Greg Combet
Encyclopedia
Gregory Ivan Combet AM
MP
(born 28 April 1958) is an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
(ACTU) between 2000 and 2007. He was elected member for the New South Wales seat of Charlton
for the Australian Labor Party
at the 2007 election and was immediately appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement in the First Rudd Ministry
on 3 December 2007. Combet is currently the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency in the Second Gillard Ministry
. He had previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to this position, when it was held by Penny Wong
.
. He was later educated at the University of New South Wales
where he studied mining engineering, and then graduated from the University of Sydney
with a Bachelor of Economics, and a Graduate Diploma in Labour Relations and the Law. He was a project officer for the New South Wales Tenants' Union before working for the Lidcombe
Workers' Health Centre. In 1987, he was employed by the Waterside Workers' Federation, now part of the Maritime Union of Australia
.
(ACTU) began in 1993 when he became a Senior Industrial Officer. In 1996 he was elected Assistant Secretary and in 2000, following the retirement of Bill Kelty
, he became Secretary. Over his time at the ACTU, Combet has co-ordinated many union campaigns, including the 'Cavalcade to Canberra' of 19 August 1996. The protest gained notoriety due to 2000 breakaway civilians rioting in and around Parliament House
. He rose to further prominence during the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute
and supported militant union protests during the campaign, saying "the laws were made against workers, and bad laws have to be broken." Combet also participated in campaigns to secure entitlements and compensation for the staff of the collapsed airline Ansett Australia
and asbestos
victims of the James Hardie
company. In his capacity as Secretary of the ACTU, Combet led the campaign against the Howard Government
's WorkChoices
industrial relations law changes.
figures had announced that Combet would run for election representing the ALP in the safe seat of Charlton
in New South Wales
. However, later that day Combet told The Age
newspaper that he was not planning an entry into federal politics at the 2007 election, preferring instead to continue leading the ACTU's campaign against the industrial relations law changes. On 4 May 2007, Combet confirmed his intention to run for Charlton. The sitting member for Charlton, Kelly Hoare
, expressed anger at losing preselection for her seat, and for a time considered running as an independent.
Combet stood down as ACTU Secretary to campaign full time in Charlton in the lead up to the federal election. On 14 June 2007 Jeff Lawrence
, National Secretary of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union
(LHMU) was elected unopposed as the next Secretary of the ACTU.
Combet was elected as the new member for Charlton on 24 November 2007 as part of the ALP's victory in the 2007 Australian federal election, achieving a two party preferred swing of 4.47 percent, winning 62.87 percent of the two party vote. Following the election, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
appointed Combet as Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement in the First Rudd Ministry
. He was sworn in on 3 December 2007. In February 2009, Combet was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change, with a focus on emissions trading, to assist Climate Change Minister Senator Penny Wong
.
As a result of the resignation of Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon
and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle, Combet was promoted to the Outer Ministry on 6 June 2009, as Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science and Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change. Combet's portfolio was amended in April 2010 to Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Minister for Defence Materiel and Science and to help him focus on the Government's energy efficiency programs, he axed part of this scheme – Home Insulation Program
(HIP) in late April due to the safety risks and the blow out in funding.
Combet was re-elected to Charlton at the 2010 federal election, suffering a post-redistribution two party swing of 0.24 percent, winning 62.67 percent of the two party vote.
.
On 12 June 2006, in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, he was made a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia
.
Combet is separated from Petra Hilsen and has one daughter, one stepdaughter and one stepson. Mr Combet split up with his second wife blaming his workload had contributed to the marriage breakdown. He said relationship breakdowns were the price you paid "in this kind of work". Greg Combet and West Australian MP Melissa Parke
confirmed their romance, but denied Ms Parke was pregnant.
Combet has stated that he is an Atheist
.
In the 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
television series Bastard Boys
, dramatising the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute
in with Combet was heavily involved. The role of Combet was played by Daniel Frederiksen
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(born 28 April 1958) is an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
(ACTU) between 2000 and 2007. He was elected member for the New South Wales seat of Charlton
Division of Charlton
The Division of Charlton is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Matthew Charlton, who was Leader of the Australian Labor Party 1922-28. It is located in the Hunter Valley area of New South Wales, including the coal-mining towns of...
for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
at the 2007 election and was immediately appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement in the First Rudd Ministry
First Rudd Ministry
The Rudd Ministry was the 65th Australian Commonwealth ministry. It was led by Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party.The Ministry was sworn in by the 24th Governor-General of Australia Major-General Michael Jeffery on 3 December 2007, following the 2007 election, and it ended on 24 June 2010...
on 3 December 2007. Combet is currently the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency in the Second Gillard Ministry
Second Gillard Ministry
The Second Gillard Ministry is the 67th Australian ministry. It is led by Julia Gillard of the Australian Labor Party. On 11 September 2010 she announced the makeup of her ministry, following the 2010 Federal election...
