Christopher Pyne
Christopher Maurice Pyne (born 13 August 1967) is an Australian retired politician. He held various ministerial positions in the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments, and served as a member of parliament (MP) for the South Australian division of Sturt from 1993 to 2019. Pyne was Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister for Ageing in 2007 until the Liberal–National Coalition's defeat at the election that year. He became Leader of the House and Minister for Education and Training after the Coalition's victory at the 2013 election; Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science in 2015; Minister for Defence Industry in 2016; and Minister for Defence in 2018. Pyne retired from politics in 2019, not standing at the that year's election. In June 2019, he was appointed as an industry professor at the University of South Australia. In the same month, Pyne began at a new defence industry consulting position, prompting a Senate investigation into a potential breach of Ministerial Standards.
Christopher Pyne | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Official portrait, 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Sturt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 13 March 1993 – 11 April 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Ian Wilson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | James Stevens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Manager of Opposition Business | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 16 February 2009 – 18 September 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Luke Hartsuyker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader | Malcolm Turnbull Tony Abbott | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Joe Hockey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Tony Burke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Christopher Maurice Pyne 13 August 1967 Adelaide, South Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Liberal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Carolyn Twelftree (m. 1994) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide University of South Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profession |
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| Website | Official website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Christopher Maurice Pyne (born 13 August 1967) is an Australian retired politician. He held various ministerial positions in the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments, and served as a member of parliament (MP) for the South Australian division of Sturt from 1993 to 2019.
Pyne was Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister for Ageing in 2007 until the Liberal–National Coalition's defeat at the election that year. He became Leader of the House and Minister for Education and Training after the Coalition's victory at the 2013 election; Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science in 2015; Minister for Defence Industry in 2016; and Minister for Defence in 2018.
Pyne retired from politics in 2019, not standing at the that year's election. In June 2019, he was appointed as an industry professor at the University of South Australia.[1] In the same month, Pyne began at a new defence industry consulting position, prompting a Senate investigation into a potential breach of Ministerial Standards.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Christopher Maurice Pyne was born on 13 August 1967 in Adelaide. He is the fifth and youngest child of a Jesuit family: Remington John Pyne (1929–1988), an ophthalmic surgeon, and Margaret Elsie Pyne (née Evans; 1929–2022),[3][4] and grew up in suburban Burnside, South Australia.
He was educated at Saint Ignatius' College 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.[5][6][7] Pyne attained a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of South Australia in 1991.[8] In 2022, he was granted an Honorary Doctorate in the School of the Professions from his alma mater, the University of Adelaide.[9]
Pyne was a research assistant to Senator Amanda Vanstone and later became president of the South Australian Young Liberals from 1988 to 1990. He was pre-selected as the Liberal candidate for the safe Labor seat of Ross Smith at the 1989 state election but was defeated by the sitting member and Premier of South Australia, John Bannon.[10] He earned a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the University of South Australia and began practising as a solicitor in 1991.
