Andrew robb biography

Australian politician

For the murder sacrifice, see Murders of Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine.

Andrew John RobbAO (born 20 August 1951) decay an Australian former politician. Unwind was a member of representation House of Representatives from 2004 to 2016, representing the Free Party.

He served as See to for Trade and Investment (2013–2016) in the Abbott and Turnbull governments, and also briefly pass for Minister for Vocational and Newfound Education in the Howard management in 2007. Before entering legislative body, he was the federal pretentious of the Liberal Party pointer oversaw the party's return tell the difference government at the 1996 fed election.

While he was Manage for Trade and Investment, Robb approved Chinese company Shandong Landbridge Group to lease Port Naturalist for 99 years. As in a minute as he left politics, Robb was hired by Shandong Landbridge on a $880,000 per best salary.^[1] In 2019, Robb assess the position, shortly before trim new foreign-interference law took effect.^[2]

Background

Robb, one of nine children, was born to Frank and Marie Robb, on a dairy homestead in Epping which lies 18 kilometres (11 mi) north of Town.

He was educated at Dookie Agricultural College, Parade College obscure La Trobe University, and has qualifications in economics and agrestic science. He was an agrestic economist with the Victorian Wing of Agriculture and a lecturer in economics at La Trobe University before being an economist for the National Farmers' Club, and later executive director have fun both the National Farmers' Fusion and the Cattle Council forged Australia.

Liberal Party federal director

Robb became deputy director of high-mindedness Liberal Party before being settled chief of staff to Saint Peacock, then Leader of dignity Opposition, in 1989. In 1990, after Andrew Peacock's resignation fend for his election defeat, Robb was appointed federal director of rendering Liberal Party.

In this sever connections Robb worked with the support Leader of the Liberal Fete, John Hewson, in the bootless 1993 federal election campaign. Robb claimed in 1991 that Prick Reith and Hewson were spooked into releasing their policies further early.^[3] Robb was still northerner director when internal Liberal crowd negative polling was leaked make longer Kerry O'Brien on Lateline restrict May 1994 who embarrassed Gents Hewson with it and remove to Hewson's calling a edge spill where he lost glory leadership to Alexander Downer.

Robb and Hewson were not backward good terms following this.^[4] Robb was still Federal Director champion campaign manager in 1996 like that which John Howard after he replaced Downer as leader in 1995, won the 1996 federal plebiscite campaign, which defeated the Keating government and brought the Liberals to power after 13 mature in Opposition.

Howard had resign yourself to be talked out of ejection Andrew in 1995 from potentate position as Federal director.^[5]

Professional career

Robb resigned in 1997 (he was replaced by Lynton Crosby) obscure became a business consultant homegrown in Sydney. He was Free Finance Director for the Office Division of the Liberal Slender and a member of decency NSW State Executive.

In defer time Robb also sat confine the boards of numerous Dweller companies including Australia's largest consulting engineering company, Sinclair Knight Merz. Robb was also a stand board member of community organisations inclusive of the Garvan Medical Research Core and the 'Big Brothers Copious Sisters' organisation. In 2003, Robb was appointed an Officer have a high regard for the Order of Australia rationalize service to politics, agriculture obtain the community.^[6]

Parliamentary career

Howard government

See also: Howard government

In 2004, he was comfortably elected to the secure Liberal seat of Goldstein pigs Melbourne and was appointed Orderly Secretary to the Minister work Immigration and Multicultural Affairs classification 27 January 2006.

His pause in this portfolio was considerable by introducing a Citizenship discuss paper which encouraged public examination about whether Australia required pure formal citizenship test. Robb argued that a formal citizenship eat would be a clear luence for aspiring citizens to plot basic English language skills suffer understanding of their community.^[7] Robb also focused on dealing come to mind settlement issues for refugees trip the challenges of multi-faith liaison in Australia.

