27 Facts About Craig Emerson

Craig Anthony Emerson was born on 15 November 1954 and is an Australian economist and former politician.

Craig Emerson was born in Baradine, New South Wales to Ern and Marge Craig Emerson, and raised as a Roman Catholic.

Craig Emerson later attended the University of Sydney, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Economics and a Master of Economics.

Craig Emerson holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from the Australian National University.

Early in his career, Craig Emerson variously worked as an economic analyst with the United Nations, an economic adviser to the Minister for Resources and Energy and the Minister for Finance Senator Peter Walsh, an Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and economic and environmental adviser to Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

Craig Emerson became Director-General of the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage in 1990, where he became embroiled in the Cape Melville affair.

Craig Emerson was chief executive officer of the South East Queensland Transit Authority from 1995 to 1996.

Craig Emerson was appointed Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism from 2001 to 2003, and then Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations and the Public Service from 2003 to 2004.

Craig Emerson was relegated to the backbench following the 2004 Australian federal election, having supported Simon Crean and Mark Latham in leadership ballots against the wishes of his Right faction in Queensland.

On 3 December 2007, Craig Emerson was named Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy and Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation in the newly elected Rudd ministry.

On 14 September 2010, Craig Emerson was appointed the Minister for Trade, expanded to Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in a ministerial reshuffle announced on 2 March 2012.

Craig Emerson was assigned the role of Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Asian Century Policy.

In March 2013, in a further reshuffle of ministerial responsibilities, Craig Emerson gained an additional portfolio as Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research.

However, after a leadership change in the federal Australian Labor Party in June 2013 in which Kevin Rudd took over as prime minister from Gillard, Craig Emerson resigned his ministerial portfolios and said he would not contest his seat at the next election.

Craig Emerson's clients have included Wesfarmers, Coles, AGL Energy, Santos, the BCA, the ACTU and the PNG Government.

Craig Emerson was a regular presenter on Sky News Australia for some years after leaving parliament.

In 2014, Craig Emerson was appointed an adjunct professor of Victoria University.

Craig Emerson was a member of the CEDA Council on Economic Policy and chair of the advisory board, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology.

Craig Emerson was President of the Australia China Business Council NSW and a board member of Obesity Australia.

In November 2018, Craig Emerson was appointed Distinguished Fellow at the Australian National University.

In March 2019, Craig Emerson was appointed Director of the Australian APEC Study Centre at RMIT University.

Craig Emerson was chair of the McKell Institute and The Australian Alliance for Animals.

In September 2023, Craig Emerson led The Australian delegation of the resumed High Level leadership Dialogue to Beijing, where he met with China's foreign minister Wang Yi.

Craig Emerson was a panellist assisting Greg Combet and Lenda Onsalem in the review of Labor's successful 2022 election campaign.

In September 2023, Craig Emerson was appointed by trade minister, Don Farrell, to the Australian government's Trade 2040 Taskforce to advise the government on its trade policy agenda to the year 2040.

In January 2024, Craig Emerson was appointed by the Albanese government to lead a review into the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.

In February 2024, Craig Emerson was appointed a member of the National Competition Council.