Philip Ruddock
Philip Ruddock | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Hornsby Shire | |
| In office 10 September 2017 – 14 September 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Steve Russell |
| Succeeded by | Warren Waddell |
| Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives | |
| In office 18 September 2013 – 13 February 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Abbott |
| Preceded by | Chris Hayes |
| Succeeded by | Scott Buchholz |
| Attorney-General of Australia | |
| In office 7 October 2003 – 3 December 2007 | |
| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Daryl Williams |
| Succeeded by | Robert McClelland |
| Father of the House | |
| In office 1 September 1998 – 9 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Ian Sinclair |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Andrews |
| Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs | |
| In office 11 March 1996 – 7 October 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Nick Bolkus |
| Succeeded by | Amanda Vanstone |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Berowra | |
| In office 13 March 1993 – 9 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Harry Edwards |
| Succeeded by | Julian Leeser |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Dundas | |
| In office 10 December 1977 – 13 March 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Seat created |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Parramatta | |
| In office 22 September 1973 – 10 December 1977 | |
| Preceded by | Nigel Bowen |
| Succeeded by | John Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 March 1943 |
| Party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse |
Heather Ruddock
(m. 1970) |
| Parent | Max Ruddock (father) |
| Education | Barker College |
| Alma mater | Sydney Law School University of Sydney |
| Occupation | Solicitor Diplomat |
| Profession | Lawyer Politician |
Philip Maxwell Ruddock (born 12 March 1943) is an Australian politician who served as the 32nd Attorney-General of Australia from 2003 to 2007 under prime minister John Howard. A member of the Liberal Party, he was elected to the House of Representatives from 1973 to 2016; by the time of his retirement Ruddock was the last Member of Parliament (MP) to have sat during the Whitlam and Fraser governments. He was both the Father of the House and the Father of the Parliament from 1998 to retirement. He is the second longest-serving parliamentarian in the history of the Australian Parliament; only Billy Hughes has served longer.
First elected in a by-election in Parramatta, Ruddock held the seat of Dundas from 1977 to 1993, then that of Berowra. He served continuously in the ministry during the Howard government, as Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs from 1996 to 2001 (promoted to the federal Cabinet in 2003), Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs from 2001 to 2003, and Attorney-General from 2003 to 2007. As Immigration Minister, Ruddock played a central role in implementing the Pacific Solution in 2001.
In 2016 Ruddock was appointed the Australian Special Envoy for Human Rights. He later served as Mayor of Hornsby Shire Council from 2017 to 2024. He is a Vice Chair of the Global Panel Foundation Australasia.