Christopher Pyne

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title: "Christopher Pyne" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1967-births", "living-people", "abbott-government", "australian-republicans", "ministers-for-defence-of-australia", "lawyers-from-adelaide", "leaders-of-the-australian-house-of-representatives", "liberal-party-of-australia-members-of-the-parliament-of-australia", "members-of-the-australian-house-of-representatives", "members-of-the-australian-house-of-representatives-for-sturt", "members-of-the-cabinet-of-australia", "turnbull-government", "sky-news-australia-reporters-and-presenters", "adelaide-law-school-alumni", "university-of-south-australia-alumni", "morrison-government", "australian-mps-1993–1996", "australian-mps-1996–1998", "australian-mps-1998–2001", "australian-mps-2001–2004", "australian-mps-2004–2007", "australian-mps-2007–2010", "australian-mps-2010–2013", "australian-mps-2013–2016", "australian-mps-2016–2019"] description: "Australian politician" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Pyne" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Australian politician ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
honorific-prefix	The Honourable
name	Christopher Pyne
image	Christopher Pyne MP.jpg
caption	Official portrait, 2015
office	Member of the Australian Parliament
for Sturt
term_start	13 March 1993
term_end	11 April 2019
predecessor	Ian Wilson
successor	James Stevens
{{Collapsed infobox section begin	Ministerial positions
office1	Minister for Defence
term_start1	28 August 2018
term_end1	26 May 2019
primeminister1	Scott Morrison
predecessor1	Marise Payne
successor1	Linda Reynolds
office2	Minister for Defence Industry
term_start2	19 July 2016
term_end2	27 August 2018
primeminister2	Malcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison
predecessor2	Office established
successor2	Steven Ciobo
office3	Leader of the House
term_start3	18 September 2013
term_end3	26 May 2019
primeminister3	Tony Abbott
Malcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison
deputy3	Darren Chester
predecessor3	Anthony Albanese
successor3	Christian Porter
office4	Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science
term_start4	21 September 2015
term_end4	19 July 2016
primeminister4	Malcolm Turnbull
predecessor4	Ian Macfarlane
successor4	Greg Hunt
office5	Minister for Education and Training
term_start5	18 September 2013
term_end5	21 September 2015
primeminister5	Tony Abbott
Malcolm Turnbull
predecessor5	Bill Shorten
successor5	Simon Birmingham
office6	Manager of Opposition Business
term_start6	16 February 2009
term_end6	18 September 2013
leader6	Malcolm Turnbull
Tony Abbott
deputy6	Luke Hartsuyker
predecessor6	Joe Hockey
successor6	Tony Burke
office7	Minister for Ageing
primeminister7	John Howard
term_start7	21 March 2007
term_end7	3 December 2007
predecessor7	Santo Santoro
successor7	Justine Elliot
office8	Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing
primeminister8	John Howard
term_start8	30 January 2007
term_end8	21 March 2007
predecessor8	Office established
successor8	Fiona Nash
birth_name	Christopher Maurice Pyne
birth_date
birth_place	Adelaide, South Australia
nationality	Australian
party	Liberal
spouse
children	4
alma_mater	University of Adelaide
University of South Australia
profession
website
::

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable | name = Christopher Pyne | honorific-suffix = | image = Christopher Pyne MP.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2015 | office = Member of the Australian Parliament for Sturt | term_start = 13 March 1993 | term_end = 11 April 2019 | predecessor = Ian Wilson | successor = James Stevens | office1 = Minister for Defence | term_start1 = 28 August 2018 | term_end1 = 26 May 2019 | primeminister1 = Scott Morrison | predecessor1 = Marise Payne | successor1 = Linda Reynolds | office2 = Minister for Defence Industry | term_start2 = 19 July 2016 | term_end2 = 27 August 2018 | primeminister2 = Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison | predecessor2 = Office established | successor2 = Steven Ciobo | office3 = Leader of the House | term_start3 = 18 September 2013 | term_end3 = 26 May 2019 | primeminister3 = Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison | deputy3 = Darren Chester | predecessor3 = Anthony Albanese | successor3 = Christian Porter | office4 = Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science | term_start4 = 21 September 2015 | term_end4 = 19 July 2016 | primeminister4 = Malcolm Turnbull | predecessor4 = Ian Macfarlane | successor4 = Greg Hunt | office5 = Minister for Education and Training | term_start5 = 18 September 2013 | term_end5 = 21 September 2015 | primeminister5 = Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull | predecessor5 = Bill Shorten | successor5 = Simon Birmingham | office6 = Manager of Opposition Business | term_start6 = 16 February 2009 | term_end6 = 18 September 2013 | leader6 = Malcolm Turnbull Tony Abbott | deputy6 = Luke Hartsuyker | predecessor6 = Joe Hockey | successor6 = Tony Burke | office7 = Minister for Ageing | primeminister7 = John Howard | term_start7 = 21 March 2007 | term_end7 = 3 December 2007 | predecessor7 = Santo Santoro | successor7 = Justine Elliot | office8 = Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing | primeminister8 = John Howard | term_start8 = 30 January 2007 | term_end8 = 21 March 2007 | predecessor8 = Office established | successor8 = Fiona Nash | birth_name = Christopher Maurice Pyne | birth_date = | birth_place = Adelaide, South Australia | nationality = Australian | party = Liberal | spouse = | children = 4 | alma_mater = University of Adelaide University of South Australia | profession = | 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. In the same month, Pyne began at a new defence industry consulting position, prompting a Senate investigation into a potential breach of Ministerial Standards.

