Anne Ruston

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Anne Ruston

| honorific-prefix = Senator The Honourable

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Anne Ruston portrait.jpg

| caption = Ruston in 2018

| office = Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate

| leader = Michaelia Cash

| term_start = 25 January 2025

| term_end =

| predecessor = Michaelia Cash

| successor =

| office1 = Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate

| leader1 = Simon Birmingham

| term_start1 = 5 June 2022

| term_end1 = 25 January 2025

| predecessor1 = Katy Gallagher

| successor1 = Jonathan Duniam

| office2 = Manager of Government Business in the Senate

| primeminister2 = Scott Morrison

| leader2 = Mathias Cormann
Simon Birmingham

| term_start2 = 29 May 2019

| term_end2 = 23 May 2022

| predecessor2 = Mitch Fifield

| successor2 = Katy Gallagher

| status3 = Acting

| term_start3 = 23 August 2018

| term_end3 = 28 August 2018

| primeminister3 = Malcolm Turnbull

| leader3 = Simon Birmingham (acting)

| predecessor3 = Simon Birmingham

| successor3 = Mitch Fifield

|office4 = Minister for Families and Social Services

|primeminister4 = Scott Morrison

|term_start4 = 29 May 2019

|term_end4 = 23 May 2022

|predecessor4 = Paul Fletcher

|successor4 = Amanda Rishworth (as Minister for Social Services)

| office5 = Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific

| primeminister5 = Scott Morrison

| term_start5 = 28 August 2018

| term_end5 = 26 May 2019

| predecessor5 = Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

| successor5 = Alex Hawke

| office6 = Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources

| primeminister6 = Malcolm Turnbull

| term_start6 = 21 September 2015

| term_end6 = 28 August 2018

| predecessor6 = Richard Colbeck (as Parliamentary-Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture)

| successor6 = Richard Colbeck

| office7 = Senator for South Australia

| term_start7 = 5 September 2012

| term_end7 =

| predecessor7 = Mary Jo Fisher

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|6|10|df=y}}

| birth_place = Renmark, South Australia, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Australian

| party = Liberal

| residence =

| religion =

| alma_mater = University of Southern Queensland

| occupation = Chief executive
rose-grower

| profession =

| signature =

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Anne Sowerby Ruston (born 10 June 1963) is an Australian politician who served as Minister for Families and Social Services in the Morrison government from 2019 to 2022. She has been a Senator for South Australia since 2012.

Before entering politics Ruston was a commercial rose-grower and chief executive of the National Wine Centre. She was appointed to the Senate to fill a casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Mary Jo Fisher. Ruston served as Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources in the Turnbull government from 2015 to 2018 and as Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific in the Morrison government from 2018 to 2019. She was elevated to cabinet following the 2019 election.

Early life

Ruston was born on 10 June 1963 in Renmark, South Australia. She went to Renmark High School where she was a school friend of future Chief of Army Rick Burr. She holds the degree of Bachelor of Business from the University of Southern Queensland.{{Cite Au Parliament |name=Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds |mpid=250216 |access-date=2021-11-03}}

Career

In 1987, Ruston began working as an electorate officer for state Liberal MP Peter Arnold.{{cite news|url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22chamber/hansards/9d7d8cb5-a0ef-4c67-9936-653fc7cde168/0146%22|title=First speech|publisher=Parliament of Australia|work=Hansard|date=10 October 2012|access-date=2 July 2021}} She joined the staff of state tourism minister Graham 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.{{Cite news|title=Wine centre woes|first=Colin|last=James|newspaper=The Advertiser|location=Adelaide|date=17 November 2001}}{{cite news|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/senator-elect-anne-ruston-is-no-stranger-to-political-controversies/news-story/9aa9ba61a9a333f245c066d6408e48f6|title=Senator-elect Anne Ruston is no stranger to political controversies|newspaper=The Advertiser|location=Adelaide|date=30 July 2012|access-date=2 July 2021}}

Ruston was closely involved with the creation of the National Wine Centre of Australia, initially as project director and then as the centre's inaugural CEO. It was publicly announced by Premier John Olsen in 1998 as a centre for wine tourism and education, as well as office space for various wine industry groups.{{cite news|title=$40m Centre For The Industry Planned For Adelaide|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=15 November 1998}} Ruston oversaw the construction phase of the centre, announcing three months prior to its opening in 2001 that she would not renew her contract.{{cite news|title=Search starts for wine centre boss|first=Craig|last=Clarke|newspaper=The Sunday Mail|location=Adelaide|date=8 July 2001}} In 2000 she and the centre's chairman Rick Allert were called before a parliamentary committee over possible breaches of procurement guidelines. By the time of her departure the centre was employing over 100 people,{{cite news|title=New centre at the cutting edge of national culture|newspaper=The Advertiser|location=Adelaide|date=5 October 2001|first=Nigel|last=Austin}} 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 of Ansett Australia. However, independent MP Peter Lewis stated that the business plan approved by Ruston and Allert overstated likely visitor numbers.{{cite news|title=Wine centre bailout flows|newspaper=The Australian|date=27 December 2001|first1=Thea|last1=Williams|first2=Rebecca|last2=DiGirolamo}}

