyne has co-hosted weekly television program Pyne & Marles on Sky News Live with Labor MP Richard Marles.[23]

Personal life

Pyne and his wife Carolyn have four children and reside in Adelaide.[7]

Bibliography

Non-fiction by Christopher Pyne

A Letter To My Children (2015)[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://www.mup.com.au/items/159574
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  5. http://www.ranzco.edu/index.php/honour-roll/122-ranzco-presidents/340-dr-remington-j-pyne-1982-1983
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  9. Political debate on ABC between Pyne, Mark Latham and moderator Tony Jones
  10. South Australia’s 10 most poisonous political feuds: The Advertiser 21 May 2014
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  17. Sturt results – 2010 federal election: AEC
  18. Parliamentary Handbook excerpt, aph.gov.au; accessed 26 December 2014.
  19. Parliament House Canberra press conference, pm.gov.au, 21 December 2014; accessed 26 December 2014.
  20. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/christopher-pyne-suggests-collecting-hecs-debts-from-dead-students-as-way-to-help-budget-20140528-394rx.html
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Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Sturt
1993 – present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Ageing
2007
Succeeded by
Justine Elliot
Preceded by Minister for Education
2013 - 2015
Succeeded by
Simon Birmingham
Preceded by Minister for Innovation and Science
2015 - present
Incumbent