Ian Macfarlane (politician)

Ian Macfarlane
Macfarlane in 2015
Minister for Industry and Science
In office
18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015
Prime MinisterTony Abbott
Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded byKim Carr
Succeeded byChristopher Pyne
Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
In office
26 November 2001 – 3 December 2007
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byNick Minchin
Succeeded byKim Carr Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
Martin Ferguson Minister for Resources and Energy
Minister for Small Business
In office
30 January 2001 – 26 November 2001
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byPeter Reith
Succeeded byJoe Hockey
Member of the Australian Parliament for Groom
In office
3 October 1998 – 9 May 2016
Preceded byBill Taylor
Succeeded byJohn McVeigh
Personal details
Born (1955-04-05) 5 April 1955 (age 69)
Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia
Political partyLiberal (federal)
Liberal National (state, 2010–present)
SpouseKaren
Children2
Residence(s)Toowoomba, Queensland
OccupationFarmer

Ian Elgin Macfarlane (born 5 April 1955) is an Australian former politician who was a member of the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2016, representing the Liberal Party. He served as a minister in the Howard and Abbott governments.

Macfarlane was born in Kingaroy, Queensland, and was a farmer before entering politics. He was elected to parliament at the 1998 federal election, representing the Division of Groom. Macfarlane was appointed Minister for Small Business in January 2001. After the 2001 election, he was made Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, a position he held until the Howard government's defeat at the 2007 election. Macfarlane returned to cabinet in 2013 as Minister for Industry (later Industry and Science) in the Abbott government. He lost his position when Malcolm Turnbull became prime minister in September 2015, and retired from politics at the 2016 election. He is currently chief executive of the Queensland Resources Council.