Anne Ruston | |
|---|---|
 Ruston in 2018 | |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate | |
| Assumed office 25 January 2025 | |
| Leader | Michaelia Cash |
| Preceded by | Michaelia Cash |
| Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate | |
| In office 5 June 2022 – 25 January 2025 | |
| Leader | Simon Birmingham |
| Preceded by | Katy Gallagher |
| Succeeded by | Jonathon Duniam |
| Manager of Government Business in the Senate | |
| In office 29 May 2019 – 23 May 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Leader | Mathias Cormann Simon Birmingham |
| Preceded by | Mitch Fifield |
| Succeeded by | Katy Gallagher |
Acting | |
| In office 23 August 2018 – 28 August 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull |
| Leader | Simon Birmingham (acting) |
| Preceded by | Simon Birmingham |
| Succeeded by | Mitch Fifield |
| Minister for Families and Social Services | |
| In office 29 May 2019 – 23 May 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Paul Fletcher |
| Succeeded by | Amanda Rishworth (as Minister for Social Services) |
| Assistant Minister forInternational Development andthe Pacific | |
| In office 28 August 2018 – 26 May 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Concetta Fierravanti-Wells |
| Succeeded by | Alex Hawke |
| Assistant Minister forAgriculture andWater Resources | |
| In office 21 September 2015 – 28 August 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull |
| Preceded by | Richard Colbeck (as Parliamentary-Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture) |
| Succeeded by | Richard Colbeck |
| Senator forSouth Australia | |
| Assumed office 5 September 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Mary Jo Fisher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1963-06-10)10 June 1963 (age 62) Renmark, South Australia, Australia |
| Party | Liberal |
| Alma mater | University of Southern Queensland |
| Occupation | Chief executive rose-grower |
Anne Sowerby Ruston (born 10 June 1963) is an Australian politician who served asMinister for Families and Social Services in theMorrison government from 2019 to 2022. She has been aSenator forSouth Australia since 2012.
Before entering politics Ruston was a commercial rose-grower and chief executive of theNational Wine Centre. She was appointed to the Senate to fill acasual vacancy caused by the resignation ofMary Jo Fisher. Ruston served as Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources in theTurnbull government from 2015 to 2018 and as Assistant Minister forInternational Development andthe Pacific in the Morrison government from 2018 to 2019. She was elevated tocabinet following the2019 election.
Ruston was born on 10 June 1963 inRenmark, South Australia. She went to Renmark High School where she was a school friend of futureChief of ArmyRick Burr. She holds the degree ofBachelor of Business from theUniversity of Southern Queensland.[1]
In 1987, Ruston began working as an electorate officer for state Liberal MPPeter Arnold.[1][2] She joined the staff of state tourism ministerGraham Ingerson in 1993 as a tourism policy adviser, and in 1996 was appointed as an executive officer at the Wine and Tourism Council. Her appointment was controversial as Ingerson was accused by the state opposition of interfering in the selection process in her favour.[3][4]
Ruston was closely involved with the creation of theNational Wine Centre of Australia, initially as project director and then as the centre's inaugural CEO.[3] It was publicly announced by PremierJohn Olsen in 1998 as a centre for wine tourism and education, as well as office space for various wine industry groups.[5] Ruston oversaw the construction phase of the centre, announcing three months prior to its opening in 2001 that she would not renew her contract.[6] In 2000 she and the centre's chairmanRick Allert were called before a parliamentary committee over possible breaches of procurement guidelines.[3] By the time of her departure the centre was employing over 100 people,[7] but was reportedly struggling to break even and required a bailout from the state government. Its financial difficulties were attributed to a decline in air travel following the September 11 attacks and the collapse ofAnsett Australia. However, independent MPPeter Lewis stated that the business plan approved by Ruston and Allert overstated likely visitor numbers.[8]
In 2003, Ruston and her husband purchased Ruston's Roses, a commercial rose-growing property in Renmark established by her uncle David Ruston in 1948.[9] He was the first Australian to serve as president of theWorld Federation of Rose Societies.[10] At the time of purchase it reportedly contained 50,000 rose bushes of 4,000 varieties and over 700 varieties ofiris, spread over 11 hectares (27 acres).[11] However, as a result of theMillennium drought she had to suspend commercial growing for three years, and the gardens subsequently evolved into "primarily a retail-tourism business" with the addition of a tourism centre, function rooms and cafe.[12] She was managing director until her appointment to the Senate in 2012, after which she remained as a co-owner.[13]
Ruston became a vice-president of theLiberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division) in 2011. In May 2012 she wonpreselection in third place on the party's Senate ticket for the next federal election, a position seen as "unsafe" due to the candidacy of independent senatorNick Xenophon.[14] However, incumbent senatorMary Jo Fisher resigned the following month and Ruston was chosen instead for the resultingcasual vacancy,[15] receiving support from the party's moderate faction in whatThe Australian described as a "factional brawl".[14] She was formally appointed by ajoint sitting of theParliament of South Australia on 5 September 2012.[16]
Ruston was adeputy whip from September 2014 to May 2016.[1] She became Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources in theFirst Turnbull Ministry in September 2015.[12] During theAugust 2018 Liberal leadership spills, she served asManager of Government Business in the Senate for five days. She was subsequently appointed Assistant Minister forInternational Development andthe Pacific in theFirst Morrison Ministry.[1]
Following the2019 election, Ruston was elevated to theCabinet and was appointedMinister for Families and Social Services in theSecond Morrison Ministry.[17] She was additionally reappointed as Manager of Government Business in the Senate. In March 2021 she was also made Minister for Women's Safety, a new position.[1]
Ruston is a member of the Moderate faction of the Liberal Party.[18][19]
In 2017, whenCory Bernardi moved a motion to bansex-selective abortion, Ruston was one of the ten senators who voted in favour. The motion was defeated by a vote of 10–36.[20][21]
Ruston is married to Richard Fewster and they have a son.[22]
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Senator forSouth Australia 2012–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister for Families and Social Services 2019–2022 | Succeeded byas Minister for Social Services |
| Preceded byas Minister for International Development and the Pacific | Assistant Minister forInternational Development andthe Pacific 2018–2019 | Succeeded byas Minister for International Development and the Pacific |
| New ministerial post | Assistant Minister forAgriculture andWater Resources 2015–2018 | Succeeded by |
Prime Minister:Malcolm Turnbull | ||
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| Dismissed/resigned/lost seat | ||
Prime Minister:Malcolm Turnbull | ||
| Cabinet | | |
| Outer Ministry | ||
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| Resigned | ||
Prime Minister:Scott Morrison | ||
| Cabinet |
|  |
| Outer Ministry | ||
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| Resigned | ||
Prime Minister:Scott Morrison | ||
| Cabinet |  | |
| Outer Ministry | ||
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| Dismissed/resigned | ||
