Chris Evans (Australian politician)

The Honourable Chris Evans
Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations
In office 14 September 2010 – 14 December 2011
Preceded by	Simon Crean (Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations)
Succeeded by	Bill Shorten (Workplace Relations)
Leader of the Government in the Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 December 2007
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
In office 3 December 2007 – 14 September 2010
Preceded by	Kevin Andrews
Succeeded by	Chris Bowen
Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs, Science and Research
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 December 2011
Preceded by	Kim Carr (Science & Research)
Personal details
Born	14 May 1958 (1958-05-14) Cuckfield, UK
Nationality	Australia
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Website	ChrisEvans.alp.org.au

Christopher Vaughan Evans (born 14 May 1958) is an Australian politician and a member of the Australian Senate for the state of Western Australia, representing the Australian Labor Party.

Early life

Evans was born in Cuckfield, England. He was educated at the University of Western Australia, where he graduated in Arts and was President of the University Labor Club. Evans was an industrial officer with the Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union during 1982–87 and State Secretary of the Fire Brigade Union of Western Australia during 1987–90. He was Western Australian State Secretary of the Labor Party during 1991–93.

Political career

Evans was elected to the Senate at the 1993 election and was re-elected in 1998, 2004 and 2010.

He was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry October 1998 until December 2007 when Labor won the election. In that period he held various Shadow Ministries including Shadow Minister for Family Services and the Aged (October 2008 – December 2001); Defence (November 2001 to August 2004); Reconciliation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (December 2002 to February 2003); Defence Procurement, Science and Personnel (August 2004 – Ocxtober 2004); Social Security (October 2004 – June 2005); Indigenous Affairs (June 2005 – December 2006); Family and Community Services (June 2005 – December 2006) and National Development, Resources and Energy (December 2006 to December 2007).

Evans was appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Senate in October 2004 and Leader of the Government in the Senate after the 2007 election.

He was appointed Minister for Immigration and Citizenship in the Rudd Ministry and retained this portfolio in the First Gillard Ministry. On 14 September 2010, following the 2010 election, Evans was sworn in as Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations in the Second Gillard Ministry.

Evans was the Acting Prime Minister for around 30 hours in June 2008, the first Labor senator to have been acting PM for nearly 100 years.

Personal life

Evans is married with two sons. He supports Fremantle Football Club in the AFL.

See also

• Rudd Ministry
• First Gillard Ministry
• Second Gillard Ministry

Political offices
Preceded by Kevin Andrews	Minister for Immigration and Citizenship 2007–2010	Succeeded by Chris Bowen
Preceded by Simon Crean	Minister for Tertiary Education, Jobs, Skills and Workplace Relations 2010–present	Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by John Faulkner	Leader of the Australian Labor Party in the Senate 2004–present	Incumbent