Bruce Billson

The Honourable
Bruce Billson

Billson in 2014
Minister for Small Business
In office
18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015
Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by Gary Gray
Succeeded by Kelly O'Dwyer
Minister for Veterans' Affairs
In office
23 March 2007 – 3 December 2007
Prime Minister John Howard
Preceded by De-Anne Kelly
Succeeded by Alan Griffin
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Dunkley
In office
2 March 1996 – 9 May 2016
Preceded by Bob Chynoweth
Succeeded by Chris Crewther
Personal details
Born Bruce Billson
(1966-01-26) 26 January 1966
Albury, New South Wales, Australia
Political party Liberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s) Kate Ranken
Children 4
Alma mater Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Occupation Politician
Website Official website

Bruce Frederick Billson (born 26 January 1966) is a former politician who was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives representing the Division of Dunkley in Victoria from 1996 to 2016.[1] Billson served as the Minister for Small Business from September 2013 to September 2015.[2]

Early life and education

He was born in Albury, New South Wales, and moved to Seaford 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.[1]

Career

Ministerial roles

Billson was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2004.[1] 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 2007 federal election.[1]

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.[1] and after the 2010 election he was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs.[3]

Following the 2013 election he was sworn in to the cabinet as the Minister for Small Business.

Retirement from politics

Following the leadership spill that saw Malcolm Turnbull become Prime Minister, Billson was dropped from the new Ministry upon the ascension of the Turnbull Government. On 24 November 2015, he announced he would retire from politics at the 2016 federal election.[4]

He is currently serving as the executive chairman of the Franchise Council of Australia.[5]

Personal life

He is married to Kate and has four children: Alexander, Zoe, Madeline and Isabella.

References

External links

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Bob Chynoweth		 Member for Dunkley
1996–2016 		Succeeded by
Chris Crewther
Political offices
Preceded by
Gary Gray		 Minister for Small Business
2013–2015 		Succeeded by
Kelly O'Dwyer
Preceded by
De-Anne Kelly		 Minister for Veterans' Affairs
2007 		Succeeded by
Alan Griffin
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