Minister for Home Affairs

The Hon Bob Debus MP, Member for Macquarie (NSW)

NSW Parliamentary Service

Served 19 years as the Member for Blue Mountains, 16 years of those as a Minister.

1981-1988  Member for Blue Mountains

1984-1986	Minister for Employment
1984-1988	Minister for Finance
1986-1988	Minister for Cooperative Societies
1986-1988	Assistant Minister for Education

1995-2007  Member for Blue Mountains

1995-1997	Minister for Emergency Services
1995-2001	Minister for Corrective Services
1996-1999	Minister Assisting the Minister for the Arts
1997-1999	Minister for Energy
1997-1999	Minister for Tourism
1998-2003	Minister for Emergency Services
1999-2003	Minister Assisting the Premier on the Arts
1999-2007	Minister for the Environment
2000-2007	Attorney-General
2005-2007	Minister for the Arts

Achievements

The establishment of a special commission of inquiry into James Hardie; helping the victims of James Hardie achieve justice along with asbestos campaigner Bernie Banton and Greg Combet.

Unprecedented reforms to laws relating to sexual assault offences, court procedures and protections for victims of sexual assault.

Adding more than a million hectares to NSW National Parks; the creation of massive new Marine National Parks resulting in almost 40% of the NSW coastline being protected.

Initiating a number of Aboriginal justice programs including the establishment of Australia’s first Circle Sentencing Program and other alternatives like youth conferencing which sees offenders face their victims.

Leading NSW emergency services through the bushfire disasters of 2001 and 2002.

Developing initiatives that ended broad scale land clearing and old growth logging; restructuring the timber industry.

Major reforms to civil liability insurance; the modernisation of NSW prisons and the defence of David Hicks.

The amalgamation of the Australian Freedom from Hunger Campaign and Community Aid Abroad – now known as Oxfam Australia – an important institution in its advocacy for aid issues around the world.

Establishing Background Briefing, heard on Sunday mornings on ABC Radio and now in its 25th year.

More Information

More information can be found on the Minister for Home Affairs website.