Political career
[edit]At the 1993 election, aged 25, Pyne was elected to the South Australian division of Sturt in the House of Representatives. He had earlier defeated Sturt incumbent Ian Wilson in a Liberal pre-selection ballot for the seat. Wilson had held the seat for all but one term since the 1966 election. Between them, he and his father, Keith, had held the seat for all but four years since its creation in 1949. Wilson was 35 years Pyne's senior; indeed, he had won his first election a year before Pyne was born.[11]
| Election in Sturt | 1993 | 1996 | 1998 | 2001 | 2004 | 2007 | 2010 | 2013 | 2016 |
| First preference % | 39.4 | 54.1 | 47.8 | 50.7 | 51.7 | 47.2 | 48.1 | 54.4 | 44.4 |
| Two-party-preferred % | 55.7 | 60.0 | 57.3 | 58.2 | 56.8 | 50.9 | 53.4 | 60.1 | 55.9 |
Pyne is a republican[12] and established himself as a member of the moderate, "small-l liberal" faction of the Liberal Party, and a supporter of Deputy Leader Peter Costello. Pyne remains a close ally of state Liberal Vickie Chapman.[13]
In 1994, after serving as a backbencher 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.[6]
Howard government
[edit]
After the 1996 Coalition victory, Pyne sat as a backbencher. He chaired the Australia Israel Parliamentary group from 1996 to 2004.[10] 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.[6] 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.[14] He launched the youth mental health initiative Headspace.[15]
Pyne served as a 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 elevated to the outer ministry as Minister for Ageing, succeeding resigning Minister, Senator Santo Santoro.[11]
Opposition
[edit]With the Liberal–National Coalition's defeat at the 2007 election, Pyne came close to losing Sturt to Labor candidate Mia Handshin, suffering a 5.9 percent two-party-preferred (TPP) swing, resulting in a 0.9 percent TPP margin (856 votes), making Sturt the most marginal seat in South Australia. After the election, he nominated himself as a candidate for deputy leader of the Liberal Party at the 2007 Liberal leadership election, losing to Julie Bishop.[16] Following the election of Brendan Nelson as leader, Pyne was appointed Shadow Minister for Justice and Border Protection.[17]
After Malcolm Turnbull's election as leader of the Liberal Party at the 2008 leadership spill, Pyne was appointed to the shadow cabinet as Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training.[18] After Julie Bishop's resignation from the position of Shadow Treasurer, she was replaced by Joe Hockey, with Pyne replacing Hockey as Manager of Opposition Business in the House on 16 February 2009.
Pyne remained as Manager of Opposition Business in the House and Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training after Tony Abbott's victory over Turnbull at the 2009 leadership spill.[19] Pyne was re-elected at the 2010 election, receiving a 2.5 percent TPP swing to finish with a marginal 53.4 percent TPP vote, no longer the most marginal electorate of South Australia.[20] He was re-appointed as Manager of Opposition Business in the House and Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training.[21]
Abbott government
[edit]
Pyne was re-elected at the 2013 election, receiving a 6.5 percent TPP swing towards him, to resulting in a 60.1 percent TPP vote, making Sturt a safe Liberal electorate. Pyne joined the cabinet on 18 September 2013 as Leader of the House and Minister for Education in the Abbott government.[22] In December 2014, his position was renamed to Minister for Education and Training.[23]
As Minister for Education and Training, Pyne enacted changes to the education system to provide minimum standards for teachers,[24] promoted independent public schooling,[25] expanded phonics teaching,[26] and created a new national curriculum.[27] Pyne also attempted to reform the university sector to introduce market principles but was rejected by the Senate.[28]
In May 2014, Pyne suggested that HECS debts should be reclaimed from the estates of deceased students.[29]
Turnbull government
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Despite much speculation Pyne would be appointed as Defence Minister,[30] he remained Leader of the House and was appointed as Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science in the Turnbull government following Malcolm Turnbull's re-ascension at the 2015 Liberal leadership ballot. As Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Pyne was credited with creating and implementing the National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA).[31]
With the reelection of the Turnbull government at the 2016 election, Pyne became the Minister for Defence Industry in the second Turnbull ministry.[32] As Minister for Defence Industry, Pyne was given responsibility for implementing the largest modernisation of the Australian Defence Force since the Second World War, increasing the Australian Government's investment in defence capability to almost $200 billion.[33][34]
From 2016 to 2019, Pyne co-hosted weekly television program Pyne & Marles on Sky News Live with Labor Party member Richard Marles.[35]
Pyne retained Sturt at the 2016 election for the Liberals with a 55.9 percent two-party vote from a 4.2 percent two-party swing, reducing the seat from a safe to marginal status.
Pyne has stated he has always been in favour of same-sex marriage.[36] In November, the Australian Federal Police investigated claims that his Twitter account was compromised after it had been found to have liked a pornographic image depicting a gay sexual act.[37]
Morrison government
[edit]Following Scott Morrison's election as leader of the Liberal Party and prime minister at the 2018 leadership spill, Pyne was promoted to Minister for Defence.[38]
On 2 March 2019, Pyne announced that he would not recontest the seat of Sturt at the 2019 election, and would retire from politics.[39][40][41] The House of Representatives was dissolved on 11 April 2019.
