Senator the Hon. George Brandis S.C.
Minister for the Arts and Sport
Former Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts; Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate archived website
Minister for the Arts and Sport from 23 November 2001 to 30 January 2007
Personal details
Parliamentary service
Chosen by the Parliament of Queensland on 16 May 2000 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. WR Parer (resigned) Elected 2004 (term began 1 July 2005).
Parliamentary appointments
Parliamentary Representative on the Council of the National Library of Australia from 14 March 2005.
Parliamentary positions
Temporary Chair of Committees from 18 September 2002 to 6 February 2007.
Ministerial appointments
Appointed Minister for the Arts and Sport, 30 January 2007.
Committee service
Senate Standing: House from 8 June 2000 to 19 March 2002; Regulations and Ordinances from 8 June 2000 to 1 July 2002; Senators' Interests from 8 June 2000 to 19 March 2002; Procedure from 1 July 2002 to 25 March 2003; Library from 15 March 2005.
Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: Legislation Committee from 8 June 2000 to 11 February 2002; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation and References Committees from 8 June 2000 to 11 February 2002; Employment, Workplace Relations and Education: Legislation and References Committees from 13 February 2002 to 19 March 2002; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation Committee from 8 June 2000 to 11 September 2006; Economics: Legislation Committee from 13 February 2002 (Chair from 14 February 2002) to 11 September 2006 and References Committee from 14 February 2002 to 11 September 2006; Economics from 11 September 2006 to 8 February 2007; Legal and Constitutional Affairs from 11 September 2006 to 8 February 2007.
Senate Select: A Certain Maritime Incident from 11 March 2002 to 23 October 2002; Free Trade Agreement - Australia and the United States of America from 12 February 2004 to 5 August 2004; Scrafton Evidence from 30 August 2004.
Joint Statutory: Corporations and Financial Services from 14 February 2002.
Joint Standing: Electoral Matters from 28 August 2002.
Party positions
State President, Young Liberals (Qld) 1981.
Chair, Constitution and Rules Committee, Liberal Party (Qld) 1993-94 and 1999-2000.
Chair, Agenda Committee, Liberal Party (Qld) 1993-95 and 1997-99.
Vice-President, Liberal Party (Qld) 1994-95.
Chair, Ryan Federal Electorate Council 1996-99.
Life Member, Young Liberal Movement (Qld).
Personal
Born 22 June 1957, Sydney, NSW. Married.
Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament
BA (Hons), LLB (Hons) (Qld).
BCL (Oxon).
Barrister from 1985.
Appointed Senior Counsel, November 2006.
Publications
Liberals face the future: essays on Australian liberalism (with T Harley and D Markwell), Melbourne : Oxford University Press, 1984.
Australian liberalism: the continuing vision (with Y Thompson and T Harley), Melbourne : The Liberal Forum, 1986.