Chris Ellison (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Chris Ellison

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Chris Ellison.jpg

| caption =

| office = Minister for Human Services

| primeminister = John Howard

| term_start = 9 March 2007

| term_end = 3 December 2007

| predecessor = Ian Campbell

| successor = Joe Ludwig

| office2 = Minister for Justice and Customs

| primeminister2 = John Howard

| term_start2 = 30 January 2001

| term_end2 = 9 March 2007

| predecessor2 = Amanda Vanstone

| successor2 = David Johnston

| office3 = Special Minister of State

| primeminister3 = John Howard

| term_start3 = 21 October 1998

| term_end3 = 30 January 2001

| predecessor3 = Nick Minchin

| successor3 = Eric Abetz

| office4 = Minister for Schools, Vocational Education and Training

| primeminister4 = John Howard

| term_start4 = 9 October 1997

| term_end4 = 21 October 1998

| predecessor4 = David Kemp

| successor4 = Abolished

| office5 = Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs

| primeminister5 = John Howard

| term_start5 = 18 July 1997

| term_end5 = 9 October 1997

| predecessor5 = Geoff Prosser

| successor5 = Warren Truss

| office6 = Senator for Western Australia

| term_start6 = 1 July 1993

| term_end6 = 30 January 2009

| predecessor6 = Peter Durack

| successor6 = Chris Back

| constituency =

| majority =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|6|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Australian

| party = Liberal

| spouse =

| relations =

| children =

| residence =

| alma_mater = University of Western Australia

| occupation =

| profession = Lawyer

| signature =

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Christopher Martin Ellison (born 15 June 1954) is an Australian lawyer and former politician. He served as a Senator for Western Australia from 1993 to 2009, representing the Liberal Party. He held ministerial office in the Howard government as Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs (1997), Schools, Vocational Education and Training (1997–1998), Special Minister of State (1998–2001), Justice and Customs (2001–2007), and Human Services (2007).

Background

Ellison was born on 15 June 1954 in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe).{{cite news|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=9X5|title=Former Senator Christopher Ellison|publisher=Parliament of Australia|access-date=9 May 2021}} His father was of English descent and his mother of Irish descent.{{cite news|url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansards%2F1993-09-01%2F0108%22|title=First speech|date=1 September 1993|access-date=9 May 2021|work=Hansard|publisher=Parliament of Australia}} He was educated at Trinity College, Perth and the University of Western Australia, where he gained a B.Juris (1977) and LLB (1978). He spent two years as a lawyer with the Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia, where he completed his articled clerkship. He was a barrister and solicitor as partner in his own law firm, Williams Ellison, for 13 years 1980–93.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

He is known for his conservative and Catholic views, and is a strong constitutional monarchist and a member of the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.[http://www.openaustralia.org/senate/?id=2008-12-03.115.2 Senate debates Wednesday, 3 December 2008] He has voted against abortion and euthanasia.{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}}

In 2001, he was awarded a Centenary Medal for Service to Society.https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1118311 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2022}} In 2017, he was named as the Chancellor of The University of Notre Dame Australia.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nd.edu.au/news/media-releases/2017/049 |title=Notre Dame welcome new Chancellor roles |access-date=24 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024095844/http://www.nd.edu.au/news/media-releases/2017/049 |archive-date=24 October 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

He is married with three children.

Political career

Ellison was elected as Senator for Western Australia in 1993, replacing Peter Durack,{{cite web|title=Biography for Ellison, the Hon. Christopher Martin|publisher=Parliament of Australia|work=ParlInfo Web|url=http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/TranslateWIPILink.aspx?Folder=BIOGS&Criteria=NAME_ID:9X5%3B|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121128174730/http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/TranslateWIPILink.aspx?Folder=BIOGS&Criteria=NAME_ID:9X5;|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 November 2012|access-date=2 December 2007}} and immediately became involved in parliamentary committees and inquiries across a range of portfolios. He chaired the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee from 1993 to 1996, including chairing an inquiry which led to changes in Australia's treaty making process.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

He entered the Howard ministry as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Family Services and to the Attorney-General in 1997. He was promoted to Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General 1997, Minister for Schools, Vocational Education and Training 1997-98 and Special Minister of State 1998–2001. He was Minister for Justice and Customs between January 2001 and March 2007.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

From March 2007 until the defeat of the Howard government in the 2007 election, Ellison was a member of cabinet as Minister for Human Services, overseeing the service delivery of Government agencies including Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency. He held the offices of Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, along with Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate from December 2007 to September 2008.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

Following the change of Government in November 2007, Senator Ellison was appointed as Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship and Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate. In addition, Senator Ellison was the Chair of the Scrutiny of Bills Committee.

Senator Ellison is the longest serving Minister for Justice, with the portfolio abolished in 2017.

Later career

On 17 September 2008, Ellison announced he would be resigning, stating that he would like to spend more time with his family.{{cite news|title=Ellison quits politics|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/17/2367001.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919070147/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/17/2367001.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 September 2008|work=ABC News|date=2008-09-17}} However, he did not formally resign until 30 January 2009.[http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/dailys/ds030209.pdf Senate Hansard: Ellison's resignation, 3 February 2009] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327102914/http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/dailys/ds030209.pdf |date=27 March 2009 }} The casual vacancy caused by his resignation was filled by Chris Back.

Ellison was announced as chancellor of the University of Notre Dame Australia in 2017, with effect from 1 January 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.cathnews.com/media-releases/media-releases-2017/958-170808-und-notre-dame-welcomes-new-chancellor/file|title=Media release|access-date=28 June 2020|archive-date=28 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628143754/https://www.cathnews.com/media-releases/media-releases-2017/958-170808-und-notre-dame-welcomes-new-chancellor/file|url-status=dead}} He had previously served as a governor and director. He has additionally served as a director of construction firm Doric (2011–2015), chairman of the North West Tourism Board (2011–2015), and director of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (2014–present).{{Cite news|url=https://www.csc.gov.au/Employers/About-CSC/Directors-and-executive-team/The-Hon-Chris-Ellison/|title=The Hon. Chris Ellison|access-date=28 June 2020|archive-date=28 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628143631/https://www.csc.gov.au/Employers/About-CSC/Directors-and-executive-team/The-Hon-Chris-Ellison/|url-status=dead}}