Christian Porter

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The Honourable
Christian Porter
MP
File:Christian Porter Portrait 2015.jpg
Minister for Social Services
Assumed office
21 September 2015
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Scott Morrison
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Pearce
Assumed office
7 September 2013
Preceded by Judi Moylan
Treasurer of Western Australia
In office
14 December 2010 – 12 June 2012
Preceded by Colin Barnett
Succeeded by Colin Barnett
Attorney-General of Western Australia
In office
23 September 2008 – 12 June 2012
Preceded by Jim McGinty
Succeeded by Norman Moore
Member of the Western Australian Parliament
for Murdoch
In office
23 February 2008 – 23 September 2008
Preceded by Trevor Sprigg
Succeeded by none (abolished)
Member of the Western Australian Parliament
for Bateman
In office
23 September 2008 – 9 March 2013
Preceded by Constituency Created
Succeeded by Matt Taylor
Personal details
Born (1970-07-11) 11 July 1970 (age 53)[1]
Perth, Western Australia,
Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party Liberal Party
Spouse(s) Jennifer Porter[2]
Alma mater University of Western Australia
London School of Economics
Profession Lawyer

Charles Christian Porter (born 11 July 1970) is an Australian politician who is the current Liberal Party member for the federal Division of Pearce since the 2013 federal election. Porter was a Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister in the Abbott Government from December 2014, before being promoted to Minister for Social Services in the Turnbull Government from September 2015.[3][4]

Before his election to the federal parliament, Porter had served in the Parliament of Western Australia. He first entered the Legislative Assembly after winning the seat of Murdoch in a 2008 by-election following the death of the sitting member, Trevor Sprigg, and he was subsequently elected to the new seat of Bateman at the 2008 general election. After the Liberals formed government, Porter was appointed Attorney-General in the Barnett ministry. In December 2010, he was also appointed Treasurer, and held both portfolios until June 2012, when he resigned from the ministry to contest the 2013 federal election.

From Perth, Porter attended the University of Western Australia and later the London School of Economics, and practised law at Clayton Utz and taught law at the University of Western Australia before his election to parliament. He is the son of the 1956 Olympic silver medalist, Charles "Chilla" Porter, and the grandson of Queensland Liberal political, Charles Porter, who was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 1966 to 1980.[5]

Political career

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At the 2008 election, Porter contested and won the newly created seat of Bateman following the abolition of the seat of Murdoch in the 2007 redistribution. He was appointed Attorney-General and Minister for Corrective Services after the election,[6] having held the equivalent shadow portfolios prior to the election.[7]

On 14 December 2010, Porter was sworn in as Treasurer of Western Australia. He retained the portfolio of Attorney General, while the Corrective Services portfolio was transferred to Terry Redman.

On 12 June 2012, he announced he was stepping down from his ministerial portfolios to contest the seat of Pearce at the 2013 Australian federal election.[8]

On 20 September 2015, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that Porter would replace Scott Morrison as Social Services Minister as part of a Cabinet overhaul[9]

Legal career

Prior to entering Parliament, Porter worked predominantly as a lawyer, starting as a commercial litigator at Clayton Utz before moving to public practice. He spent a year as an advisor to the Federal Minister for Justice and then began working for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as a senior state prosecutor. Before his election in 2008, Porter was working as a lecturer at the University of Western Australia as well as retaining, part-time, his position as senior prosecutor at the DPP.[2]

Education

Porter was educated at the University of Western Australia where he graduated Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Arts with first-class honours in politics, before completing a Bachelor of Laws degree. Porter later studied at the London School of Economics for a Master of Science in political theory, from which he graduated at the top of his class with distinction.

References

  1. WA Parliament bio
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  6. Anglie Raphael, Christian Porter is given the role of Shadow Attorney General, Melville times community, 18 March 2008, p.3
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  8. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-12/treasurer-christian-porter-quits-portfolios/4066142?section=wa
  9. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-20/malcolm-turnbull-announces-new-cabinet/6790098
Parliament of Western Australia
Preceded by Member for Murdoch
2008
District abolished
District established Member for Bateman
2008–2013
Succeeded by
Matt Taylor
Political offices
Preceded by Attorney-General of Western Australia
2008–2012
Succeeded by
Michael Mischin
Preceded by Treasurer of Western Australia
2010–2012
Succeeded by
Colin Barnett
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Pearce
2013–present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Social Services
2015–present
Incumbent