Luke Howarth | |
|---|---|
 Howarth in 2017 | |
| Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services | |
| In office 22 December 2020 – 23 May 2022 | |
| Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services | |
| In office 29 May 2019 – 22 December 2020 | |
| Member of theAustralian Parliament forPetrie | |
| In office 7 September 2013 – 3 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Yvette D'Ath |
| Succeeded by | Emma Comer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1972-06-06)6 June 1972 (age 53) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Party | LNP |
| Occupation | Politician |
Luke Ronald Howarth (born 6 June 1972) is an Australian former politician who was a member of theHouse of Representatives representing theDivision of Petrie from his election in 2013 until his defeat at the2025 federal election.[1] He is a member of theLiberal National Party of Queensland and sat with theLiberal Party in federal parliament.[2]
Howarth was born inBrisbane, Queensland in 1972, to Ron and Denise Howarth, and grew up inBracken Ridge. Howarth has one sister.[3][4]
After leaving school, Howarth's first job was working at Barry Bull's Toombul Music.[3] He worked at Sony Australia as a sales rep from 1993 to 2001.[5] In 2002, Howarth joined his family's pest control business, alongside his mother, father and wife.[3]
Howarth joined the Liberal National Party when he was 19 years old.[3] In 2004, he ran in theQueensland state election in theelectoral district of Sandgate against the incumbentLabor MPGordon Nuttall, however was unsuccessful despite a 10% swing to him.[3][6]
At the2013 federal election, Howarth won the seat ofPetrie by just 871 votes, which represented a 3.04% swing to his party, defeating the sittingALP member,Yvette D'Ath, who had held the seat since the2007 federal election.[7][8][9]
Whilst campaigning for the2016 federal election, Howarth claimed the Coalition Government had put nearly $1.5 billion into infrastructure in Petrie over previous three years.[10] He was returned to government benches with a swing in his favour 1.12%.[11] During this parliament he advocated for increased funding for theNational School Chaplaincy Programme.[12] He also played a key role in theleadership spill which removed Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull from his position, in 2018.[13]
During the2019 election, Howarth enjoyed a significant swing in his favour, in line with other Liberal National Party candidates in Queensland, increasing his margin to 8.4%.[14][15]
Returning to Canberra, Howarth was made Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services. After speaking toABC Radio National in his newly appointed role, Howarth came under fire for trying to "put a positive spin on [homelessness]."[16] Howarth claimed that levels of homelessness had been reduced, over a 15 year period, from 8,926 people in 2001 to 8,200 people in 2016 despite a 20% increase in the population. The claim was challenged by some, who compared the number of rough sleepers at 6,810 in 2011 (a rate of 3.2 people per 10,000 of population) and risen by 20% to 8,200 (a rate of 3.5 per 10,000) by 2016.[17][18] He was given the role of Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services later in that parliament, where he advocated for theYouth Jobs PaTH internship program.[19][20]
In the2022 Australian federal election Howarth won despite a 3.96% swing against him.[21] However, as the coalition had lost power, Howarth joined the ranks of the opposition for the first time. He was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Defence Industry and the Shadow Minister for Defence Personnel by the new coalition leader, Peter Dutton.[22] In this role he has been critical of the government's lack of urgency in developing Australia's defence industry given that Australia faces a geostrategic environment that is 'precarious and dangerous.'[23]
Howarth is understood to be a member of theNational Right faction of the Liberal Party.[24][25]
Howarth married his wife, Louise, in 1999, and they have three sons.[3]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| Parliament of Australia | ||
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| Preceded by | Member forPetrie 2013–2025 | Succeeded by |
Prime Minister:Scott Morrison | ||
| Cabinet |  | |
| Outer Ministry | ||
| Assistant Ministers | ||
| Dismissed/resigned | ||
