Chris Ellison
|
The Honourable Chris Ellison |
|
|---|---|
| Senator for Western Australia | |
|
In office 1 July 1993 – 30 January 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Peter Durack |
| Succeeded by | Chris Back |
| Minister for Justice | |
|
In office 30 January 2001 – 3 December 2007 |
|
| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Amanda Vanstone |
| Succeeded by | Brendan O'Connor |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 June 1954 Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia |
| Nationality |
 Australian
|
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Alma mater | University of Western Australia |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Christopher Martin "Chris" Ellison (born 15 June 1954) is a former Liberal member of the Australian Senate. He represented Western Australia in the Senate from July 1993 to January 2009.
Chris Ellison was born in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and was educated at Trinity College, Perth and the University of Western Australia, where he gained a law degree. He spent two years as a lawyer with the Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia, where he completed his articled clerkship. He was a barrister and solicitor as partner in his own law firm, Williams Ellison, for 13 years 1980-93.
He is known for his conservative and Catholic views, and is a strong constitutional monarchist and a member of the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. He has voted against abortion and euthanasia. He is married with three children.
Chris Ellison was elected as Senator for Western Australia in 1993, replacing Peter Durack, and immediately became involved in parliamentary committees and inquiries across a range of portfolios. He chaired the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee from 1993 to 1996, including chairing an inquiry which led to changes in Australia's treaty making process.
He entered the Howard ministry as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Family Services and to the Attorney-General in 1997. He was promoted to Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General 1997, Minister for Schools, Vocational Education and Training 1997-98 and Special Minister of State 1998-2001. He was Minister for Justice and Customs between January 2001 and March 2007. From March 2007 until the defeat of the Howard government in the 2007 election, Ellison was a member of cabinet as Minister for Human Services, overseeing the service delivery of Government agencies including Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency. He held the offices of Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, along with Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate from December 2007 to September 2008.
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