Robert Hill (Australian politician)
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The Honourable Professor Robert Hill AC |
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| Chancellor of the University of Adelaide | |
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In office 26 July 2010 – 25 July 2014 |
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| Preceded by | John von Doussa |
| Succeeded by | Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce |
| Senator for South Australia | |
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In office 1 July 1981 – 15 March 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Condor Laucke |
| Succeeded by | Cory Bernardi |
| 49th Minister for Defence | |
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In office 12 November 2001 – 27 January 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Peter Reith |
| Succeeded by | Brendan Nelson |
| Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations | |
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In office 27 March 2006 – May 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Caroline Millar (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Gary Quinlan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
25 September 1946 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse(s) | Diana Marie Hill (née Jacka) |
| Children | Victoria Hill (daughter) |
Robert Murray Hill AC (born 25 September 1946) is a retired Australian politician. He is an Adjunct Professor in Sustainability and Co-Director of the Alliance 21 project at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He is also a Commissioner of the Global Ocean Commission.
Born in Adelaide, Hill studied at the University of Adelaide where he took degrees in Arts and Law, and later the London School of Economics, where he gained a master's degree in law. Robert Hill was a barrister and solicitor before entering politics. He was Vice-President of the Liberal Party in South Australia 1977–79 and President 1985–87. Like many South Australian Liberals, Hill belonged to the liberal or moderate wing of the Liberal Party. He was also a member of the Liberal Party's Federal Executive 1985–87 and 1990–93. Hill came from political family and his father, Murray Hill, was a prominent Liberal member of the South Australian Legislative Council from 1965 to 1988. His daughter, Victoria, is an Australian actress.
While eligible for National Service in 1966 he did not serve in the ADF.
Robert Hill was elected as a Senator for the State of South Australia, representing the Liberal Party, at the 1980 Federal election. He took his seat in the Senate on 1 July 1981, and served until 15 March 2006.
After the Liberals' defeat (their fourth consecutive loss) at the 1990 federal election, Hill became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (1990–96), and held appointments during these years as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence, Public Administration and Education, Science and Training. In 1994 he was Chairman of the Senate's Policy Review Committee. In 1994 he was unsuccessful in seeking Liberal preselection for the House of Representatives seat of Boothby for the 1996 election. The preselected candidate was instead Andrew Southcott who went on to win the seat at the 1996 election and Hill remained in the Senate until his retirement in 2006.
Following the landslide election victory of the Liberals under John Howard in 1996, Hill became Leader of the Government in the Senate (1996–2006) and Minister for the Environment (1996–98). He was subsequently appointed Minister for the Environment and Heritage (1998–2001) and Minister for Defence (2001–06). On 1 January 2001, Hill was awarded the Centenary Medal for "service as Minister for Defence". In July 2005 the Coalition parties took control of the Senate and Hill became the first Government Leader in the Senate since 1981 to command a majority in the chamber and therefore making him Senate Majority Leader.
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