Peter Dutton

Peter Craig Dutton (born 18 November 1970),^[1] Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives representing the Division of Dickson, Queensland since the November 2001 federal election when he defeated high-profile sitting Labor member Cheryl Kernot. Dutton was the Minister for Health and the Minister for Sport from 18 September 2013 until 21 December 2014, when he was appointed Minister for Immigration and Border Protection after a cabinet reshuffle.^[2]

Early years and background

Dutton was raised in Brisbane, Queensland, and was educated at the Queensland Police Academy before becoming a Queensland Police officer for nine years, working in the Drug Squad in suburbs such as Red Hill, Brisbane in the early 1990s.^[3][4]

On leaving the police in 1999 he became a businessman and completed a Bachelor of Business at the Queensland University of Technology.^[5][6]

Political career

Dutton was elected to the Division of Dickson at the 2001 election, defeating Labor's Cheryl Kernot.

After the 2004 federal election Dutton was appointed to the ministry. He was Minister for Workforce Participation from 2004 to 2006. In January 2006 he was appointed Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Revenue. Dutton successfully retained Dickson in the 2007 federal election with a majority of 0.26%, after an 8.76% swing to his rival Fiona McNamara.

In 2008, when new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised to the Stolen Generations, Dutton was the only coalition front bencher to abstain.^[6]

In 2009, a proposal was made under the Commonwealth Electoral Act to alter Dutton's electorate of Dickson. The alteration may have had the effect of making the seat less secure for the Liberal Party. Wary of losing his place in the House of Representatives, Dutton sought endorsement for the safe Liberal seat of McPherson. Despite the support of Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull, the retiring member for McPherson Margaret May, and several other party luminaries including former Prime Minister John Howard,^[7] Dutton was defeated by rival candidate Karen Andrews.^[8] The final redistribution cemented the erosion of the Liberal Party's position in Dickson, albeit less adversely than originally proposed.^[9] With no better option available to him, Dutton opted to recontest Dickson at the next election.^[10]

Dutton contested and won Dickson at the 2010 federal election, achieving a swing of 5.45% to easily overcome the 2009 redistribution. This resulted in a two-party-preferred vote of 54.69% as of 23 August 2010. Following the 2010 election, he was appointed as Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing.

Minister in the Abbott Government

Dutton retained his seat at the 2013 election, and now sits on a margin of 6.7%. He was appointed to the Ministry by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and served as Minister for Health and Minister for Sport.

On 23 December 2014, Dutton was sworn in as the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection after a cabinet reshuffle.^[11]

References

External links

• Personal homepage
• APH's profile
• Search or browse Hansard for Peter Dutton at OpenAustralia.org

Abbott Ministry (2013–) Prime Minister: Tony Abbott Cabinet Eric Abetz Kevin Andrews Bruce Billson Julie Bishop George Brandis Mathias Cormann Peter Dutton Joe Hockey Greg Hunt Barnaby Joyce Sussan Ley Ian Macfarlane Scott Morrison Christopher Pyne Andrew Robb Nigel Scullion Warren Truss Malcolm Turnbull Outer Ministry Simon Birmingham Jamie Briggs Michaelia Cash Mitch Fifield Josh Frydenberg Luke Hartsuyker Michael Keenan Fiona Nash Marise Payne Stuart Robert Michael Ronaldson Parliamentary Secretaries Karen Andrews Bob Baldwin Darren Chester Steven Ciobo Richard Colbeck Concetta Fierravanti-Wells Paul Fletcher Michael McCormack Kelly O'Dwyer Christian Porter Scott Ryan Alan Tudge Dismissed/resigned David Johnston Arthur Sinodinos