Bruce Billson
Encyclopedia
Bruce Frederick Billson MP (born 26 January 1966) is an Australian politician and Liberal
member of the Australian House of Representatives
since 1996. He represents the Division of Dunkley
, Victoria.
He was born in Albury
, New South Wales, and moved to Seaford
(in what is now the Division of Dunkley) as a child. He was educated at Monterey High School
in Frankston North
and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
. He was Manager of Corporate Development, for the Shire of Hastings, a Ministerial Adviser to the Victorian
Minister for Natural Resources, and policy adviser to the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Senator Rod Kemp
, before entering politics.
He was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2004. In 2005, he was also appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, and, in 2006, he was promoted to Minister for Veterans' Affairs
– a position he retained until the defeat of the Howard government
in the November 2007 election.
In 2007, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. In 2009, he was then appointed the Shadow Minister for Sustainable Development and Cities. and after the 2010 election he was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs.
Bruce is married to Kate and has four children: Alexander, Zoe, Madeline and Isabella.
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
since 1996. He represents the Division of Dunkley
Division of Dunkley
The Division of Dunkley is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Louisa Margaret Dunkley, a trade unionist and campaigner for equal pay for women. It is located in...
, Victoria.
He was born in Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
, New South Wales, and moved to Seaford
Seaford, Victoria
Seaford is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 36 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Frankston...
(in what is now the Division of Dunkley) as a child. He was educated at Monterey High School
Monterey Secondary College
Monterey Secondary College is a public, secondary, day school located in the Melbourne suburb of Frankston North in Victoria, Australia.It was established in 1994 following the merger of Monterey High School and Monterey Technical School, both which were founded during the late 1960s...
in Frankston North
Frankston North, Victoria
Frankston North, also known as The Pines, is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 37 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Frankston...
and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
. He was Manager of Corporate Development, for the Shire of Hastings, a Ministerial Adviser to the Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
Minister for Natural Resources, and policy adviser to the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Senator Rod Kemp
Rod Kemp
Charles Roderick "Rod" Kemp is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from 1990 to 2008, representing the state of Victoria....
, before entering politics.
He was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2004. In 2005, he was also appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, and, in 2006, he was promoted to Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs oversees income support, compensation, care and commemoration programs for more than 400,000 veterans and their widows, widowers and dependants....
– a position he retained until the defeat of the Howard government
Howard Government
The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...
in the November 2007 election.
In 2007, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. In 2009, he was then appointed the Shadow Minister for Sustainable Development and Cities. and after the 2010 election he was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs.
Bruce is married to Kate and has four children: Alexander, Zoe, Madeline and Isabella.