36 Facts About Philip Ruddock

Philip Ruddock is a Vice Chair of the Global Panel Foundation Australasia.

Philip Ruddock was both the Father of the House and the Father of the Parliament from 1998 to retirement.

Philip Ruddock is the second longest-serving parliamentarian in the history of the Australian Parliament; only Billy Hughes has served longer.

Philip Ruddock served continuously in the ministry during the Howard government, as Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs from 1996 to 2001, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs from 2001 to 2003, and Attorney-General from 2003 to 2007.

Philip Ruddock was born in Canberra, the son of Emmie and Maxwell "Max" Ruddock.

Philip Ruddock's father was the Deputy Prices Commissioner working for the Commonwealth Government.

The senior Philip Ruddock was later a Liberal member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1962 to 1976 and a state minister in the Lewis and Willis governments.

Philip Ruddock was educated at Barker College in the suburb of Hornsby before attending the University of Sydney, after which he practised as a solicitor.

Philip Ruddock was articled to the firm Berne, Murray and Tout and was promoted to partner.

From 1973 to 1974, Philip Ruddock was the federal president of the Young Liberals.

On 22 September 1973, Philip Ruddock was elected to the House of Representatives at a by-election for the seat of Parramatta.

Philip Ruddock narrowly held it at the 1974 general election, but was returned with a large swing in 1975.

Philip Ruddock held it without serious difficulty until its abolition in 1993.

Philip Ruddock then transferred to the equally safe seat of Berowra, a seat he held for the remainder of his federal political career.

Philip Ruddock was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry from 1983 to 1985 and from 1989 to 1996.

In 2000, Philip Ruddock was disavowed by Amnesty International due to the treatment of refugees by the Howard government and asked not to wear his Amnesty International badge while performing ministerial duties.

In 1989, following Andrew Peacock's ascension to the leadership, Philip Ruddock became Shadow Minister for Immigration and proposed a settlement scheme for Australia's far north.

Philip Ruddock was appointed to the role of Minister for Indigenous Affairs, in 2001.

Philip Ruddock's decisions were highly controversial and led to Amnesty International's public attempt to distance the organisation from him by asking him to remove his lapel badge.

In 2003, Philip Ruddock was accused by the Labor immigration spokesperson, Julia Gillard, of personally intervening to give a Filipino with a criminal record, Dante Tan, favourable treatment in exchange for donations to the Liberal Party.

Philip Ruddock denied that there was a connection between the donations and his actions, and noted that the donation had been properly declared.

On 27 May 2004, Philip Ruddock introduced the Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill to prevent any possible court rulings allowing same-sex marriages or civil unions.

Philip Ruddock defended a decision to deny a gay veteran's partner a spousal pension, despite their 38-year same-sex relationship.

The UN Human Rights Commission found the Australian government in violation of equality and privacy rights under the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, but Philip Ruddock insisted the government was not bound by the ruling.

In May 2006, Philip Ruddock blocked a gay Australian man from marrying in Europe.

Philip Ruddock refused to grant a gay man living in the Netherlands a 'Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage' document required by some European countries before marriage, to prove foreigners are in fact single.

Philip Ruddock returned to the frontbench as Shadow Cabinet Secretary after Tony Abbott captured the Opposition leadership in December 2009.

Philip Ruddock was named the Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives in the Abbott government, which took office on 18 September 2013.

Philip Ruddock was replaced as Chief Government Whip by Queensland MP Scott Buchholz on 13 February 2015.

On 27 May 2015, Philip Ruddock was appointed to the new office of Special Envoy for Citizenship and Community Engagement.

On 8 February 2016, Philip Ruddock announced that he would not contest the next federal election and would be retiring from politics.

On 8 February 2016, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced that Philip Ruddock would be appointed Australia's first special envoy for human rights.

Philip Ruddock has served as the Special Envoy for Human Rights since 8 February 2016.

In November 2017, Philip Ruddock accepted an invitation from the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, to chair a review of religious freedoms in Australia in light of the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey and the introduction into federal parliament a private member's bill to enact the Marriage Amendment Act 2017.

In February 2018, Philip Ruddock was elected as the state president of the Liberal Party NSW Division.

Philip Ruddock's daughters found it difficult to reconcile their father's hard line on immigration with the values of compassion they were raised with.