Philip Ruddock

Philip Ruddock

Philip Maxwell Ruddock (born 12 March 1943) is an Australian politician who is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the Division of Berowra, New South Wales, for the Liberal Party of Australia. First elected in a 1973 by-election, he is the only Member of Parliament from the period of the Whitlam government (1972–75) and the Fraser government (1975–83) still serving. He has been the Father of the House of Representatives since 1998. He is currently the third longest-serving Member of the House of Representatives, and the third longest-serving parliamentarian, in the history of the Australian Parliament. During the Howard Government (1996–2007), Ruddock served continuously in the Coalition Ministry, taking on various portfolios, most notably those of Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs from 1996 until 2003, and Attorney-General from 2003 until 2007.