43 Facts About Greg Hunt

Gregory Andrew Hunt was born on 18 November 1965 and is an Australian former politician who was the Minister for Health between January 2017 and May 2022.

Greg Hunt was a Liberal Party member of the House of Representatives between November 2001 and 2022, representing the Division of Flinders in Victoria.

Greg Hunt has previously served as a parliamentary secretary in the Howard government, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, and Minister for Sport.

From March 2020 until his retirement in May 2022, Hunt had oversight over the Australian government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Greg Hunt was born on 18 November 1965 in Frankston, Victoria.

Greg Hunt was one of five sons born to Kathinka and Alan Hunt.

Greg Hunt's father was a solicitor by profession who had been elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in 1962, and served as a Liberal state government minister in the 1970s and 1980s.

Greg Hunt's mother worked as a nurse, but suffered from a form of bipolar disorder and was later institutionalised.

Greg Hunt died of a heart attack at the age of 58, while her son was studying abroad.

Greg Hunt grew up in Mornington, Victoria, attending Mornington Primary School and the Peninsula School.

Greg Hunt took a gap year after leaving high school, travelling through Ireland, the Alps, Spain, and Israel.

Greg Hunt lived on a kibbutz for several months, learning Hebrew and working in a machine shop.

Greg Hunt was head of the debating society and partnered with Rufus Black at the 1984 World Universities Debating Championship in Edinburgh, Scotland, finishing in second place.

Greg Hunt won a prize for a final-year thesis he co-authored with Black, titled A Tax to Make the Polluter Pay.

Greg Hunt is one of seven Liberal MPs in the 46th Parliament of Australia who have obtained degrees at an Oxbridge or Ivy League university, the others being Alan Tudge, Angus Taylor, Andrew Laming, Dave Sharma, Josh Frydenberg and Paul Fletcher.

Greg Hunt joined law firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques after completing his undergraduate degree.

Greg Hunt subsequently completed a Master of Arts in International Relations at Yale University as a Fulbright Scholar.

Greg Hunt interned at the UN Centre for Human Rights in Geneva, "researching atrocities in the former Yugoslavia".

In 1994, Greg Hunt began working as a senior adviser to Alexander Downer, the federal leader of opposition.

Greg Hunt remained in Downer's office until 1998, spanning his resignation as Liberal leader and later appointment as foreign minister in the Howard government.

Greg Hunt was the chief of the Australian Electoral Observer Mission at the 1998 Cambodian general election.

Greg Hunt subsequently worked as a senior fellow at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Comparative Constitutional Law, as engagement manager at management consultants McKinsey and Co.

Greg Hunt was a foundation investor in project management software company Aconex, but had to sell his shares in 2013 when he became a government minister.

Greg Hunt was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2001 federal election, standing in the Division of Flinders.

Greg Hunt had been asked to stand for Liberal preselection by the retiring MP Peter Reith.

Greg Hunt was first elevated to the ministry following the 2004 federal election, when he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage.

In January 2007, Greg Hunt was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Greg Hunt's title was altered to Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Heritage after the 2010 election.

Greg Hunt stood for the deputy leadership of the party, polling 16 votes out of 82 compared with 46 for Josh Frydenberg and 20 for Steven Ciobo; there were three abstentions.

Greg Hunt had a prominent role during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

Greg Hunt was granted authority over Australia's strategy and response to the pandemic after the Governor-General of Australia enacted the Biosecurity Act 2015 on March 23,2020.

In government meetings, Greg Hunt drew comparison's with Australia's shortcomings in responding to the 1918 flu pandemic to garner political support for the "suppression" strategy.

Greg Hunt conducted national press briefings and has been prominent in the country's vaccination deployment.

Greg Hunt's handling of the country's vaccination program has drawn sharp criticism for delays and examples of mis-management, particularly in the aged care sector.

In June 2020 Greg Hunt announced that he would ask the Governor-General in Council to make regulations from 1 July 2020 prohibiting the importation of e-cigarettes containing vaporizer nicotine and nicotine-containing refills unless on prescription from a doctor.

Greg Hunt stated in a media release that he will now ask the Governor-General in Council to sign off on these regulations on 1 January 2021 to allow time for a more streamlined process for patients obtaining nicotine through their GP.

On 2 December 2021, Greg Hunt announced his intention to retire from politics in the 2022 federal election.

Greg Hunt was described in 2017 as a "'small-l liberal' from the party's progressive wing".

However, according to The Sydney Morning Herald in 2021, Greg Hunt is a member of the centre-right faction of the Liberal Party.

Greg Hunt voted for removing the ban on the abortion drug RU-486 and supported the legalisation of same-sex marriage.

Greg Hunt reportedly described state schools as "anti-religious" and said there was "a clear need in our schools for the mentoring and personal development, counselling and crisis management, the opportunity for values-based guidance and religious education that a chaplain could provide".

Greg Hunt has two children from his marriage to Paula Lindsey, a former nurse educator.

Greg Hunt had completed seven marathons as of 2012, and in 2020 it was reported that he runs 6 kilometres a day.