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{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Short description|Australian politician (born 1966)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
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| image = Bruce_Billson_Portrait_2014.jpg
| image = Bruce_Billson_Portrait_2014.jpg
| alt =
| alt =
| caption = Billson in 2014
| caption = Official portrait, 2014
| office = [[Minister for Small Business (Australia)|Minister for Small Business]]
| office = [[Minister for Small Business (Australia)|Minister for Small Business]]
| term_start = 18 September 2013
| term_start = 18 September 2013
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| primeminister2 = [[John Howard]]
| primeminister2 = [[John Howard]]
| predecessor2 = [[De-Anne Kelly]]
| predecessor2 = [[De-Anne Kelly]]
| successor2 = [[Alan Griffin]]
| successor2 = [[Alan Griffin (politician)|Alan Griffin]]
| constituency_MP3 = [[Division of Dunkley|Dunkley]]
| constituency_MP3 = [[Division of Dunkley|Dunkley]]
| parliament3 = Australian
| parliament3 = Australian
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| predecessor3 = [[Bob Chynoweth]]
| predecessor3 = [[Bob Chynoweth]]
| successor3 = [[Chris Crewther]]
| successor3 = [[Chris Crewther]]
| birth_name = Bruce Frederick Billson
| birth_name = Bruce Fredrick Billson
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|01|26|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|01|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]], New South Wales, Australia
| birth_place = [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]], New South Wales, Australia
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| children = 4
| children = 4
| residence =
| residence =
| occupation = Politician
| occupation = Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman
| alma_mater = [[RMIT University|Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology]]
| alma_mater = [[RMIT University|Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology]]
| religion =
| religion =
| signature =
| signature =
| website = {{URL|http://www.brucebillson.com.au/|Official website}}
| website = {{URL|www.asbfeo.gov.au}}
| footnotes =
| footnotes =
}}
}}
'''Bruce Frederick Billson''' (born 26 January 1966) is a former politician who was a [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] member of the [[Australian House of Representatives]] representing the [[Division of Dunkley]] in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] from 1996 to 2016.<ref name=about>[http://billson4dunkley.com/dunkleyElectorate/dunkleyRepresentative/bruceBillson.asp About Bruce – Bruce Billson: Member for Dunkley] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912153000/http://billson4dunkley.com/dunkleyElectorate/dunkleyRepresentative/bruceBillson.asp |date=12 September 2009 }}</ref> Billson served as the [[Minister for Small Business (Australia)|Minister for Small Business]] from September 2013 to September 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbotts-cabinet-and-outer-ministry-20130916-2tuma.html|access-date=16 September 2013|newspaper=smh.com.au|date=16 September 2013|agency=AAP}}</ref>
'''Bruce Fredrick Billson''' (born 26 January 1966) is an Australian former politician. A member of the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]], he was a member of the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] for [[Division of Dunkley|Dunkley]], a Melbourne seat, from 1996 to 2016 and held ministerial office in the [[Howard government|Howard]], [[Abbott government|Abbott]] and [[Turnbull government]]s as [[Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Minister for Veterans' Affairs]] (2007) and [[Minister for Small Business (Australia)|Minister for Small Business]] (2013–2015).

Billson is a founding Director of Judo Bank and has held various board appointments, including the Franchise Council of Australia, the Institute of Public Accountants/Deakin University SME Research Centre and Australian Property Institute. He was the director-small business and enterprise at Deakin University Business School and has also owned and operated several small businesses. He was appointed as the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman in 2021.


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Billson was born in [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]], [[New South Wales]], and moved to [[Seaford, Victoria]] as a child. He was educated at [[Monterey Secondary College|Monterey High School]] in [[Frankston North, Victoria|Frankston North]] and the [[RMIT University|Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology]]. He was Manager of Corporate Development for the Shire of Hastings, a ministerial adviser to the [[Victoria (Australia)|Victorian]] Minister for Natural Resources, and policy adviser to the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Senator [[Rod Kemp]], before entering politics.<ref name=about />
Billson was born in [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]], [[New South Wales]], and moved to [[Seaford, Victoria]] as a child. He was educated at [[Monterey Secondary College|Monterey High School]] in [[Frankston North, Victoria|Frankston North]] and has a Master of Business Leadership, Graduate Diploma of Business Management and Bachelor of Business Degree from the [[RMIT University|Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology]] University. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors company directors course.