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.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-07-15/rustons-to-stay-in-family/1448752|title=Ruston's to stay in family|publisher=ABC News|date=15 July 2003|access-date=2 July 2021}} He was the first Australian to serve as president of the World Federation of Rose Societies.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-20/tributes-pour-in-for-david-ruston,-the-man-who-brought-roses-to/11129612|title=Tributes pour in for David Ruston, the man who brought roses to the people|work=ABC News|date=20 May 2019|access-date=12 November 2020}} At the time of purchase it reportedly contained 50,000 rose bushes of 4,000 varieties and over 700 varieties of iris, spread over {{convert|11|ha|acre}}.{{cite news|title=Life is a bed of roses|first=Holly|last=Kerr Forsyth|newspaper=Weekend Australian|date=29 November 2003}} However, as a result of the Millennium 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/politics/perfect-pathway-for-assistant-agriculture-and-water-minister-senator-anne-ruston/news-story/48eb5538e595d6c5da0d34978f5a178c|title=Perfect pathway for assistant Agriculture and Water Minister Senator Anne Ruston|first=Natalie|last=Kotsios|newspaper=The Weekly Times|date=10 November 2015|access-date=2 July 2021}} She was managing director until her appointment to the Senate in 2012, after which she remained as a co-owner.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/rosegrowing-senator-says-thorns-removed-and-mr-x-faces-harder-task-20150924-gjttup.html|title=Rose-growing senator says thorns removed and Mr X faces harder task|first=Simon|last=Evans|date=25 September 2015|access-date=2 July 2021}}

Politics

Ruston became a vice-president of the Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division) in 2011. In May 2012 she won preselection 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 senator Nick Xenophon.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/sa-lib-factions-at-war-over-senate-vacancy-caused-by-retiring-mary-jo-fisher/news-story/8f2b2d1b1ef7f0f3ae30cb136b8a957a|title=SA Lib factions at war over Senate vacancy caused by retiring Mary Jo Fisher|newspaper=The Australian|date=25 June 2012|access-date=2 July 2021|first=Michael|last=Owen}} However, incumbent senator Mary Jo Fisher resigned the following month and Ruston was chosen instead for the resulting casual vacancy,{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/liberals-choose-anne-ruston-as-mary-jo-fisher-replacement-in-senate/news-story/83ae5c1d91869508e6ab9e927e1aacfd|title=Liberals choose Anne Ruston as Mary Jo Fisher replacement in Senate|newspaper=The Australian|first=Michael|last=Owen|date=27 July 2012|access-date=2 July 2021}} receiving support from the party's moderate faction in what The Australian described as a "factional brawl". She was formally appointed by a joint sitting of the Parliament of South Australia on 5 September 2012.{{cite news|title=Ruston formally appointed to Senate|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-05/ruston-formally-appointed-to-senate-vacancy/4244156|access-date=5 September 2012|newspaper=ABC News|date=5 September 2012}}

Ruston was a deputy whip from September 2014 to May 2016. She became Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources in the First Turnbull Ministry in September 2015. During the August 2018 Liberal leadership spills, she served as Manager of Government Business in the Senate for five days. She was subsequently appointed Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific in the First Morrison Ministry.

Following the 2019 election, Ruston was elevated to the Cabinet and was appointed Minister for Families and Social Services in the Second Morrison Ministry.{{cite news|first=Harley|last=Dennett|title=New cabinet, machinery of government changes: Second Morrison Ministry|url=https://www.themandarin.com.au/109117-new-cabinet-machinery-of-government-changes-second-morrison-ministry/|newspaper=The Mandarin|date=26 May 2019|access-date=26 May 2019}} 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.

Political positions

Ruston is a member of the Moderate faction of the Liberal Party.{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 April 2023 |access-date=4 December 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=20 March 2021 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=1 February 2022}}

In 2017, when Cory Bernardi moved a motion to ban sex-selective abortion, Ruston was one of the ten senators who voted in favour. The motion was defeated by a vote of 10–36.{{cite web| url = https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/divisions/senate/2017-11-16/2| title = Motions - Abortion - Gender grounds — They Vote For You}}{{cite news| url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-16/bernardi-making-provocative-motions-hanson-young-fires-up/9158076| title = Cory Bernardi is using provocative motions to make ideological points in the Senate - ABC News| website = Australian Broadcasting Corporation| date = 16 November 2017}}

Personal life

Ruston is married to Richard Fewster and they have a son.{{cite news|last1=Keogh|first1=Melissa|title=Showtime for Richard|url=http://www.murraypioneer.com.au/showtime-for-richard/|access-date=6 January 2016|work=The Murray Pioneer|date=26 August 2014}}