Background

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.