Peter Baume

The northern face of the Peter Baume Building at the ANU. This building houses the ANU's School of Medicine

Peter Erne Baume, AC (born 30 January 1935) is a retired Australian doctor and politician. He was a Senator for New South Wales from 1974 to 1991, representing the Liberal Party. He served as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (1980–1982) and Minister for Education (1982–1983) in the Fraser government.

Early life Baume was born in Sydney on 30 January 1935. He was the son of Jean (née Brodziak) and Sidney Erne Baume. His paternal grandfather Frederick Baume was a member of parliament in New Zealand, while his grandmother Rosetta Baume was one of the first women to stand for parliament in New Zealand.

Baume spent his early childhood in Melbourne, where his father was manager of radio station 3UZ. He attended Ormond State School and Grimwade House, Melbourne Grammar School's preparatory school. The family later returned to Sydney where they settled in the suburb of Collaroy. Baume completed his education at Narrabeen Public School, North Sydney Boys High School, and Sydney Grammar School. After leaving school he completed his national service as a medical orderly at RAAF Base Richmond. He received the further degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Sydney in 1969. Baume worked in private practice as a gastroenterologist and physician at Royal North Shore Hospital before entering parliament. He was also a clinical lecturer at the University of Sydney.

Political career Baume was elected to the Senate for New South Wales, representing the Liberal Party at the 1974 election. As a backbencher he chaired the Senate Standing Committee on Social Welfare, which produced two reports: "Drug problems in Australia—an intoxicated society?" (1977) and "Through a glass darkly: evaluation in Australian health and welfare services" (1979).

In 1987 when Baume was Shadow Minister for the Status of Women he contravened Liberal Party policy by voting for a bill giving equal employment opportunity in some government-owned bodies. He considered he was "... finished in the Liberal Party. It is true that one is allowed to cross the floor in the Liberal Party of Australia, but my philosophical liberal principles sat poorly with the increasingly dominant radical conservatism of others. It was time again for a change of career." He resigned from parliament in January 1991.

He was Chancellor of the Australian National University from 1994 to 2006. He has also been Commissioner of the Australian Law Reform Commission, Deputy Chair of the Australian National Council on AIDS and Foundation Chair of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority from 1991 to 1998. In June 2008 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia. He received an honorary doctorate from the Australian National University in December 2004.

The ANU 'Peter Baume Award', recognises "eminent achievement and merit of the highest order". It was first conferred in 2004.

Baume is a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

Personal life Baume married Jennifer Tuson in 1958 and they have one son and one daughter, the latter of whom has three children.