John and Julia relaxing at home with Smokey and Minty

The Hon John Anderson MP was born on the 14 November 1956.

He is married to Julia and they have four children, Jessica, Nicholas, Georgina and Laura.

Parliamentary Service

• Elected as Member for Gwydir at by-election 15/4/89 to replace the Hon RJD Hunt.
• Following the 1993 general election, Mr Anderson was elected Deputy Leader of the National Party and appointed Shadow Minister for Primary Industries.
• Mr Anderson was sworn in as the Minister for Primary Industries & Energy on 11 March 1996, following the Coalition election victory.
• Following the Coalition’s election victory in October 1998, Mr Anderson was sworn in as Minister for Transport & Regional Services on 21 October 1998.
• Mr Anderson was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport & Regional Services on 20 July 1999, after the resignation of The Hon Tim Fischer.
• On 6 July 2005 Mr Anderson handed over leadership and ministerial responsibilities, returning to the back-bench.

• Life Member, University of Sydney Union.

• Chairman of Tambar Springs branch of the National Party 1984-89
• Chairman of Gwydir Electorate Council 1986-89
• National Party Central Council 1986-89
• National Party Central Executive 1987-89
• Chairman Federal National Party Rural & Regional Committee 1990-92
• Secretary of the Opposition Manpower & Labour Market Reform Taskforce 1990-92
• Chairman of the Opposition Social Policy & Health Taskforce 1990-92
• Member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs 1990-92
• Member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport, Communication & Infrastructure 1990-92
• Member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education & Training 1990-91
• Parliamentary Secretary to John Howard (Industrial Relations) 1992
• Elected Deputy Leader of National Party of Australia 1993
• Appointed Minister for Primary Industries & Energy 11 March 1996
• Minister for Transport and Regional Services from 21 October 1998 to 6 July 2005
• Leader of The Nationals from July 1999 to July 2005.
• Deputy Prime Minister from 20 July 1999 to 6 July 2005

• The Kings School
• Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney 1977
• Master of Arts, University of Sydney 1979
• 1980-89 Farmer and grazier on family property, ‘Newstead’, Mullaley in north-western NSWDelegations & Visits
• 1980 United Kingdom & Europe
• 1985 USA – National Party of Australia delegation – Australian Political Exchange Program
• 1990 USA – Guest of the United States Government
• 1996 Taiwan – Led Australia-Taiwan Business Forum delegation
• 1996 Represented Australia at World Food Summit, Rome & EU Negotiations, Brussels
• 1997 USA – Negotiations with administration in Washington re Project 2
• 1997 Japan – Member of the Australia-Japan Ministerial Council
• 1998 Vice Chairman of OECD Agricultural Ministers Council & QUINT forum in Paris, Negotiations with British and Korean governments in London & Seoul respectively.
• 1999 Indonesia – Australian Ministerial Forum held in Bali
• 1999 - Republic of Palau - represented the Prime Minister at the 30th South Pacific Forum
• 2000 July - attended the Australia Week celebrations in London – to celebrate the centenary of the passage of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act through the British Parliament
• 2001 - China - Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Beijing to further strengthen and develop bilateral trade and economic relations between Australia and China. Led a delegation from ALNG for discussions on their bid to be the supplier of liquefied natural gas to China’s Guangdong province
• 2002 - United Kingdom, Europe, Turkey – Regional and transport issues. Meeting with OECD Secretary-General, Paris, and other OECD related meetings. Attended Gallipoli services.
• 2002 – New Zealand for Australian Transport Council

The electorate of Gwydir covers approximately 185,604 square kilometres from the Queensland border in the north, to Kandos in the south, and Bourke in the west.

The major towns include Aberdeen, Baradine, Boggabri, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coolah, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Gulgong, Gunnedah, Kandos, Mendooran, Moree, Mudgee, Narrabri, Quirindi, Rylstone, Scone, Walgett, Warialda, Wee Waa and Wellington.

The major industries in the predominantly rural electorate include wheat, oil seed crops, cotton, wool, beef, timber, mining (coal and opal), tourism and wine growing.

http://www.johnanderson.com.au/cv.asp