Steven Ciobo - Personal

Personal

Steven Ciobo grew up in Mareeba in North Queensland, the youngest of three children in an Anglican family. His parents, Bruno and Joan, ran a tourism business in Cairns. Ciobo graduated in law and commerce from Bond University and earned a masters degree in law from the Queensland University of Technology.

According to ABC Television, he worked on the floor of a food processing factory to help support himself while studying. While at university he reportedly toyed with the idea of joining Australia's domestic intelligence agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). He instead worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers following his graduation, before joining the staff of Senator Brett Mason.

In an interview with Brisbane's Courier Mail newspaper in August 2010, Ciobo revealed he can juggle, his favourite flavour is custard and that, if an animal, he would be a rhinoceros. Ciobo also told the newspaper he believes Australia is defined as "a land of opportunity refreshingly free of pretension.":

In an opinion piece he wrote for the ABC in June 2011, Ciobo declared he was a libertarian who would "attempt to persuasively argue the need for less regulation." In the article he said that "like the Tassie Tiger, personal responsibility has died out" and that "increasingly, I find myself thinking it is not this new law that is required, rather, it is a good dose of 'toughen up and stop blaming others for your bad decision'."

Ciobo is married with two children and lives on the Gold Coast. In 2010, he told a newspaper his happiest moment was when his son, who was born with a heart condition, came through a five-and-a-half hour operation well. His wife, Astra Ciobo, née Hauquitz, is a successful businesswoman who co-founded a Gold Coast public relations firm.