Early life and education

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).

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. Pyne attained a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of South Australia in 1991. In 2022, he was granted an Honorary Doctorate in the School of the Professions from his alma mater, the University of Adelaide.

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. He earned a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the University of South Australia and began practising as a solicitor in 1991.

Political career

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.

::data[format=table]

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 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.

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.

Howard government

[[Image:Pyne old boy.jpg|thumb|Pyne in 2006|left|206x206px]]After the 1996 Coalition victory, Pyne sat as a backbencher. He chaired the Australia Israel Parliamentary group from 1996 to 2004. 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. 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. He launched the youth mental health initiative Headspace.

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.

Opposition

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. Following the election of Brendan Nelson as leader, Pyne was appointed Shadow Minister for Justice and Border Protection.

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. 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. 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. He was re-appointed as Manager of Opposition Business in the House and Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training.

Abbott government

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Christopher_Pyne_swearing_in_2014.jpg" caption="Pyne being sworn in as Minister for Education and Training by Governor-General [[Sir Peter Cosgrove]], 2014"] ::

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. In December 2014, his position was renamed to Minister for Education and Training.

As Minister for Education and Training, Pyne enacted changes to the education system to provide minimum standards for teachers, promoted independent public schooling, expanded phonics teaching, and created a new national curriculum. Pyne also attempted to reform the university sector to introduce market principles but was rejected by the Senate.

In May 2014, Pyne suggested that HECS debts should be reclaimed from the estates of deceased students.

Turnbull government

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/SD_meets_with_Australian_MinDef_Pyne_170406-D-SV709-014_(33832478406).jpg" caption="Pyne with [[Jim Mattis]], the [[United States Secretary of Defense]], in April 2017"] ::

Despite much speculation Pyne would be appointed as Defence Minister, 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).

With the reelection of the Turnbull government at the 2016 election, Pyne became the Minister for Defence Industry in the second Turnbull ministry. 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.

From 2016 to 2019, Pyne co-hosted weekly television program Pyne & Marles on Sky News Live with Labor Party member Richard Marles.

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. 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.

Morrison government

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.

On 2 March 2019, Pyne announced that he would not recontest the seat of Sturt at the 2019 election, and would retire from politics. The House of Representatives was dissolved on 11 April 2019.

Post-political career

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. He also chairs Vision2020 Australia, launched jointly by the World Health Organization and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, and he Australia United Arab Emirates Business Council.

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, and chairman of the advisory board of the Australian Missile Corporation. He also sits on the board of ASX Listed, Xtek Ltd, a Canberra-based body armour and unmanned vehicle manufacturer and supplier globally.

Pyne is the Executive Chairman of the South Australia (SA) branch of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia, and an Ambassador of the Adelaide Football Club.

Pyne was appointed to the National Library of Australia Council on 20 November 2025.

Lobbying

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.

In 2021, Pyne was interviewed by Christopher Lim and Kendall O'Donnell, contributors for The Bruges Group, on CANZUK, Australia's COVID policy, the Australia–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, and Australia's role in the Indo-Pacific. Pyne praised Prime Minister Scott Morrison's leadership and COVID policy, as well as the Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Act 2020. Pyne was praised for "accurately depicting the Australian perspective on the Indo-Pacific and Australia's national security interests". Kendall O'Donnell's performance was praised for his "steadfast questioning and pertinent points made around national security issues", and Lim's questions were described as "demonstrating incredible awareness of Australia's domestic debate and constitutional issues.

Personal life

He married Carolyn Twelftree in 1994. They have four children together. Pyne currently resides in Adelaide.

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".

