Pyne retired from politics in 2019, not standing at the that year's election. In June 2019, he was appointed as an industry professor at the University of South Australia.[1] In the same month, Pyne began at a new defence industry consulting position, prompting a Senate investigation into a potential breach of Ministerial Standards.[2]
Early life and education
Christopher Maurice Pyne was born on 13 August 1967 in Adelaide. He is the fifth and youngest child of a Jesuit family: Remington John Pyne (1929–1988), an ophthalmic surgeon, and Margaret Elsie Pyne (née Evans; 1929–2022).[3][4]
At the 1993 election, aged 25, Pyne was elected to the South Australian division of Sturt in the House of Representatives. He had earlier defeated Sturt incumbent Ian Wilson in a Liberal pre-selection ballot for the seat. Wilson had held the seat for all but one term since the 1966 election. Between them, he and his father, Keith, had held the seat for all but four years since its creation in 1949. Wilson was 35 years Pyne's senior; indeed, he had won his first election a year before Pyne was born.[11]
Pyne is a republican[12] and established himself as a member of the moderate, "small-l liberal" faction of the Liberal Party, and a supporter of Deputy Leader Peter Costello. Pyne remains a close ally of state Liberal Vickie Chapman.[13]
In 1994, after serving as a backbencher for a period, Pyne was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Social Security. He retained this position after John Howard was elected as leader, and up to the 1996 election.[6]
After the 1996 Coalition victory, Pyne sat as a backbencher. He chaired the Australia Israel Parliamentary group from 1996 to 2004.[10] In 2003, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Family and Community Services, where he remained until 2004, when named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing.[6] As Parliamentary Secretary, he defended the government's 'war on drugs' and established his strong support of illicit drug prohibition, as opposed to harm minimisation.[14] He launched the youth mental health initiative Headspace.[15]
Pyne remained as Manager of Opposition Business in the House and Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training after Tony Abbott's victory over Turnbull at the 2009 leadership spill.[19] Pyne was re-elected at the 2010 election, receiving a 2.5 percent TPP swing to finish with a marginal 53.4 percent TPP vote, no longer the most marginal electorate of South Australia.[20] He was re-appointed as Manager of Opposition Business in the House and Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training.[21]
Pyne being sworn in as Minister for Education and Training by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, 2014
Pyne was re-elected at the 2013 election, receiving a 6.5 percent TPP swing towards him, to resulting in a 60.1 percent TPP vote, making Sturt a safe Liberal electorate. Pyne joined the cabinet on 18 September 2013 as Leader of the House and Minister for Education in the Abbott government.[22] In December 2014, his position was renamed to Minister for Education and Training.[23]
As Minister for Education and Training, Pyne enacted changes to the education system to provide minimum standards for teachers,[24] promoted independent public schooling,[25] expanded phonics teaching,[26] and created a new national curriculum.[27] Pyne also attempted to reform the university sector to introduce market principles but was rejected by the Senate.[28]
In May 2014, Pyne suggested that HECS debts should be reclaimed from the estates of deceased students.[29]
Pyne retained Sturt at the 2016 election for the Liberals with a 55.9 percent two-party vote from a 4.2 percent two-party swing, reducing the seat from a safe to marginal status.
Pyne has stated he has always been in favour of same-sex marriage.[36] In November, the Australian Federal Police investigated claims that his Twitter account was compromised after it had been found to have liked a pornographic image depicting a gay sexual act.[37]
On 2 March 2019, Pyne announced that he would not recontest the seat of Sturt at the 2019 election, and would retire from politics.[39][40][41] The House of Representatives was dissolved on 11 April 2019.
Since late 2020, Pyne has taken on roles in the Australian defence industry. He is chairman of the advisory board of Australia's largest Australian owned small arms and munitions company Nioa,[45] and chairman of the advisory board of the Australian Missile Corporation.[46] He also sits on the board of ASX Listed, Xtek Ltd, a Canberra-based body armour and unmanned vehicle manufacturer and supplier globally.[47]
Pyne was listed on the South Australian lobbyist register on 26 July 2019 as a co-owner of GC Advisory Pty Ltd, which he co-owns with Adam Howard. The firm's clientele includes Duxton Capital, Hickinbotham Group, Polites Group, RacingSA, the City of Burnside and Thomson Geer Lawyers.[51]
In 2021, Pyne was interviewed[52] by Christopher Lim and Kendall O'Donnell, contributors for The Bruges Group, on CANZUK, Australia's COVID policy, the Australia–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, and Australia's role in the Indo-Pacific. Pyne praised Prime Minister Scott Morrison's leadership and COVID policy, as well as the Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Act 2020. Pyne was praised for "accurately depicting the Australian perspective on the Indo-Pacific and Australia's national security interests". Kendall O'Donnell's performance was praised for his "steadfast questioning and pertinent points made around national security issues", and Lim's questions were described as "demonstrating incredible awareness of Australia's domestic debate and constitutional issues.
Personal life
He married Carolyn Twelftree in 1994. They have four children together. Pyne currently resides in Adelaide.[6]
In March 2025, Pyne underwent a surgery for a heart bypass, Pyne stated "I am lucky to live in a time when a procedure like this is routine, and where, at 57, I can gain a renovated new heart".[53]
↑Warhurst, John (16 October 2013). "Jesuit influence overplayed". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
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