Joe Ludwig

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Minister Assisting on Queensland Floods Recovery

Joe was born in Longreach, Queensland. He completed his Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology and is a barrister.

He has worked across Queensland as an industrial inspector and training consultant, and with the Australian Workers’ Union as an industrial advocate. Joe is also an officer of the Australian Army Reserve.

Growing up in country Queensland, Joe was guided by a strong values system instilled in him by his parents, Bill and Joan. Inspired by the positive changes made by Gough Whitlam, he joined the Labor Party in 1978.

“Having served some 20 years in the labour movement and more than 10 years in the union movement, I can appreciate that real, lasting change for the better comes only from Labor.”

Since his election to the Senate in 1998, Joe has remained committed to delivering for his community the key Labor value of fairness, whether it be in greater opportunities for regional Australia, better access to education and training, or improving the health care system. He has had a special role in the wake of the recent spate of natural disasters that have hit Queensland, taking responsibility at federal level for the reconstruction effort.

Joe lives on the south side of Brisbane with his wife Leanne and their two daughters, Kate and Anna.