He was Acting Chief Executive and Manager of Corporate Development for the Shire of Hastings, a ministerial adviser to the [[Victoria (Australia)|Victorian]] Minister for Natural Resources, and policy adviser to the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Senator [[Rod Kemp]], before entering politics.<ref name=about>[http://billson4dunkley.com/dunkleyElectorate/dunkleyRepresentative/bruceBillson.asp About Bruce – Bruce Billson: Member for Dunkley] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912153000/http://billson4dunkley.com/dunkleyElectorate/dunkleyRepresentative/bruceBillson.asp |date=12 September 2009 }}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
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===Ministerial roles===
===Ministerial roles===
[[File:Bruce Billson.jpg|thumb|left|Billson shortly after his election to Parliament.]]
[[File:Bruce Billson.jpg|thumb|left|Billson shortly after his election to Parliament.]]
Billson was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2004.<ref name=about /> In 2005, he was also appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, and, in 2006, he was promoted to [[Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Minister for Veterans' Affairs]] – a position he retained until the defeat of the [[Howard government]] in the [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 federal election]].<ref name=about />
Billson was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2004.<ref name=about /> In 2005, he was also appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, and in 2006, he was promoted to [[Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Minister for Veterans' Affairs]]/Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence – positions he retained until the defeat of the [[Howard government]] in the [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 federal election]].<ref name=about />


In 2007, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. In 2009, he was then appointed the Shadow Minister for Sustainable Development and Cities.<ref name=about /> and after the 2010 election he was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/parl/43/Shadow/index.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-10-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917122739/http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/parl/43/Shadow/index.htm |archive-date=17 September 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
In 2007, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. In 2009, he was then appointed the Shadow Minister for Sustainable Development and Cities<ref name=about /> and after the 2010 election he was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/parl/43/Shadow/index.htm |title=Department of the Parliamentary Library - Shadow Ministry |access-date=2010-10-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917122739/http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/parl/43/Shadow/index.htm |archive-date=17 September 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>


Following the 2013 election he was sworn into the cabinet as the Minister for Small Business.
Following the 2013 election he was sworn into the cabinet as the Minister for Small Business (including responsibility for competition policy and consumer affairs).


===Retirement from politics===
===Retirement from politics===
Following the [[Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill, September 2015|leadership spill]] that saw [[Malcolm Turnbull]] become Prime Minister, Billson was dropped from the new Ministry upon the ascension of the [[Turnbull Government]]. On 24 November 2015, he announced he would retire from politics at the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 federal election]].<ref name=retirement>{{cite news|title=Former small business minister Bruce Billson to retire at next federal election|url=http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/11/24/10/31/former-small-business-minister-bruce-billson-to-retire-at-next-election|access-date=24 November 2015|work=Nine News|publisher=Nine Network|date=24 November 2015}}</ref>
Following the [[Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill, September 2015|leadership spill]] that saw [[Malcolm Turnbull]] become Prime Minister, Billson was dropped from the new Ministry upon the ascension of the [[Turnbull government]]. On 24 November 2015, he announced he would retire from politics at the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 federal election]].<ref name=retirement>{{cite news|title=Former small business minister Bruce Billson to retire at next federal election|url=http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/11/24/10/31/former-small-business-minister-bruce-billson-to-retire-at-next-election|access-date=24 November 2015|work=Nine News|publisher=Nine Network|date=24 November 2015}}</ref> On 22 March 2016, it was announced that he would serve as the executive chairman of the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA).<ref>{{cite news|first=Cara|last=Waters|title=Bruce Billson to head Franchise Council of Australia|url=http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/franchising/bruce-billson-to-head-franchise-council-of-australia-20160322-gnonin.html|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]|date=23 March 2016|access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref>

⚫
He is currently serving as the executive chairman of the Franchise Council of Australia.<ref>{{cite news|first=Cara|last=Waters|title=Bruce Billson to head Franchise Council of Australia|url=http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/franchising/bruce-billson-to-head-franchise-council-of-australia-20160322-gnonin.html|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]|date=23 March 2016|access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> In August 2017, Billson admitted he had received a salary from the FCA several months before his retirement, which he had not declared on the register of members' interests. Billson apologised to the Clerk of the House for the omission, but claimed his directorship was not concealed and there was no conflict of interest.<ref name="fcasalary">{{cite news|title=Former Liberal minister failed to disclose salary from lobbyists while in parliament|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/bruce-billson-sorry-for-not-disclosing-salary-from-lobby-group/8785174|access-date=8 August 2017|work=ABC News|date=8 August 2017|language=en-AU}}</ref>


