Richard Alston

Richard Kenneth Robert Alston (born 19 December 1941) is an Australian businessman, former politician and former barrister. He served as a Senator for Victoria from 1986 to 2004, representing the Liberal Party. During the Howard government he held ministerial office as Minister for Communications and the Arts (1996–1997), Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts (1997–1998), and Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (1998–2003). He was simultaneously Australia's longest serving Communications minister and Arts minister.

In his ministerial capacity he led more than a dozen telecommunications and IT trade missions around the world, as well as representing Australia at APEC Telecommunications Ministerial Conferences in Singapore, Cancun, Shanghai and the Gold Coast (chaired).

In 1999 he received an Award for Outstanding Contribution to the IT industry from the Asia-Oceania Computing Industry Organisation. In 2002 he was voted Best Asian Communications Minister and in 2003 he received an Outstanding Service Award from the Australian Venture Capital Association.

He served as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2005–2008) where he was a Commissioner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for three years. In 2007 he was the Australian Prime Minister's Special Envoy and Leader of the Australian delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Uganda. From 2014 to 2017 he was Federal President of the Liberal Party and a member of the Party's Federal Executive for 18 years.

Senate On 7 May 1986 Alston was appointed by the Parliament of Victoria under section 15 of the Australian Constitution to fill the vacancy in the Australian Senate caused by the death of Senator Alan Missen. He was re-elected in 1987, 1990, 1996 and 2001.

Alston was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry from 1989 to 1996, and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate 1993–96. Shadow Minister for Social Security, Child Care and Superannuation, as well as Communications and the Arts, were among the positions he held in the shadow ministry.

He was Minister for Communications and the Arts 1996–97, Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts 1997–98 and Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts 1998–2003. He was also Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate 1996–2003.

Alston resigned from the Senate on 10 February 2004,

Alston served as a member of the international board of CQS LLP, a United Kingdom-based hedge fund for seven years and as a director of its Australian subsidiary. Alston also served for six years as a director of United Kingdom-based public company, Chime PLC. He also served as chairman of the advisory board of Qato Capital, an Australian long short fund, as a director of Nanuk Asset Management and as a director of Balmoral Gardens, a retirement village owner and operator for many years and a director of CPA Australia for three years.

Alston was federal president of the Liberal Party from 2014 to 2017.

Publications More to Life than Politics? (2020), a memoir Australia, the United States and China in a Post-Covid World (2020) Reflections on the EU Project and its Flaws: A Fatal Conceit about Markets and the Real World (2021) Donald Trump: The Ultimate Contrarian (2021) Their ABC: Inside Australia's Largest Sheltered Workshop (2022) Freedom of speech and diversity of expression, in 'Dignity and Prosperity' (2003) Political leadership in The Art of Crisis Management (2024) The Trouble with Elites (2024) The Glory of Dante (2024)

Honours At the 2015 Australia Day Honours, Alston was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the Parliament of Australia, to international relations through diplomatic roles, to business development in diverse sectors, and to the community. Alston was also awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 for service as Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.