Ben Morton (politician)
Ben Morton (born 29 June 1981) is an Australian former politician. He represented the Australian House of Representatives seat of Tangney for the Liberal Party from 2 July 2016 until he lost the seat at the 2022 Australian federal election.[1] Morton served as Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2019 to 2020, Assistant Minister to the Minister for the Public Service and Assistant Minister for Electoral Matters from 2020 to 2021, and Minister for the Public Service and Special Minister of State from 2021 to 2022.[2]
Ben Morton
29 June 1981
Gosford, New South Wales, Australia
Asta Morton (wife)
Trevor Morton
Linda Morton (deceased)
2
Bus driver, senior manager
In 2021, Morton was also appointed to administer the Home Affairs department, apparently without the knowledge of the minister for that department (in which he did not eventually perform any duties), who was also unaware that prime minister Scott Morrison had secretly also been appointed as minister for Home Affairs.[3][4]
Early life and education[edit]
Morton was born in Gosford, in the Central Coast of New South Wales and spent his early years in Wyong. He attended and completed his high school education at Wyong Technology High School, prior to enrolling in the Australian National University to complete a Bachelor of Arts.[5] Morton stated that in high school he was "not the most Academic kid".[6]
He then returned to his home town and unsuccessfully stood for election as the Liberal Party candidate in the safe Labor seat of Wyong in 2003 and 2007.[7]
Personal life[edit]
Morton is the son of Trevor and Linda Morton. Morton's mother died from cancer in December 2015. His mother immigrated to Australia from England after World War II with her previous husband and Morton's two brothers. His father's family had history in farming pulpwood, citrus, and dairy in the Dooralong Valley, near to where Morton was raised.[17]