30 Facts About Andrew Robb

Andrew John Robb was born on 20 August 1951 and is an Australian former politician.

Andrew Robb was a member of the House of Representatives from 2004 to 2016, representing the Liberal Party.

Andrew Robb served as Minister for Trade and Investment in the Abbott and Turnbull governments, and briefly as Minister for Vocational and Further Education in the Howard government in 2007.

In 2019, Andrew Robb left the position, shortly before a new foreign-interference law took effect.

Andrew Robb, one of nine children, was born to Frank and Marie Andrew Robb, on a dairy farm in Epping which lies 18 kilometres north of Melbourne.

Andrew Robb was educated at Dookie Agricultural College, Parade College and La Trobe University, and has qualifications in economics and agricultural science.

Andrew Robb was an agricultural economist with the Victorian Department of Agriculture and a tutor in economics at La Trobe University before being an economist for the National Farmers' Federation, and later executive director of both the National Farmers' Federation and the Cattle Council of Australia.

Andrew Robb claimed in 1991 that Peter Reith and Hewson were spooked into releasing their policies too early.

Andrew Robb was still federal director when internal Liberal party negative polling was leaked to Kerry O'Brien on Lateline in May 1994 who embarrassed John Hewson with it and lead to Hewson's calling a leadership spill where he lost the leadership to Alexander Downer.

Andrew Robb was still Federal Director and campaign manager in 1996 when John Howard after he replaced Downer as leader in 1995, won the 1996 federal election campaign, which defeated the Keating government and brought the Liberals to power after 13 years in Opposition.

Andrew Robb resigned in 1997 and became a business consultant based in Sydney.

Andrew Robb was Honorary Finance Director for the NSW Division of the Liberal Party and a member of the NSW State Executive.

In that time Andrew Robb sat on the boards of numerous Australian companies including Australia's largest consulting engineering company, Sinclair Knight Merz.

Andrew Robb was a board member of community organisations including the Garvan Medical Research Foundation and the 'Big Brothers Big Sisters' organisation.

In 2003, Andrew Robb was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to politics, agriculture and the community.

Andrew Robb argued that a formal citizenship test would be a clear incentive for aspiring citizens to have basic English language skills and understanding of their community.

Andrew Robb focused on dealing with settlement issues for refugees and the challenges of multi-faith relations in Australia.

In 2007, Andrew Robb was elevated to the Ministry and took on the role as Minister for Vocational and Further Education.

The then leader of the Liberal Party, former Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson, announced that Andrew Robb would be Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs in the new Coalition Shadow Cabinet.

Andrew Robb was re-elected at the 2010 election and was appointed Shadow Minister for Finance, Deregulation and Debt Reduction and retained his position as chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee.

Andrew Robb is a republican; he is against abortion except where the health and state of the mother are in serious threat.

Andrew Robb is the co-publisher of The Party Room alongside Senator Mitch Fifield, a journal designed to promote new policy discussion within the Federal Coalition.

Andrew Robb announced his retirement from politics on 10 February 2016.

Andrew Robb was succeeded by Steven Ciobo as Minister of Trade and Investment on 18 February 2016.

Andrew Robb is a board member of the Kidman cattle enterprise and the Network Ten television station.

Andrew Robb is the Chairman of Asialink and CNSDose, and a strategic advisor to Beef Innovations Australia, as well as a range of national and international businesses.

In October 2016, it was announced that Andrew Robb had joined the Landbridge Group, a Chinese company which had been granted a 99-year lease on Port Darwin in October 2015, as a "high-level economic consultant".

Andrew Robb attributed his departure to an atmosphere increasingly critical of the Chinese government; it was noted that had he remained in the position he would have had to register as a foreign agent, due to changes in legislation enacted in 2019.

Andrew Robb is part owner of The Boathouse Group, which operates a number of Sydney restaurants and other venues.

Andrew Robb disclosed that, since adolescence, he had suffered depression for several hours each day in the morning.