⚫
In August 2017, Billson admitted he had received a salary from the FCA several months before his retirement, which he had not declared on the register of members' interests. Billson apologised to the Clerk of the House for the omission, but claimed his directorship was not concealed and there was no conflict of interest.<ref name="fcasalary">{{cite news|title=Former Liberal minister failed to disclose salary from lobbyists while in parliament|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/bruce-billson-sorry-for-not-disclosing-salary-from-lobby-group/8785174|access-date=8 August 2017|work=ABC News|date=8 August 2017|language=en-AU}}</ref>
⚫
Although cleared of breaching ministerial guidelines,<ref><https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/16/bruce-billson-cleared-of-breaching-standards-over-lobbying-salary></ref> an inquiry conducted by the House of Representatives' Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests recommended in March 2018 that Billson be censured for failing to disclose receiving a salary for the FCA, and for undertaking work for the organisation through his consultancy business before leaving parliament. The Committee's report stated that Billson's "decision to accept the role with FCA while he was a member falls below the standards expected of a member of the house".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Karp|first1=Paul|title=Former Liberal minister Bruce Billson faces censure for failure to declare lobbying job|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/26/former-liberal-minister-bruce-billson-faces-censure-for-failing-to-declare-lobbying-job|access-date=27 March 2018|work=The Guardian|date=26 March 2018}}</ref> On 27 March the House of Representatives passed a motion censuring Billson.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fantin|first1=Elise|title=Parliament censures former minister Bruce Billson for undeclared payments|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-27/parliament-censures-former-minister-bruce-billson/9593082|access-date=27 March 2018|website=abc.net.au |publisher=ABC News|date=27 March 2018}}</ref>


⚫
He was cleared of breaching ministerial guidelines<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-16 |title=Bruce Billson cleared of breaching standards over lobbying salary |url=http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/16/bruce-billson-cleared-of-breaching-standards-over-lobbying-salary |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> by the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Martin Parkinson, who found there was “no reason to conclude Mr Billson has breached either the Statement of Ministerial Standards or the Lobbying Code of Conduct”. The issue was also referred to an inquiry conducted by the House of Representatives' Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests which concluded “it (had) received no clear evidence that Mr Billson had been improperly influenced in the performance of his duties as a Member…and that no finding of contempt could be made”. It recommended in March 2018 that Billson be censured for failing to disclose receiving a salary for the FCA, and for undertaking work for the organisation through his consultancy business before leaving parliament. The Committee's report stated that Billson's "decision to accept the role with FCA while he was a member falls below the standards expected of a member of the house".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Karp|first1=Paul|title=Former Liberal minister Bruce Billson faces censure for failure to declare lobbying job|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/26/former-liberal-minister-bruce-billson-faces-censure-for-failing-to-declare-lobbying-job|access-date=27 March 2018|work=The Guardian|date=26 March 2018}}</ref> On 27 March the House of Representatives passed a motion censuring Billson.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fantin|first1=Elise|title=Parliament censures former minister Bruce Billson for undeclared payments|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-27/parliament-censures-former-minister-bruce-billson/9593082|access-date=27 March 2018|website=abc.net.au |publisher=ABC News|date=27 March 2018}}</ref>
⚫
Beginning 11 March 2021 he took up a government role as the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, replacing [[Kate Carnell]]. <ref>{{cite web|last1=Stowe|first1=Sarah|title=Bruce Billson appointed Australian Small Business Ombudsman|url=https://insideretail.com.au/business/bruce-billson-appointed-australian-small-business-and-family-enterprise-ombudsman-202103|website=insideretail.com.au|access-date=11 May 2021}}</ref> The news site Crikey noted that the role of Small Business Ombudsman had been initially created by Billson while he was the Minister for Small Business. <ref>{{cite web|last1=Perrett|first1=Janine|title=Jobs for the mates hits a new low as Bruce Billson makes a small business comeback|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2021/02/23/small-business-big-business-bruce-billson/|website=crikey.com.au|publisher=Crikey|access-date=11 May 2021}}</ref>