Post-political career
[edit]Since retiring from Parliament in April 2019, Pyne has chaired the strategic advisory and public affairs firm, Pyne and Partners operating offices in Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide.[42] He also chairs Vision2020 Australia, launched jointly by the World Health Organization and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness,[43] and the Australia United Arab Emirates Business Council.[44]
Since late 2020, Pyne has taken on roles in the Australian defence industry. He is chairman of the advisory board of Australia's largest Australian owned small arms and munitions company Nioa,[45] and chairman of the advisory board of the Australian Missile Corporation.[46] He also sits on the board of ASX-listed Xtek Ltd, a Canberra-based body armour and unmanned vehicle manufacturer and supplier globally.[47]
Pyne is the Executive Chairman of the South Australia (SA) branch of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia,[48] and an Ambassador of the Adelaide Football Club.[49]
In February 2024 he was appointed chair of COTA Australia (previously Council on the Ageing).[50]
Pyne was appointed to the National Library of Australia Council on 20 November 2025.[51]
Lobbying
[edit]Pyne was listed on the South Australian lobbyist register on 26 July 2019 as a co-owner of GC Advisory Pty Ltd, which he co-owns with Adam Howard. The firm's clientele includes Duxton Capital, Hickinbotham Group, Polites Group, RacingSA, the City of Burnside and Thomson Geer Lawyers.[52]
Personal life
[edit]Pyne married Carolyn Twelftree in 1994. They have four children together. He currently resides in Adelaide.[6]
He spoke passionately at the retirement of former (Labor) prime minister Kevin Rudd, revealing that they were both members of the same prayer group, and praising his support during a difficult time for the Pyne family.[53]
In March 2025, Pyne underwent a surgery for a heart bypass, Pyne stated "I am lucky to live in a time when a procedure like this is routine, and where, at 57, I can gain a renovated new heart".[54]
Bibliography
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Christopher Pyne appointed professor by University of South Australia". The Australian. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2019. Christopher Pyne discussed defence industry job while still a member of Cabinet, consultancy firm confirms
- ^ "Christopher Pyne discussed defence industry job while still a member of Cabinet, consultancy firm confirms". ABC News. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "RANZCO - Home". RANZCO.edu. Retrieved 2 June 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Remington John PYNE". vwma.org.au. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
- ^ "Hon Christopher Pyne MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Chris Pyne Online". Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ Warhurst, John (16 October 2013). "Jesuit influence overplayed". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "15 Famous Alumni from the University Of South Australia". Society19. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Uni of Adelaide celebrates outstanding leaders with honorary doctorates". University of Adelaide. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Christopher Pyne online biography". Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- ^ a b "Costello backer gets his reward". The Age. Melbourne. 19 March 2007. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ Political debate on ABC between Pyne, Mark Latham and moderator Tony Jones, Lateline, ABC, 6 April 2001
- ^ "South Australia's 10 most poisonous political feuds". The Advertiser. 21 May 2014. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ "Government defends drugs policy". ABC News. Australia. 28 September 2006. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ "Pyne launches youth mental health initiative". Department of Health and Ageing. 18 July 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Nelson's victory puts Turnbull on deck". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 November 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2007.
- ^ "Brendan Nelson announces shadow ministry". The Courier-Mail. 6 December 2007. Archived from the original on 7 December 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2008.
- ^ "SA's Chris Pyne named Education Spokesman in new Coalition frontbench". The Advertiser. Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ^ "Shock result as Abbott wins Liberal leadership by one vote ... ETS dead". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 December 2009. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Sturt results – 2010 federal election: AEC". Archived from the original on 12 October 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
- ^ Parliamentary Handbook excerpt Archived 31 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine, aph.gov.au; accessed 26 December 2014.
