Scott Ryan (Australian politician)
Scott Michael Ryan (born 12 May 1973) is an Australian former politician and diplomat who is the 26th and current high commissioner of Australia to Canada since December 2021. A member of the Liberal Party of Australia, Ryan served as Senator for Victoria from 2008 to 2021 and as president of the Australian Senate from 2017 to 2021, having previously been a minister in the Turnbull government from 2016 to 2017.
Scott Ryan
Mathias Cormann (acting)
Himself (as Minister Assisting the Cabinet Secretary)
new title
Himself (as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cabinet)
Karen Andrews (as Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills)
Early life[edit]
Ryan was born on 12 May 1973, in Brisbane, Queensland.[1] He grew up in Essendon, Victoria. He was educated at St Kevin's College, Melbourne,[2] and graduated from the University of Melbourne, with a Bachelor of Arts.[2] While at university, he served as president of the Melbourne University Liberal Club and was a member of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation, where he is a life member.[3]
Ryan was a tutor in political science at the University of Melbourne from 1998 to 1999. He then worked as a speechwriter and staffer in the office of the Victorian opposition leader Denis Napthine.[1] From 2002 to 2007 he worked in corporate affairs for pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.[4][5] He was a research fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs from 2007 to 2008.[1]
High Commissioner[edit]
On 20 December 2021, Senator and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne announced Ryan's appointment as High Commissioner to Canada to succeed Natasha Smith.[22]
Political positions[edit]
Ryan described himself in 2018 as "very liberal in my political outlook" but with a conservative disposition.[23] He was aligned with the faction in the Victorian Liberals associated with Peter Costello and Michael Kroger.[24] After the Liberal candidate Dave Sharma was defeated by Independent Kerryn Phelps at the 2018 Wentworth by-election, he called for the party to maintain its ideological diversity.[23]