Greg Hunt
Greg Hunt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gregory Andrew Hunt November 18, 1965 Frankston, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Years active | 2001–2022 |
| Known for | Minister for Health (2017–2022), Minister for the Environment (2013–2016), Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science (2016–2017) |
| Notable work | Managing Australia's federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022) |
Gregory Andrew Hunt (born 18 November 1965) is a former Australian politician who held the position of Minister for Health from January 2017 until May 2022. Representing the Liberal Party, he served as the member for the Division of Flinders in Victoria within the House of Representatives from November 2001 through to 2022. Throughout his political career, Hunt occupied several significant roles, including parliamentary secretary during the Howard government (2004–2007), Minister for the Environment between 2013 and 2016, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science from 2016 to 2017, and briefly as Minister for Sport in 2017.
Between March 2020 and his retirement in May 2022, Hunt was responsible for managing Australia's federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early life
Born on 18 November 1965 in Frankston, Victoria, Gregory Andrew Hunt was one of five brothers born to Kathinka (née Grant) and Alan Hunt, a solicitor who also served as a Liberal minister in Victoria's state government. His maternal grandmother, Phyllis Forster, was among the earliest women to graduate from the Victorian College of Pharmacy. Hunt’s mother worked as a nurse but battled bipolar disorder, eventually being institutionalised; she passed away from a heart attack at age 58 while he was studying overseas.
Raised in Mornington, Victoria, Hunt attended Mornington Primary School followed by the Peninsula School. After completing secondary education, he took a gap year, traveling across Ireland, the Alps, Spain, and Israel. During this period, he lived on a kibbutz, where he acquired Hebrew language skills and gained experience working in a machine workshop. Upon returning to Australia, Hunt pursued arts and law degrees at the University of Melbourne, residing at Ormond College and graduating with first-class honours. At university, he built relationships with future political leaders such as Mary Wooldridge and John Roskam, led the debating society as president, and secured second place at the 1984 World Universities Debating Championship held in Edinburgh alongside his partner Rufus Black. His final-year thesis titled A Tax to Make the Polluter Pay was awarded a prize.
Hunt is counted among seven Liberal parliamentarians in the 46th Parliament of Australia who hold qualifications from elite institutions like Oxbridge or Ivy League universities; others include figures such as Alan Tudge, Angus Taylor, and Josh Frydenberg.
Career
Following completion of his undergraduate studies, Hunt began working at law firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques. In 1992, he acted as an associate to Michael Black, then chief justice of the Federal Court of Australia. He later obtained a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Yale University as a recipient of a Fulbright Scholar award. During this time, he interned at the United Nations Centre for Human Rights in Geneva, focusing on investigations into war crimes committed during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.
In 1994, Hunt took up the role of senior adviser to federal opposition leader Alexander Downer, continuing through Downer's resignation and subsequent appointment as foreign minister under the Howard government. He also led the Australian Electoral Observer Mission during Cambodia’s general election in 1998. Subsequently, Hunt worked as a senior fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Comparative Constitutional Law between 1998 and 1999; then served as engagement manager at McKinsey & Company from 1999 to 2001; and held the position of Director of Strategy at the World Economic Forum between 2000 and 2001. Additionally, he was an early investor in project management software firm Aconex, divesting his shares upon entering ministerial office in 2013.
Early career
Hunt secured a seat in the House of Representatives in 2001, representing the Division of Flinders, after being encouraged by the outgoing MP Peter Reith to pursue Liberal preselection. He endorsed the 2003 Iraq invasion and served as a spokesperson for the policies of the Howard government.
Following the 2004 federal election, Hunt was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage. In January 2007, he transitioned to become Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. After the Coalition's loss in 2007, Hunt was appointed Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Urban Water, a role that was later retitled Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Heritage after the 2010 election.
Abbott government (2013–2015)
After the 2013 federal election, Hunt was appointed Minister for the Environment under Prime Minister Abbott. One of his initial decisions was to disband the Climate Commission, fulfilling a key election commitment of the government. In December 2013, he announced plans to dredge Abbot Point, which received approval from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in January 2014.
Turnbull government (2015–2018)
When Malcolm Turnbull assumed leadership of the Liberal Party in September 2015, Hunt maintained his position as Minister for the Environment. In February 2016, a Thomson Reuters panel at the World Government Summit named him "Best Minister in the World." Following the 2016 election, Hunt was appointed Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. After Sussan Ley resigned in January 2017, he took on the additional portfolio of Minister for Health and Sport.
In June 2017, Hunt and several colleagues faced potential contempt of court allegations after publicly criticizing judicial rulings concerning a government appeal; they avoided prosecution by issuing an unconditional apology to the Victorian Court of Appeal. During Victoria’s 2018 state election campaign, Hunt attracted controversy over remarks about African gang-related crime in the state.
In Turnbull’s 2020 memoir A Bigger Picture, Hunt was characterized as "widely distrusted by his colleagues" and noted for frequently employing abusive language, including directed at his department secretary Martin Bowles.
Morrison government (2018–2022)
During the Liberal leadership turmoil in 2018, Hunt offered to step down as health minister but remained in office under Prime Minister Morrison. He also sought the party’s deputy leadership but secured only 20% of votes compared to Josh Frydenberg’s 46%.
Hunt played a pivotal role in managing Australia’s response to COVID-19 after enactment of the Biosecurity Act in March 2020. His leadership received commendations for effectively curbing virus transmission and adhering closely to scientific guidance. Drawing on lessons from the 1918 influenza pandemic, he advocated for suppression strategies and led national media briefings. He was instrumental in rolling out Australia’s vaccination program; however, his administration faced criticism over delays and issues within aged care facilities. Despite legal challenges, his ban on overseas travel during the pandemic was upheld by courts.
The sluggish vaccine rollout earned the nickname "strollout," which became Australia's word of the year in 2021, reflecting widespread public dissatisfaction with its pace.
In June 2020, Hunt announced new regulations banning importation of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes without a medical prescription. The initial implementation date set for July was postponed until January 2021 due to public backlash and parliamentary pressure.
On 2 December 2021, Hunt announced his decision to retire from politics ahead of the 2022 federal election.
In October 2022, Monash University appointed him Chair of the Advisory Council for the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health.
Political positions
In 2017, Hunt was characterized as a small-l liberal aligned with the progressive faction of his party. Back in 2012, he was regarded as a moderate closely connected to Tony Abbott's inner circle and considered one of Victoria's foremost federal Liberals. Nevertheless, by 2021, The Sydney Morning Herald identified Hunt as belonging to the Liberal Party's centre-right faction.
He cast his vote in favor of lifting the prohibition on the abortion medication RU-486 and advocated for the legal recognition of same-sex marriage.
In 2006, Hunt, alongside three fellow Liberal parliamentarians, put forward a proposal to finance full-time chaplains within public schools, a move that eventually contributed to the establishment of the National School Chaplaincy Programme. He criticized state schools for being "anti-religious" and stressed the importance of chaplains providing mentoring, counselling, values-oriented support, and religious education.
Personal life
Residing in Mount Martha, Victoria, Hunt has two children with Paula Lindsey, who formerly worked as a nurse educator. His initial marriage concluded amicably during his twenties.
He holds certification as a recreational diver and had completed seven marathons by 2012. Reports from 2020 indicate that he engages in daily running. In March 2021, Hunt was admitted to hospital for several days due to cellulitis.