⚫
Beginning 11 March 2021 he took up a government role as the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, replacing [[Kate Carnell]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Stowe|first1=Sarah|title=Bruce Billson appointed Australian Small Business Ombudsman|url=https://insideretail.com.au/business/bruce-billson-appointed-australian-small-business-and-family-enterprise-ombudsman-202103|website=insideretail.com.au|date=3 March 2021|access-date=11 May 2021}}</ref> The news site Crikey noted that the role of Small Business Ombudsman had been initially created by Billson while he was the Minister for Small Business.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Perrett|first1=Janine|title=Jobs for the mates hits a new low as Bruce Billson makes a small business comeback|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2021/02/23/small-business-big-business-bruce-billson/|website=crikey.com.au|date=23 February 2021|publisher=Crikey|access-date=11 May 2021}}</ref>
⚫
===Board Roles===
⚫
Executive Chair - [[Franchise Council of Australia]]<ref>https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/bruce-billson-to-head-franchise-council-of-australia-20160322-gnonin.html</ref>


⚫
===Board roles===
⚫
Independent Non Executive Director - [[Judo Capital]]
⚫
* Executive Chair – [[Franchise Council of Australia]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/bruce-billson-to-head-franchise-council-of-australia-20160322-gnonin.html|title=Bruce Billson to head Franchise Council of Australia|date=22 March 2016}}</ref>
⚫
* Independent Non Executive Director – [[Judo Capital]]
* Chair/independent Non Executive Director - Australian Property Institute
* Director - Small Business Enterprise, Business & Law School, Deakin University
* Chair/director - Growth & Development, BDC Partners
* Independent Director - Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre
* Past President - Committee for Mornington Peninsula
* Independent Director - South East Melbourne Inc (NFP regional organisation of seven councils)
* Administrator - City of Whittlesea
* Trustee - SkillsPlus Youth Foundation


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
He is married to Kate and has four children: Alexander, Zoe, Madeline and Isabella.
He is married to Kate and has four children.{{Cn|date=April 2023}}


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.brucebillson.com.au/}}
* {{Official website|http://www.asbfeo.gov.au/}}
* {{OpenAustralia}}
* {{OpenAustralia}}


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{{s-bef|before=[[De-Anne Kelly]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[De-Anne Kelly]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Minister for Veterans' Affairs]]|years=2007}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Minister for Veterans' Affairs]]|years=2007}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alan Griffin]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alan Griffin (politician)|Alan Griffin]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Billson, Bruce}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Billson, Bruce}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Abbott Government]]
[[Category:Abbott government]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Australia]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Dunkley]]
[[Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Dunkley]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of Australia]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of Australia]]
[[Category:People from Albury, New South Wales]]
[[Category:People from Albury]]
[[Category:RMIT University alumni]]
[[Category:RMIT University alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:People from the City of Frankston]]

Latest revision as of 03:21, 29 October 2024

The Honourable
Bruce Billson
Official portrait, 2014
Minister for Small Business
In office
18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015
Prime MinisterTony Abbott
Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded byGary Gray
Succeeded byKelly O'Dwyer
Minister for Veterans' Affairs
In office
23 March 2007 – 3 December 2007
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byDe-Anne Kelly
Succeeded byAlan Griffin
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Dunkley
In office
2 March 1996 – 9 May 2016
Preceded byBob Chynoweth
Succeeded byChris Crewther
Personal details
Born
Bruce Fredrick Billson

(1966-01-26) 26 January 1966 (age 58)
Albury, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLiberal Party of Australia
SpouseKate Ranken
Children4
Alma materRoyal Melbourne Institute of Technology
OccupationAustralian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman
Websitewww.asbfeo.gov.au

Bruce Fredrick Billson (born 26 January 1966) is an Australian former politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he was a member of the House of Representatives for Dunkley, a Melbourne seat, from 1996 to 2016 and held ministerial office in the Howard, Abbott and Turnbull governments as Minister for Veterans' Affairs (2007) and Minister for Small Business (2013–2015).

Billson is a founding Director of Judo Bank and has held various board appointments, including the Franchise Council of Australia, the Institute of Public Accountants/Deakin University SME Research Centre and Australian Property Institute. He was the director-small business and enterprise at Deakin University Business School and has also owned and operated several small businesses. He was appointed as the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman in 2021.

Early life and education

[edit]

Billson was born in Albury, New South Wales, and moved to Seaford, Victoria as a child. He was educated at Monterey High School in Frankston North and has a Master of Business Leadership, Graduate Diploma of Business Management and Bachelor of Business Degree from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors company directors course.

