AIIA Shadow Ministry Tech Forum

Overview

Keynote Speakers

The Hon. Peter Dutton MP

Leader of the Opposition

Peter Dutton is the Federal Member for Dickson and Leader of the Liberal Party.

Peter started his working life working part time after school in a butchers shop. He started a small family business which grew to employ 40 Australians.

For nine years, Peter served his community as a Police Officer. He worked in the National Crime Authority and Drug and Sex Offenders’ Squads, with a focus on protecting women and children.

First elected to Parliament in November 2001, Peter was appointed to the Ministry in 2004. In January 2006, he became Peter Costello’s Assistant Treasurer.

Peter has been a member of the National Security Committee for six years, and served on the Expenditure Review Committee.

As Minister for Defence, Peter delivered record funding for vital equipment to keep our country safe. He also helped deliver the landmark AUKUS security partnership with the United Kingdom and United States.

Previously, he served as Home Affairs Minister, with responsibility for the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force and ASIO.

As Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Peter was responsible for deporting thousands of violent criminals, overseeing Operation Sovereign Borders and removing all children from detention.

As Minister for Health he established the $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund.

Peter is married to Kirilly and is the proud father of Rebecca, Harry and Tom and lives in Dayboro in the Dickson electorate.

Senator James Paterson

Shadow Minister for Cyber Security

Shadow Minister for Countering Foreign Interference

Shadow Minister for Home Affairs

Senator James Paterson is a Liberal Senator for Victoria. First elected in March 2016 at age 28, Senator Paterson is the youngest Liberal ever elected to the Senate.

During his time in the Senate, he has fought for Australia’s prosperity, freedom, democracy, and sovereignty.

Senator Paterson was appointed the Shadow Minister for Cyber Security and the Shadow Minister for Countering Foreign Interference by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Cyber-attacks and foreign interference are two of the most serious contemporary threats to Australia’s national security.

He was the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security from February 2021 until May 2022. During this time, Senator Paterson oversaw a record high workload in response to Australia’s changing security environment, handing down 23 reports relating to Australia’s national security in just 12months.

He currently chairs the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Interference Through Social Media and is also the Australian co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China; co-patron of Liberal Friends of Israel; and co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of the Baltics.

He has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne. He is a graduate of the McKinnon Institute Advanced Political Leadership program and was the 2023 SR Nathan Exchange Fellow to Singapore.

The Hon Paul Fletcher MP

Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy

(Manager of Opposition Business in the House)

Paul Fletcher has been the Member for Bradfield since 2009.

From 2013 to 2022 he was successively a Parliamentary Secretary, Minister and Cabinet Minister. Apart from nine months as Minister for Social Services, Paul’s front bench service was largely in communications and infrastructure. He was Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts in the Morrison Government.

Paul is now Shadow Minister for Science, Arts, Government Services and the Digital Economy.

Before politics Paul’s extensive private sector experience included eight years on the Senior Management Team at Optus.

Paul has dual first class honours degrees in law and economics from Sydney University and an MBA from Columbia University in New York where he was a Fulbright Scholar.

Senator the Hon Jane Hume is a Liberal Senator for Victoria and Shadow Minister for Finance, the Public Service, and Shadow Special Minister of State.

After graduating from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Commerce, she started her career in the financial services industry, working for the National Australia Bank. She then went on to work at Rothschild Australia, Deutsche Bank, and prior to her election, Australian Super. She also served as a board director at two iconic Melbourne institutions; Federation Square and the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Jane was elected as a Liberal Senator for Victoria in 2016 and upon her election, she was appointed Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Economics.

Following the 2019 election, Jane was appointed Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology. Then in 2020, she was promoted to the position of Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Digital Economy. In 2021, her responsibilities were expanded again, and she became the first Minister for Women’s Economic Security during the Morrison Government.

Jane is passionate about her achievements during her time as a Minister, where she improved Australia’s superannuation system to ensure it is transparent, efficient, and fit for purpose, and worked to ensure the best possible economic outcomes for women.

Sussan Ley is Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women, Shadow Minister for Industry, Skills and Training, and Shadow Minister for Small and Family Business and Minister for the Environment and Member for Farrer.

Sussan is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and has been serving the rural NSW electorate of Farrer since 2001. A former minister under Prime Ministers Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison, Sussan has had responsibility for a wide range of portfolio and policy areas, most recently as Shadow Minister for Women, Industry, Skills and Training as well as Small and Family Business.

Sussan regards it as an honour to represent regional Australia, and regularly travels through her electorate and around the country listening to the views and concerns of local communities.

Sussan’s career path has been wonderfully varied, working odd jobs on the way to a pilot’s license, with roles as an air traffic controller, stock-mustering pilot and occasional shearer’s cook following.

While raising three children on a family farm, ten years study led to a senior position at the Australian Taxation Office before entering federal politics in 2001.

Mr Aaron Violi MP

Member for Casey and Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of AUKUS

A third-generation resident of Casey, Aaron’s family migrated from Italy and settled in Silvan in the 1950s.

Aaron attended Yarra Glen Primary School and Mt Lilydale Mercy College before studying at La Trobe University and at Deakin University.

After graduating in 2007, Aaron commenced work at local food manufacturer, Yarra Valley Snack Foods and led the sales team for 7 years before moving to Mars Australia. In 2019, Aaron moved into the digital economy taking up a role at a tech startup, Ritual.

Aaron has played and served on the committees of local cricket, soccer and football clubs. He is currently the Vice Chairman of the Lilydale Township Action Group and on the Lilydale Montrose United Soccer Club Committee.

Thank you to our sponsors