Warren Truss

The Honourable
Warren Truss
MP
12th Leader of the National Party of Australia
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 December 2007
Deputy Nigel Scullion
Preceded by Mark Vaile
Constituency Wide Bay
Majority 15.6%
Minister for Trade
In office
10 August 2006 – 3 December 2007
Preceded by Mark Vaile
Succeeded by Simon Crean
Minister for Transport and Regional Services
In office
6 July 2005 – 10 August 2006
Preceded by John Anderson
Succeeded by Mark Vaile
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
In office
20 July 1999 – 6 July 2005
Preceded by Mark Vaile
Succeeded by Peter McGauran
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Wide Bay
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 March 1990
Preceded by Clarrie Millar
Personal details
Born 8 October 1948 (1948-10-08) (age 63)
Kingaroy, Queensland
Political party National (federal)
Liberal National (state)
Spouse(s) Lyn
Residence Maryborough, Queensland
Occupation farmer
Website warrentruss.com

Warren Errol Truss (born 8 October 1948), Australian politician, is the current leader of the National Party of Australia in the Parliament of Australia. He has held the House of Representatives seat of Wide Bay since the 1990 election. Following the merger of the Queensland branches of the Nationals and Liberals, Truss was re-elected in 2010 for the Liberal National Party.

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Early life

He was born in Kingaroy, Queensland, and was a farmer before entering politics. He was chair of the Sugar Coast Burnett Regional Tourism Board and a councillor of the Shire of Kingaroy 1976–90.[1]

Politics

Truss's first attempt at a parliamentary seat was in the Queensland state parliament as the Nationals candidate at the 1988 Barambah by-election, triggered by the retirement of former premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen. However, Truss lost in an upset to the Citizens Electoral Council candidate Trevor Perrett, who later joined the National Party.[2]

Parliament

Truss was elected to the seat of Wide Bay at the 1990 election. He was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1994–96.

With the Liberal/National Coalition defeating the Australian Labor Party at the 1996 election, Truss was appointed Deputy Leader of the House 1997–98, Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs 1997–98, and Minister for Community Services 1998–99. He was promoted to the John Howard cabinet and served as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 1999–2005.[1]

Nationals leadership

In June 2005 John Anderson announced his intention to resign as National Party Leader. Deputy Leader Mark Vaile was elected the new Leader, and Truss was elected Deputy Leader. In the reshuffled ministry following Anderson's resignation Truss became Minister for Transport and Regional Services.

In 2006, following the AWB oil for food scandal, Truss and Vaile swapped portfolios, with Truss becoming Minister for Trade and Vaile taking the Transport and Regional Services portfolio until the defeat of the Liberal/National Coalition government at the 2007 election.[1]

After the election, Mark Vaile declined to continue in his role as National Party Leader, citing the party's need for "generational renewal". Truss was elected leader of the federal National Party of Australia on 3 December 2007.[3][4][5]

In 2008, Coalition leader Malcolm Turnbull appointed Truss as Shadow Minister for Trade, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.[6] He retained that portfolio after Tony Abbott became Coalition leader in late 2009.[7] Following the 2010 election, Truss became Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.[8]

Honours and Awards

On 1 January 2001 Warren Truss was awarded the Centenary Medal for 'service as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry'[9]

References

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Chris Ellison
Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs
1997–98
Succeeded by
Amanda Vanstone
Preceded by
Judi Moylan
Minister for Community Services
1998–99
Succeeded by
Larry Anthony
Preceded by
Mark Vaile
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forrestry
1999–2005
Succeeded by
Peter McGauran
Preceded by
John Anderson
Minister for Transport and Regional Services
2005–06
Succeeded by
Mark Vaile
Preceded by
Mark Vaile
Minister for Trade
2006–07
Succeeded by
Simon Crean
Party political offices
Preceded by
Mark Vaile
Leader of the National Party of Australia
2007–present
Incumbent
Preceded by
Mark Vaile
Deputy Leader of the
National Party of Australia

2005–07
Succeeded by
Nigel Scullion
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Clarrie Millar
Member for Wide Bay
1990–present
Incumbent