Craig Emerson was elected to Parliament in 1998.
After the 2010 Federal election he was appointed the Minister for Trade. Prior to that, he had portfolio responsibility for small business, competition policy, consumer affairs and deregulation.
Craig holds a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) Degree from the University of Sydney, a Master of Economics Degree from the University of Sydney and a PhD in Economics from The Australian National University.
He has been a Post-Doctoral Fellow at The Australian National University and has around 20 publications to his name, including a book setting out a vision and plan for Australia's future. Since becoming a Parliamentarian, Craig has had more than 80 opinion pieces published in national newspapers.
Professionally, Craig has been Secretary of a Queensland Government Department, CEO of a Queensland Statutory Authority, an Assistant Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and an Economic Analyst at the United Nations.
Craig was a Senior Policy Adviser to former Prime Minister Bob Hawke and earlier, to Finance Minister Peter Walsh. He was Mr Hawke’s adviser on trade policy, microeconomic reform and the environment.
In addition to his more than 25 years of public policy work, Craig has successfully run his own small business.
Craig's other interests include Rugby Union and Rugby League and he still plays a few games for the Parliamentary Rugby Union Team.
Electorate Profile
Rankin
State:
QLD
Name Derivation:
Named after Dame Annabelle Rankin (1908-86), first Queensland woman elected to the Senate 1946-71 and the first Australian woman to hold a top-level diplomatic post as High Commissioner to New Zealand 1971-74.
Area and Location Description:
Rankin covers an area of approximately 131 sq km from Rochedale South and Priestdale in the north to Daisy Hill and Meadowbrook in the Southeast. The western divisional boundary follows the interstate railway line between Hillcrest and Algester. Suburbs include: Algester, Berrinba, Browns Plains, Calamvale, Crestmead, Daisy Hill, Drewvale, Heritage Park, Hillcrest, Kingston, Logan Central, Marsden, Parkinson, Priestdale, Regents Park, Rochedale South, Slacks Creek, Springwood, Underwood, and Woodridge.
Products/Industries of the Area:
The area covers a diverse area from residential and acreage suburbs as well as some light industry.
First Proclaimed/Election:
1984
Demographic Rating:
Outer Metropolitan
Members:
- Emerson, C (ALP) 1998-
- Beddall, D (ALP) 1984-1998