- ^ "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 16 September 2013. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ "Parliament House Canberra press conference" (Press release). Prime Minister of Australia. 21 December 2014. Archived from the original (transcript) on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ Borrello, Eliza (13 February 2015). "Student teachers will need to pass literacy and numeracy test before being allowed to graduate". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ Griffiths, Emma. "Christopher Pyne announces $70 million fund to help public schools go it alone". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- ^ Bita, Natasha. "Phonics, faith and coding for primary school kids". The Australian. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
- ^ Pyne, Christopher (18 September 2015). "A new national curriculum from 2016". Department of Education. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
- ^ Kenny, Mark (2 December 2014). "Degrees of failure: university reforms fail to pass Senate". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^ Knott, Matthew (28 May 2014). "Christopher Pyne suggests collecting HECS debts from dead students as way to help budget". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- ^ Glasgow, Will (16 September 2015). "The gossip on Hockey, Pyne, Defence and Communications". Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on 17 September 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
- ^ Borrello, Eliza (7 December 2015). "Innovation statement: PM Malcolm Turnbull calls for 'ideas boom' as he unveils $1b vision for Australia's future". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ^ Anderson, Stephanie (20 July 2016). "Election 2016: Malcolm Turnbull unveils ministry with Christopher Pyne, Greg Hunt on the move". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
- ^ Burgess, Verona (19 July 2016). "Why Pyne is the real Defence Minister". Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on 25 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "Defence White Paper 2016" (PDF). Department of Defence. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
- ^ Molloy, Shannon (28 January 2016). "Christopher Pyne ... the TV star? The colourful MP lands his own weekly show, alongside rival Richard Marles". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ^ Doran, Matthew (26 June 2017). "Christopher Pyne says his same-sex marriage support, vote for Malcolm Turnbull 'not a secret'". abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ "'I was hacked!': Christopher Pyne's Twitter account in porn mishap". 16 November 2017. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ Yaxley, Louise (26 August 2018). "Scott Morrison announces new ministry with Julie Bishop replaced by Marise Payne as foreign affairs minister". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^ Henriques-Gomes, Luke (2 March 2019). "'Not a life sentence': Christopher Pyne plots next move after 26 years in parliament". Guardian Australia. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ Belot, Henry (2 March 2019). "Scott Morrison insists he's not distracted by ministerial exodus as Christopher Pyne bows out of politics". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ Livingston, Angus (2 March 2019). "Pyne's new chapter after 26 Canberra years". Blue Mountains Gazette. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ Garman, Liam (3 March 2022). "Pyne & Partners grows national footprint with new Sydney office". Defence Connect. Momentum Media Pty Ltd. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ "Christopher Pyne focused on improving eye care for all Australians in key peak body role". Vision 2020 Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ Aston, Joe (14 May 2020). "Pyne's UAE council leaves Harley the Saudis". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ "Former Defence Minister Heads Up New NIOA Board". NIOA Homepage. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Our Leadership". Australian Missile Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "XTEK Appoints Former Minister For Defence Christopher Pyne As Non-Executive Director". Australian Security Magazine. My Security Media. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Council of Governors". The American Chamber of Commerce in Australia. Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Wednesday luncheon with The Hon. Christopher Pyne interviewed by David Penberthy". Adelaide Rotary. Interviewed by Penberthy, David. Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Australian Ageing Agenda". 20 February 2024.
- ^ "Appointment to the National Library of Australia Council" (Media release). Minister for the Arts. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Lobbyist Portal". www.lobbyists.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Pyne: Rudd Supported Me During Wife's Difficult Pregnancy. YouTube. 2013.
- ^ Sharma, Yashee (19 March 2025). "Former federal politician Christopher Pyne undergoes heart bypass surgery". 9News. Archived from the original on 20 March 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ "A Letter To My Children". Melbourne University Publishing. 3 August 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- ^ "The Insider: The scoops, the scandals and the serious business within the Canberra bubble by Christopher Pyne". Hachette Australia. 2020. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- The Christopher Pyne Collection at the University of South Australia Library
- Search or browse Hansard for Christopher Pyne at OpenAustralia.org
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