He was Acting Chief Executive and Manager of Corporate Development for the Shire of Hastings, a ministerial adviser to the Victorian Minister for Natural Resources, and policy adviser to the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Senator Rod Kemp, before entering politics.[1]

Career

[edit]

Ministerial roles

[edit]
Billson shortly after his election to Parliament.

Billson was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2004.[1] In 2005, he was also appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, and in 2006, he was promoted to Minister for Veterans' Affairs/Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence – positions he retained until the defeat of the Howard government in the 2007 federal election.[1]

In 2007, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. In 2009, he was then appointed the Shadow Minister for Sustainable Development and Cities[1] and after the 2010 election he was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs.[2]

Following the 2013 election he was sworn into the cabinet as the Minister for Small Business (including responsibility for competition policy and consumer affairs).

Retirement from politics

[edit]

Following the leadership spill that saw Malcolm Turnbull become Prime Minister, Billson was dropped from the new Ministry upon the ascension of the Turnbull government. On 24 November 2015, he announced he would retire from politics at the 2016 federal election.[3] On 22 March 2016, it was announced that he would serve as the executive chairman of the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA).[4]

In August 2017, Billson admitted he had received a salary from the FCA several months before his retirement, which he had not declared on the register of members' interests. Billson apologised to the Clerk of the House for the omission, but claimed his directorship was not concealed and there was no conflict of interest.[5]

He was cleared of breaching ministerial guidelines[6] by the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Martin Parkinson, who found there was “no reason to conclude Mr Billson has breached either the Statement of Ministerial Standards or the Lobbying Code of Conduct”. The issue was also referred to an inquiry conducted by the House of Representatives' Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests which concluded “it (had) received no clear evidence that Mr Billson had been improperly influenced in the performance of his duties as a Member…and that no finding of contempt could be made”. It recommended in March 2018 that Billson be censured for failing to disclose receiving a salary for the FCA, and for undertaking work for the organisation through his consultancy business before leaving parliament. The Committee's report stated that Billson's "decision to accept the role with FCA while he was a member falls below the standards expected of a member of the house".[7] On 27 March the House of Representatives passed a motion censuring Billson.[8]

Beginning 11 March 2021 he took up a government role as the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, replacing Kate Carnell.[9] The news site Crikey noted that the role of Small Business Ombudsman had been initially created by Billson while he was the Minister for Small Business.[10]

Board roles

[edit]
  • Executive Chair – Franchise Council of Australia[11]
  • Independent Non Executive Director – Judo Capital
  • Chair/independent Non Executive Director - Australian Property Institute
  • Director - Small Business Enterprise, Business & Law School, Deakin University
  • Chair/director - Growth & Development, BDC Partners
  • Independent Director - Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre
  • Past President - Committee for Mornington Peninsula
  • Independent Director - South East Melbourne Inc (NFP regional organisation of seven councils)
  • Administrator - City of Whittlesea
  • Trustee - SkillsPlus Youth Foundation

Personal life

[edit]

He is married to Kate and has four children.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d About Bruce – Bruce Billson: Member for Dunkley Archived 12 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Department of the Parliamentary Library - Shadow Ministry". Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  3. ^ "Former small business minister Bruce Billson to retire at next federal election". Nine News. Nine Network. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  4. ^ Waters, Cara (23 March 2016). "Bruce Billson to head Franchise Council of Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Former Liberal minister failed to disclose salary from lobbyists while in parliament". ABC News. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Bruce Billson cleared of breaching standards over lobbying salary". the Guardian. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  7. ^ Karp, Paul (26 March 2018). "Former Liberal minister Bruce Billson faces censure for failure to declare lobbying job". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  8. ^ Fantin, Elise (27 March 2018). "Parliament censures former minister Bruce Billson for undeclared payments". abc.net.au. ABC News. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  9. ^ Stowe, Sarah (3 March 2021). "Bruce Billson appointed Australian Small Business Ombudsman". insideretail.com.au. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  10. ^ Perrett, Janine (23 February 2021). "Jobs for the mates hits a new low as Bruce Billson makes a small business comeback". crikey.com.au. Crikey. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Bruce Billson to head Franchise Council of Australia". 22 March 2016.
[edit]
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Dunkley
1996–2016 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Small Business
2013–2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Veterans' Affairs
2007 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Bruce_Billson&oldid=1254035977"