Robert Hill (Australian diplomat)

Infobox Prime Minister
honorific-prefix=H.E.
name =Robert Hill


order =49th Australian Defence Minister
term_start =November 2001
term_end = January 2006
predecessor =Peter Reith
successor = Brendan Nelson
birth_date = Birth date and age|1946|9|25|df=y
birth_place =Adelaide, South Australia
death_date =
death_place =
spouse =
religion =
party =Liberal Party of Australia
languagesspoken =English
order2 =20th Minister for Environment and Heritage
term_start2 =1996
term_end2 =2001
order3 = Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Australia
term_start3 = March 2006
term_end3=
predecessor3=Caroline Millar (acting)
successor3=

Robert Murray Hill (born 25 September 1946), is the current Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Australia and a former Australian politician. Mr Hill was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from July 1981 to March 2006, representing South Australia. He was born in Adelaide, South Australia, and was educated at the University of Adelaide and the London School of Economics, where he gained a masters degree in law. His father, Murray Hill, was a prominent Liberal member of the South Australian Legislative Council. He was a barrister and solicitor before entering politics. His daughter, Victoria, is an Australian actress.

Hill was Vice-President of the Liberal Party in South Australia 1977-79 and President 1985-87. He was a member of the Liberal Party's Federal Executive 1985-87 and 1990-93. He was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1988-96, holding senior portfolios such as Foreign Affairs 1989-93, Defence 1993-94 and Education, Science and Technology 1994-96. He was Leader of the Opposition in the Senate 1990-96.

Hill was Leader of the Government in the Senate from March 1996 until his resignation in January 2006. He was Minister for the Environment 1996-98, Minister for the Environment and Heritage 1998-2001 and Minister for Defence from November 2001 to January 2006. Like many South Australian Liberals, Hill belonged to the liberal or moderate wing of the Liberal Party.

In July 2005 the Coalition parties took control of the Senate and Hill became the first Government Leader in the Senate since 1981 to command a majority in the chamber. In January 2006 he announced his resignation from the Ministry and from his Senate leadership position. Hill did not specify any reason for his resignation, but said it was his decision to retire and he had not been pushed into it by Prime Minister John Howard. However, one of The Age's senior journalists, Michelle Grattan, said on 31 March 2008 "Hill had not really wanted to leave Parliament, but John Howard was anxious to get him out."

In March 2006 Hill resigned from the Senate, and two days later was appointed Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Australia, replacing Caroline Millar.

In late September, 2006, Hill came under scrutiny from the Cole Inquiry, which is investigating kickbacks of approximately $300M paid by the Australia Wheat Board to Saddam Hussein's regime. The scrutiny relates to Hill's association with Norman Davidson Kelly, head of Tigris Petroleum and a key figure in the Cole inquiry investigations.

References

*cite news | last=Schubert | firste=Misha | title=Defence minister steps down | date=20 Jan 2006 | publisher=The Age | url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/01/20/1137553744012.html
*cite news | last=Wilkinson| firste=Marian | title=Revealed: minister's links to AWB man | date=27 September 2006 | publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/revealed-hills-links-to-awb-man/2006/09/26/1159036542212.html