Tim Watts | |
|---|---|
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| Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 1 June 2022 (2022-06-01) – 13 May 2025 (2025-05-13) | |
| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Steven Ciobo (2015) |
| Succeeded by | Matt Thistlethwaite (as Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade) |
| Member of theAustralian Parliament forGellibrand | |
| Assumed office 7 September 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Nicola Roxon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Timothy Graham Watts (1982-06-08)8 June 1982 (age 43) Toowoomba,Queensland, Australia |
| Party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse | Joyce Kwok |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Bond University Monash University London School of Economics |
| Profession | Lawyer Politician |
| Website | www |
Timothy Graham Watts (born 8 June 1982) is an Australian politician. He is a member of theAustralian Labor Party (ALP) and has been a member of theHouse of Representatives since the2013 federal election, representing the Victorian seat ofGellibrand. Since May 2025, he has served as the Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs in thesecond Albanese ministry.[1] From June 2022 to May 2025, Watts served asAssistant Minister for Foreign Affairs in thefirst Albanese ministry.
Watts was born on 8 June 1982 inToowoomba,Queensland.[2] He is a descendant ofJohn Watts, an immigrant from England who was a member of the firstparliament of Queensland.[3]
Watts attendedCentenary Heights State High School in Toowoomba. He holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours fromBond University, a Master of Public Policy and Management fromMonash University and a Master of Science in Politics and Communications from theLondon School of Economics and Political Science.[2]
Watts worked as a solicitor withMallesons Stephen Jaques from 2003 to 2005. He subsequently worked for SenatorStephen Conroy as deputy chief of staff from 2005 to 2009, and briefly as a senior adviser to Victorian premierJohn Brumby.[2] In 2009 he was recruited byTelstra to advise on the company's relationship with the newNational Broadband Network, with the title of corporate relations manager. His appointment was seen as part of a strategy by the new CEODavid Thodey to repair Telstra's relationship with the federal government, which had deteriorated under his predecessorSol Trujillo.[4][5]
In April 2013, Watts won ALPpreselection for theDivision of Gellibrand, following the retirement of the incumbent MPNicola Roxon.[6] He was initially one of five candidates for preselection, including future senatorKimberley Kitching and Roxon's preferred candidate Katie Hall. However, the others withdrew prior to the final ballot. He reportedly had the support of Stephen Conroy'sCentre Unity faction.[7][8] Watts didn't live in the seat then.[9][10]
Watts retained Gellibrand for the ALP at the2013 federal election. In parliament he has served on a number of standing committees. Following the2019 election, he was appointed to new leaderAnthony Albanese'sshadow ministry as an assistant shadow minister with the portfolios of communications and cyber security.[2] In February 2021 he announced plans for a nationalransomware strategy.[11]
In 2020, Watts was mentioned in secret recordings made of ALP powerbrokerAdem Somyurek, who described him as "bowing to me".[12]
Following the murder of Fiona Warzywoda in the electorate in 2014,[13] Watts campaigned for preventing and removing family violence across Melbourne's West and Australia.[14]
In 2014, Watts launched the bipartisan "Parliamentarians against Family Violence" with Coalition MPsAndrew Broad andKen Wyatt.[15] Australian of the Year,Rosie Batty addressed a meeting of the group in 2015, expressing that "Cross-party commitment is important to the issue of family and domestic violence".[16]
In response, former Labor Leader,Mark Latham used a column in theAustralian Financial Review to label Watts as "symptomatic of the decline in Labor's thinking" and argue that "Watts has fallen for the feminist line on domestic violence".[17]
In 2015, Watts and fellow Labor MPTerri Butler introduced aprivate member's bill to criminalise the non-consensual sharing of private sexual material.[18][19]
In an opinion piece published by theChifley Research Centre, Watts called for action in response to the issue of family violence. He has written on the importance of engaging with the states, territories and relevant stakeholders, as well as the use of effective communication in achieving successful policy outcomes to the issue.[20]
Watts has been an outspoken advocate of Australian Aid in the Parliament[21] and has travelled to Cambodia[22] and Papua New Guinea[23] to visit Australian funded development programs[24] in those countries.
Watts has been an advocate of greater Australian engagement in Asia, speaking frequently about Asian-Australian diaspora communities.[25][26] He has been a delegate to a number of bilateral events such as the Australian Chinese Youth Dialogue,[27] Australian Indian Youth Dialogue[28] and CAUSINDY.[29] He was also a program participant for the Asialink Leaders Course in 2017.[30]
Watts has also written on the economic growth of Indonesia in recent years, stating "there is no other nation in Asia more important to our future than Indonesia". Subsequently, he has called for an increase to the cap on working holiday visas for Indonesians and argued that it is time Australians consider Indonesia as "critical" to both the economic prosperity and security of the country.[31]
Watts has written on the importance of multiculturalism in modern Australian society, and in doing so has called for anew Australian flag which does not bear theUnion Jack.[32] He described the importance of national symbols and the importance in ensuring they are reflective of the "modern, multicultural, Southeast Asian nation we have become".[32]
In 2015, Watts and Labor MPClare O'Neil releasedTwo Futures: Australia at a critical moment throughText Publishing, which sought to address long-term policy challenges facing Australia.[33] In 2019 he released another book,The Golden Country: Australia's Changing Identity.[34]
Watts lives inFootscray[35] with his wife and two children. He has an investment property inKingston.[35]
From about 2006 to 2013, Watts was the author of a blog entitled "Blogging the Bookshelf", in which he discusses the books that he has been reading.[36]
Watts supports theWestern Bulldogs in theAustralian Football League.[37]
| Parliament of Australia | ||
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| Preceded by | Member forGellibrand 2013–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Vacant Title last held by Steven Cioboas Parliamentary Secretary | Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs 2022–present | Incumbent |
Prime Minister:Anthony Albanese | ||
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