Bibliography

• A Letter To My Children (2015), non-fiction
• The Insider (2020), non-fiction

References

References

1. "Christopher Pyne appointed professor by University of South Australia". The Australian.
2. "Christopher Pyne discussed defence industry job while still a member of Cabinet, consultancy firm confirms". ABC News.
3. (November 2019). "RANZCO - Home". RANZCO.edu.
4. "Remington John PYNE".
5. {{cite Au Parliament
6. "Chris Pyne Online".
7. Warhurst, John. (2013-10-16). "Jesuit influence overplayed".
8. (17 January 2017). "15 Famous Alumni From The University Of South Australia".
9. "Uni of Adelaide celebrates outstanding leaders with honorary doctorates".
10. "Christopher Pyne online biography".
11. (19 March 2007). "Costello backer gets his reward". [[The Age]].
12. [https://web.archive.org/web/20041121105839/https://www.abc.net.au/lateline/stories/s273634.htm Political debate on ABC between Pyne, Mark Latham and moderator Tony Jones], [[Lateline]], [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC]], 6 April 2001
13. (21 May 2014). "South Australia's 10 most poisonous political feuds". [[The Advertiser (Adelaide).
14. (28 September 2006). "Government defends drugs policy". [[ABC News (Australia).
15. (18 July 2006). "Pyne launches youth mental health initiative". [[Department of Health and Ageing]].
16. (20 November 2007). "Nelson's victory puts Turnbull on deck". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
17. (6 December 2007). "Brendan Nelson announces shadow ministry". [[The Courier-Mail]].
18. "SA's Chris Pyne named Education Spokesman in new Coalition frontbench". [[The Advertiser (Adelaide).
19. (1 December 2009). "Shock result as Abbott wins Liberal leadership by one vote ... ETS dead". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
20. "Sturt results – 2010 federal election: AEC".
21. [http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Parliamentary_Handbook/Shadow Parliamentary Handbook excerpt] {{Webarchive. link. (31 July 2013 , aph.gov.au; accessed 26 December 2014.)
22. (16 September 2013). "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
23. (21 December 2014). "Parliament House Canberra press conference". [[Prime Minister of Australia]].
24. Borrello, Eliza. (13 February 2015). "Student teachers will need to pass literacy and numeracy test before being allowed to graduate". [[ABC News (Australia).
25. Griffiths, Emma. "Christopher Pyne announces $70 million fund to help public schools go it alone". [[ABC News (Australia).
26. Bita, Natasha. "Phonics, faith and coding for primary school kids". [[The Australian]].
27. Pyne, Christopher. (18 September 2015). "A new national curriculum from 2016". Department of Education.
28. Kenny, Mark. (2 December 2014). "Degrees of failure: university reforms fail to pass Senate". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
29. Knott, Matthew. (28 May 2014). "Christopher Pyne suggests collecting HECS debts from dead students as way to help budget". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
30. (2015-09-16). "The gossip on Hockey, Pyne, Defence and Communications". [[Australian Financial Review]].
31. 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).
32. Anderson, Stephanie. (20 July 2016). "Election 2016: Malcolm Turnbull unveils ministry with Christopher Pyne, Greg Hunt on the move". [[ABC News (Australia).
33. Burgess, Verona. (19 July 2016). "Why Pyne is the real Defence Minister". [[Australian Financial Review]].
34. "Defence White Paper 2016". Department of Defence.
35. 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 (Sydney).
36. Doran, Matthew. (26 June 2017). "Christopher Pyne says his same-sex marriage support, vote for Malcolm Turnbull 'not a secret'".
37. (16 November 2017). "'I was hacked!': Christopher Pyne's Twitter account in porn mishap".
38. Yaxley, Louise. (26 August 2018). "Scott Morrison announces new ministry with Julie Bishop replaced by Marise Payne as foreign affairs minister". [[ABC News (Australia).
39. Henriques-Gomes, Luke. (2 March 2019). "'Not a life sentence': Christopher Pyne plots next move after 26 years in parliament". [[Guardian Australia]].
40. 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).
41. Livingston, Angus. (2 March 2019). "Pyne's new chapter after 26 Canberra years". Blue Mountains Gazette.
42. (3 March 2022). "Pyne & Partners grows national footprint with new Sydney office". Momentum Media Pty Ltd.
43. "Christopher Pyne focused on improving eye care for all Australians in key peak body role".
44. (14 May 2020). "Pyne's UAE council leaves Harley the Saudis".
45. "FORMER DEFENCE MINISTER HEADS UP NEW NIOA BOARD".
46. "Our Leadership".
47. "XTEK Appoints Former Minister For Defence Christopher Pyne As Non-Executive Director". My Security Media.
48. "Council of Governors". The American Chamber of Commerce in Australia.
49. "Wednesday luncheon with The Hon Christopher Pyne interviewed by David Penberthy".
50. (20 November 2025). "Appointment to the National Library of Australia Council". Minister for the Arts.
51. "Lobbyist Portal".
52. "In Conversation with Hon Christopher Pyne, former Australian Defence Minister".
53. Sharma, Yashee. (19 March 2025). "Former federal politician Christopher Pyne undergoes heart bypass surgery".
54. (2015-08-03). "A Letter To My Children". [[Melbourne University Publishing]].
55. (2020). "The Insider: The scoops, the scandals and the serious business within the Canberra bubble by Christopher Pyne".

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