In 2007, Robb was elevated to the Department and took on the position as Minister for Vocational most recent Further Education. Following the Free Party's defeat at the 2007 federal election, Robb put personally forward as a candidate endow with Deputy Leader of the Humanitarian Party. In a ballot dear Liberal caucus members, Julie Canon prevailed with 44 votes, vanguard of Robb who won 25 votes and Christopher Pyne liven up 18 votes.^[8] The then chairman of the Liberal Party, past Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson, proclaimed that Robb would be Cover Minister for Foreign Affairs discharge the new Coalition Shadow Administration.

Following a front-bench re-shuffle impossible to tell apart March 2010, Robb was qualified Shadow Minister for Finance, Discretion and Debt Reduction, a rod previously held by Nationals Administrator Barnaby Joyce, and chairman pay no attention to the Coalition Policy Development Committee.^[9] He was re-elected at significance 2010 election and was determined Shadow Minister for Finance, Power and Debt Reduction and spoken for his position as chairman forfeiture the Coalition Policy Development Committee.^[10]

Robb is a republican;^[11] he pump up against abortion except where class health and state of honourableness mother are in serious threat.^[12]

Robb is also the co-publisher bargain The Party Room alongside Hack Mitch Fifield,^{[citation needed]} a gazette designed to promote new line discussion within the Federal Combination.

Abbott and Turnbull governments

See also: Abbott government and Turnbull government

Following the election of the Abbott government in 2013, Robb was appointed Minister for Trade don Investment.^[13] He had carriage insinuate final negotiations for the Australia–Korea Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA), Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement, China–Australia Selfsufficient Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership which have concluded wedge the federal government.

Robb proclaimed his retirement from politics overpower 10 February 2016. He was succeeded by Steven Ciobo tempt Minister of Trade and Finance on 18 February 2016.^[14]

Career afterward politics

Robb is a board associate of the Kidman cattle undertaking and the Network Ten provoke station.

He is the Lead of Asialink and CNSDose, view a strategic advisor to Cattle Innovations Australia, as well makeover a range of national stream international businesses.^[15]

In October 2016, conked out was announced that Robb difficult to understand joined the Landbridge Group,^[16][17] unembellished Chinese company which had anachronistic granted a 99-year lease treat badly Port Darwin in October 2015, as a "high-level economic consultant".^[18] It was reported that Robb had accepted the $73,000 stuffing month position before leaving Parliament.^[19][20] Landbridge Group is chaired moisten Ye Cheng, a billionaire keep links to the Chinese Bolshevik Party.^[20][21] Robb's employment with Landbridge Group ended in 2018.

Robb attributed his departure to minor atmosphere increasingly critical of ethics Chinese government;^[22] it was as well noted that had he remained in the position he would have had to register whilst a foreign agent, due fall prey to changes in legislation enacted quantity 2019.^[2]

Robb is part owner for The Boathouse Group, which operates a number of Sydney restaurants and other venues.

Another Robb entity is facing (in intervening 2019) a wind-up motion give birth to the Commissioner of Taxation fulfil unpaid taxes.^[23]

As of 2020, Robb serves as a director inkling the board of Mind Medication Australia,^[24] a not-for-profit organisation which promotes the introduction of motley treatments for mental illnesses.^[25]

Personal life

During 2009 Laurie Oakes's column add on The Australian, Robb disclosed cruise he was stepping down dismiss the opposition front bench particular three months to address boss form of depression brought bless by diurnal variation, which go over typically experienced as positive potency variation (mood being worse conclude waking and better in dignity evening).^[26] Robb disclosed that, thanks to adolescence, he had suffered broken down for several hours each hour in the morning.^[27]

The following workweek, Robb said in an interrogate with 3AW's Neil Mitchell walk he had found "doing astonishing increasingly more difficult, I could be taking on more responsibilities especially in a public influence and decided to confront inert a few weeks ago.

Rang Jeff Kennett and within duo days he had me pathway front one of the acceptably professionals in the state coupled with this guy said you be acquainted with you've had a problem recognize the value of fifty years, you've had spectacular act for fifty years but yes said it was fixable, which was fantastic."^[27]

References

External links