. He had previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to this position, when it was held by Penny Wong
Penny Wong
Penelope "Penny" Ying-yen Wong , is an Australian Labor Party senator for South Australia and the Federal Minister for Finance and Deregulation. Wong was the first Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water. Her appointment was amended on 26 February 2010, by the Prime Minister, to the...
.
Early life
Greg Combet was born in Sydney and attended Baulkham Hills High SchoolBaulkham Hills High School
Baulkham Hills High School is an academically selective high school located in Baulkham Hills. The school was established in 1971 by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training, and currently caters for approximately 1200 students from Years 7 to 12.The school is noted for its...
. He was later educated at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
where he studied mining engineering, and then graduated from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
with a Bachelor of Economics, and a Graduate Diploma in Labour Relations and the Law. He was a project officer for the New South Wales Tenants' Union before working for the Lidcombe
Lidcombe, New South Wales
Lidcombe is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Lidcombe is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
Workers' Health Centre. In 1987, he was employed by the Waterside Workers' Federation, now part of the Maritime Union of Australia
Maritime Union of Australia
The Maritime Union of Australia covers waterside workers, seafarers, port workers, professional divers, and office workers associated with Australian ports. As of 2011 the union has about 13,000 members. It is an affiliate of the International Transport Workers' Federation and represents the...
.
Union activity
Combet's association with the Australian Council of Trade UnionsAustralian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
(ACTU) began in 1993 when he became a Senior Industrial Officer. In 1996 he was elected Assistant Secretary and in 2000, following the retirement of Bill Kelty
Bill Kelty
William John "Bill" Kelty, AC is an Australian trade unionist and a well-known figure in the Australian labour movement, who served as Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions from 1983 to 2000....
, he became Secretary. Over his time at the ACTU, Combet has co-ordinated many union campaigns, including the 'Cavalcade to Canberra' of 19 August 1996. The protest gained notoriety due to 2000 breakaway civilians rioting in and around Parliament House
1996 Parliament House Riot
The 1996 Parliament House Riot involved a physical attack on Parliament House, Canberra, Australia, on 19 August 1996, when protesters broke away from a rally organised by the Australian Council of Trade Unions and sought to force their way into the national Parliament of Australia, causing...
. He rose to further prominence during the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute
1998 Australian waterfront dispute
The Australian waterfront dispute of 1998 was a watershed event in Australian Industrial Relations history, in which the Patrick Corporation undertook a restructuring of their operations for the purpose of increasing the productivity of their workforce...
and supported militant union protests during the campaign, saying "the laws were made against workers, and bad laws have to be broken." Combet also participated in campaigns to secure entitlements and compensation for the staff of the collapsed airline Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia, Ansett, Ansett Airlines of Australia, or ANSETT-ANA as it was commonly known in earlier years, was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne. The airlines flew domestically within Australia and to destinations in Asia during its operation in 1996...
and asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
victims of the James Hardie
James Hardie
James Hardie Industries Ltd. is an industrial building materials company headquartered in Ireland and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange which specialises in fibre cement products. James Hardie manufactures and develops technologies, materials and processes for the production of building...
company. In his capacity as Secretary of the ACTU, Combet led the campaign against 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...
's WorkChoices
WorkChoices
The Workplace Relations Act 1996, as amended by the Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005, popularly known as Work Choices, was a Legislative Act of the Australian Parliament that came into effect in March 2006 which involved many controversial amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, the...
industrial relations law changes.
Parliament
On 25 March 2007, The Sunday Age reported that senior Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
figures had announced that Combet would run for election representing the ALP in the safe seat of Charlton
Division of Charlton
The Division of Charlton is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Matthew Charlton, who was Leader of the Australian Labor Party 1922-28. It is located in the Hunter Valley area of New South Wales, including the coal-mining towns of...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. However, later that day Combet told The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
newspaper that he was not planning an entry into federal politics at the 2007 election, preferring instead to continue leading the ACTU's campaign against the industrial relations law changes. On 4 May 2007, Combet confirmed his intention to run for Charlton. The sitting member for Charlton, Kelly Hoare
Kelly Hoare
Kelly Joy Hoare , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007, representing the Division of Charlton, New South Wales...
