Stephen Smith (Australian politician)

The Honourable Stephen Smith MP
Minister for Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 September 2010
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	John Faulkner
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office 3 December 2007 – 13 September 2010
Prime Minister	Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Alexander Downer
Succeeded by	Kevin Rudd
Minister for Trade
In office 28 June 2010 – 13 September 2010
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Simon Crean
Succeeded by	Craig Emerson
Member of the Australian Parliament for Perth
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 March 1993
Preceded by	Ric Charlesworth
Personal details
Born	12 December 1955 (1955-12-12) Narrogin, Western Australia
Political party	Labor Party
Alma mater	University of Western Australia University of London
Profession	Solicitor
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Stephen Francis Smith (born 12 December 1955), is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia.

Smith was born in Narrogin, Western Australia, and was educated at the University of Western Australia and the University of London, where he earned a master's degree in law. He was a solicitor, lecturer and tutor before entering politics. He was principal private secretary to the Western Australian Attorney-General, Joe Berinson 1983–87 and State Secretary of the Western Australian Labor Party 1987–90 From 1990 to 1993 he was an adviser to Paul Keating, first as Treasurer, then as Prime Minister. He was instrumental in securing caucus support for Keating to defeat Bob Hawke for the Labor Party leadership in 1990 and thereby become Prime Minister.

Career

Smith was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry from March 1996 until the November 2007 elections, which were won by the Labor party. He was Shadow Minister for Trade 1996–97, for Resources and Energy 1997–98, for Communications 1998–2001, Health and Ageing 2001–03 and Immigration 2003–04. He was Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations from October 2004 until December 2006, when he was appointed to the position of Shadow Minister for Education and Training.

During the leadership crisis in the Labor Party in 2003, Smith was a prominent supporter of his fellow Western Australian, Kim Beazley, and his name was mentioned as a possible future leader.^{[citation needed]} He again supported Beazley in the leadership contest which followed the resignation of Mark Latham in January 2005, which saw Beazley return to the leadership.

Smith was appointed as the Minister for Foreign Affairs in Kevin Rudd's cabinet on 3 December 2007 following Labor's win in the 2007 election and Julia Gillard added Minister for Trade in her first ministry.

The United States diplomatic cables leaks reveal US criticism of Smith’s ability as Foreign Minister, including that “Rudd dominated foreign policy decision making, “leaving his foreign minister to perform mundane, ceremonial duties”. The cables however do praise Smith's ability, by his handling of the Asylum Seeker issue. (See main article: Contents of the diplomatic cables leak - Australia)

After the 2010 Federal election he accepted the vacant Defence Ministry. Kevin Rudd took his Foreign Ministry position. In his role, he has been critical several times of the ADFA recruits embroiled in the "Skype scandal".

Photo gallery

• 

  Stephen Smith in early 2005

• 

  Stephen Smith in early 2008

• 

  Robert Gates meets face-to-face with Stephen Smith

• 

  US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (2nd from left, Debra Cagan to his left) hosts a Pentagon meeting with Stephen Smith (right) in the Pentagon on 28 January 2008

• 

  Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (centre) and Stephen Smith (right) with students from Wesley College during a visit to Kings Park State War Memorial in Perth

• 

  Stephen Smith (right) meets Hillary Rodham Clinton (centre) and Katsuya Okada (left) at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on 21 September 2009.

See also

• First Rudd Ministry

Further reading

• Stephen Smith – biographical information, appointed senior adviser to Paul Keating Labor voice, Vol.12, no.4 (Dec 1990), p. 1–2.
• Stephen Smith – former W.A. A.L.P. state secretary moves to Paul Keating's staff Australian Business, 5 Dec. 1990, p. 30

External links

• Search or browse Hansard for Stephen Smith at OpenAustralia.org

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Ric Charlesworth	Member of Parliament for Perth 1993–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Alexander Downer	Minister for Foreign Affairs 2007–2010	Succeeded by Kevin Rudd
Preceded by Simon Crean	Minister for Trade 2010	Succeeded by Craig Emerson
Preceded by John Faulkner	Minister for Defence 2010–present	Incumbent