The Honourable Peter Garrett, AM, MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
Peter Garrett was elected as the Labor Member for Kingsford Smith at the 2004 federal election. In 2007, he was appointed Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts following the election of a Rudd Labor Government.
Peter gave the opening address at the United States Studies Centre's 2009 National Summit "Sustainable Globalisation: Will it survive the GFC?"
Widely known as a passionate advocate and campaigner on a range of contemporary Australian and global issues, he was the former president Australian Conservation Foundation, an activist, and former member of Australian band Midnight Oil.
Peter served two terms as president of the Australian Conservation Foundation. In his first term, from 1989 to 1993, significant results were achieved for many threatened areas of the Australian environment including the Queensland Wet Tropics rainforest and Jervis Bay in NSW. In his second term, the ACF grew strongly, developed partnerships with non-government organisations and business, and expanded its campaigning into marine conservation and northern Australia.
He received the Australian Humanitarian Foundation Award ( environment category) in 2000, and in 2003 received the Order of Australia (Member General Division) for his contribution to environment and the music industry. In 2009, the French Government appointed Peter an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters.