, expressed anger at losing preselection for her seat, and for a time considered running as an independent.
Jeff Lawrence
Jeff Lawrence may refer to:* Jeff Lawrence , Australian trade unionist* Jeff Lawrence , entrepreneur and philanthropist...
, National Secretary of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union
Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union
United Voice, formerly known as the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union is a large Australian trade union, with around 130,000 members...
(LHMU) was elected unopposed as the next Secretary of the ACTU.
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
appointed Combet as Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement in the First Rudd Ministry
First Rudd Ministry
The Rudd Ministry was the 65th Australian Commonwealth ministry. It was led by Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party.The Ministry was sworn in by the 24th Governor-General of Australia Major-General Michael Jeffery on 3 December 2007, following the 2007 election, and it ended on 24 June 2010...
. He was sworn in on 3 December 2007. In February 2009, Combet was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change, with a focus on emissions trading, to assist Climate Change Minister Senator Penny Wong
Penny Wong
Penelope "Penny" Ying-yen Wong , is an Australian Labor Party senator for South Australia and the Federal Minister for Finance and Deregulation. Wong was the first Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water. Her appointment was amended on 26 February 2010, by the Prime Minister, to the...
.
As a result of the resignation of Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon
Joel Fitzgibbon
Joel Andrew Fitzgibbon is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Hunter in New South Wales. From December 2007 to June 2009 he was the Minister for Defence in the Rudd Ministry...
and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle, Combet was promoted to the Outer Ministry on 6 June 2009, as Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science and Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change. Combet's portfolio was amended in April 2010 to Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Minister for Defence Materiel and Science and to help him focus on the Government's energy efficiency programs, he axed part of this scheme – Home Insulation Program
Energy Efficient Homes Package
The Energy Efficient Homes Package was an Australian government program implemented by the Rudd Government and was administered by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts...
(HIP) in late April due to the safety risks and the blow out in funding.
Combet was re-elected to Charlton at the 2010 federal election, suffering a post-redistribution two party swing of 0.24 percent, winning 62.67 percent of the two party vote.
Personal
Combet is a director of the Chifley Research CentreChifley Research Centre
The Chifley Research Centre is the Australian Labor Party's official policy development institute. Many ALP policies are conceived and developed at this centre.-Equivalents:* Liberals: Menzies Research Centre* Nationals: Page Research Centre...
.
On 12 June 2006, in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, he was made a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
.
Combet is separated from Petra Hilsen and has one daughter, one stepdaughter and one stepson. Mr Combet split up with his second wife blaming his workload had contributed to the marriage breakdown. He said relationship breakdowns were the price you paid "in this kind of work". Greg Combet and West Australian MP Melissa Parke
Melissa Parke
Melissa Parke is an Australian Labor parliamentarian representing the Division of Fremantle, Western Australia, in the Australian House of Representatives. She was elected to office in November 2007 and re-elected in August 2010...
confirmed their romance, but denied Ms Parke was pregnant.
Combet has stated that he is an Atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
.
In the 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
television series Bastard Boys
Bastard Boys
Bastard Boys is an Australian television miniseries broadcast on the ABC in 2007. It tells the story of the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute.-Plot:...
, dramatising the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute
1998 Australian waterfront dispute
The Australian waterfront dispute of 1998 was a watershed event in Australian Industrial Relations history, in which the Patrick Corporation undertook a restructuring of their operations for the purpose of increasing the productivity of their workforce...
in with Combet was heavily involved. The role of Combet was played by Daniel Frederiksen
External links
- Hon Greg Combet AM, MP official Parliament of AustraliaParliament of AustraliaThe Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
site - The Hon Greg Combet AM MP official Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency site
- Greg Combet AM MP official constituency site
- Profile at NSW Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party (NSW)The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Lang Labor, was the name given to a major breakaway of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales that operated from 1931 to 1936....
- Greg Combet at OurCampaigns.com
- Profile at ABC NewsABC News (Australia)ABC News is a national news service produced by the News and Current Affairs division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation - the division is responsible for all newsgathering and production of news output for ABC television, radio and online services...
- The Hon Greg Combet AM MP speech to the National Press Club of Australia
- Profile at ACTU
- Your Rights At Work