Peter Reith
| The Honourable Peter Reith BEc, LLB (Monash) |
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| 48th Australian Defence Minister | |
| In office 30 January 2001 – 26 November 2001 |
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| Preceded by | John Moore |
| Succeeded by | Robert Hill |
| Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party | |
| In office 1990–1993 |
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| Preceded by | Fred Chaney |
| Succeeded by | Michael Wooldridge |
| Member of Parliament for Flinders |
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| In office 4 December 1982 – 5 March 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Philip Lynch |
| Succeeded by | Bob Chynoweth |
| In office 1 December 1984 – 10 November 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Chynoweth |
| Succeeded by | Greg Hunt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 July 1950 Melbourne, Victoria |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Alma mater | Monash University |
Peter Keaston Reith, (born 15 July 1950), former Australian politician, was a Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and then a senior Cabinet minister in the first two terms of the Howard Government.
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[edit] Early life
Reith was born in Melbourne and educated at Brighton Grammar School and Monash University where he graduated with degrees in law and economics. He practised as a solicitor in Cowes, a small town on Phillip Island, south east of Melbourne. He was first elected as a Councillor on Phillip Island Shire from 1976–1981 and was Shire President from 1980-1981.
[edit] Political life
Reith joined the Liberal Party in a by-election in December 1982, caused by the resignation of Sir Phillip Lynch, he was elected to the House of Representatives to represent the seat of Flinders. He lost his seat at the March 1983 general election. He was elected again in December 1984 and remained the Member for Flinders until he resigned in 2001.
Reith was a shadow minister in various portfolios from 1987 until 1996 (except for a few months in 1993), including Shadow Attorney-General in 1988 (when he led the successful "no" campaign at the 1988 referendum) and Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Treasurer from 1990 to 1993. Along with John Hewson, he was one of the principal architects of the Liberal Party's "Fightback" policy, including the Goods and Services Tax. He resigned as shadow Treasurer after the loss of the 1993 election as well as losing the Deputy Leadership in the post-election ballot.
Following the election of the Howard government at the 1996 election, Reith became Minister for Workplace Relations, and was responsible for implementing the government's industrial relations policy, although he was frustrated in this by the government's lack of a majority in the Senate. His handling of the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute, in which he openly supported Patrick Corporation in its efforts to defeat the Maritime Union of Australia, led to a great deal of criticism from unions[1] and the ALP.[2]
Reith was embroiled in an investigation over the improper use of a phone card in 2000, a bill totalling $50,000, some $1000 which he admitted had been attributed to his son having access to the PIN associated with the card.[3]
Howard shifted Reith to the Defence portfolio in 2000. Reith announced his impending retirement the following year, and did not contest the 2001 election. Late in the election campaign he became embroiled in the "children overboard" controversy, in which the government made unsubstantiated claims that seafaring asylum seekers had thrown children overboard in a presumed ploy to secure rescue and passage to Australia. Reith defended his actions and public statements about this matter in the documentary series The Howard Years, which screened in Australia in November and December 2008, and Leaky Boat in July 2011. Reith was succeeded as Liberal MP for Flinders by Greg Hunt and as Minister of Defence by Senator Robert Hill.
[edit] After politics
Shortly after leaving politics, Reith took up employment with Tenix, a major Australian defence contractor.[4] On 27 February 2002, Prime Minister John Howard denied media reports of links between a decision to supply five police runabout boats to Indonesia and any discussions with Reith on behalf of Tenix.[5]
In 2003 Reith accepted an appointment as an executive director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development based in London representing Australia, the Republic of Korea, Egypt and New Zealand.
In 2011, Reith attempted a return to political life when he challenged Alan Stockdale for the Presidency of the Liberal Party, but lost to Stockdale by one vote: 56 to 57. Liberal leader Tony Abbott effectively made his vote for Stockdale public when he was recorded on camera showing his vote to Stockdale and Julie Bishop.[6]
[edit] Personal life
Reith was married to Julie Reith, but they split in 2003. Reith has four sons - Paul, Simon, David and Robert.
[edit] References
- ^ http://workers.labor.net.au/136/c_historicalfeature_medal.html
- ^ http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LC19980430038
- ^ Williams, Philip (10 October 2000). "Just who will pay Peter Reith's $50,000 phone bill?". PM (Radio National) (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). http://www.abc.net.au/pm/stories/s197803.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-27.
- ^ ABC News Online, Tenix defends Reith appointment, access date 30 January 2007
- ^ PM Howard Press Release, 17 February, 2002, access date 30 January 2007
- ^ Grattan, Michelle: Abbott 'deceived' Reith on bid for Liberal presidency, The Age, 27 June 2011.
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| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Laurie Brereton (industrial relations) David Kemp (employment) Geoff Prosser (small business) |
Minister for Industrial Relations 1996 – 1997 |
Succeeded by Tony Abbott (employment and workplace relations) Ian Macfarlane (small business) |
| Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Small Business 1997 – 2001 |
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| Preceded by John Moore |
Minister for Defence 2001 |
Succeeded by Robert Hill |
| Parliament of Australia | ||
| Preceded by Phillip Lynch |
Member for Flinders 1982 – 1983 |
Succeeded by Bob Chynoweth |
| Preceded by Bob Chynoweth |
Member for Flinders 1984 – 2001 |
Succeeded by Greg Hunt |
