Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Greg Combet

Gregory Ivan Combet AO (born 1958) is an Australian former trade union official and politician who led the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) as secretary from 2000 to 2007 before entering federal parliament as a Labor member for the New South Wales seat of Charlton from 2007 to 2013. In government under Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, Combet served in multiple ministerial roles, including Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency from 2010 to 2013, where he oversaw the introduction of a carbon pricing mechanism that faced significant opposition and was later repealed. His earlier union career involved advocating for workers' rights, notably securing compensation for asbestos victims through legal action against manufacturers. Following his retirement from politics ahead of the 2013 election, Combet transitioned to advisory and leadership positions in finance and policy, including chairing the boards of IFM Investors since 2021 and the Future Fund from June 2024, as well as leading the Net Zero Economy Agency to coordinate Australia's emissions reduction efforts.

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Family Origins

Gregory Ivan Combet was born on 27 April 1958 in , , to Ivan Louis Combet, known as Tod, and his wife. His father worked as a at the Penfolds Minchinbury Estate in the western suburb of Rooty Hill, where the family resided amid the estate's vineyards and production facilities. The Combets traced their roots to migrants; Combet's paternal grandfather, Leon Ivan Combet, had also managed operations, continuing a lineage tied to champagne production in before immigration to . This heritage reflected a tradition of skilled craftsmanship in , with the family adapting to Australia's agricultural landscape through hands-on estate work rather than reliance on external aid. Combet grew up in Rooty Hill's modest western suburbs environment, the first in his family to attend , which underscored pathways of personal advancement available through and merit in post-war . His mother hailed from a background aligned with the Country Party, indicating rural conservative influences that contrasted with urban industrial settings but emphasized practical self-sufficiency in family endeavors. The family's circumstances involved relocation when his father faced health challenges, prompting adaptation to new living arrangements while maintaining ties to pursuits. Early life on the Minchinbury Estate exposed Combet to the rhythms of seasonal labor and production, fostering an appreciation for operational pragmatism in a competitive . These origins in a , operating within Sydney's expanding outer suburbs, highlighted empirical opportunities for stability through skills and , distinct from broader narratives of systemic disadvantage. Combet's upbringing included an older sister, and the household navigated typical working- dynamics, with his father's oratory skills in community groups like Rotary modeling public engagement rooted in local involvement rather than abstract ideology.

Academic and Early Professional Background

Combet completed a in at the , graduating with first-class honours in the early 1980s after gaining required industry experience. He subsequently pursued a at the , completing it part-time while working in the mining sector, which provided foundational knowledge in resource extraction, operational efficiency, and economic principles underlying industrial productivity. Following his engineering degree, Combet entered the mining industry directly, working initially as a in and later in minerals exploration in during the late 1970s and early 1980s. These roles involved hands-on technical work in underground and surface operations, emphasizing practical applications such as safety protocols, equipment maintenance, and resource assessment, which honed his understanding of labor-intensive and the causal links between workforce skills, technological inputs, and output efficiency. His early professional experiences in mining underscored the empirical realities of productivity constraints in resource sectors, including geological uncertainties and machinery limitations, informing a pragmatic approach to industrial challenges that prioritized evidence-based improvements over ideological abstractions. This technical grounding later influenced his deliberate shift toward industrial relations, as he recognized the need for economic analysis to address systemic inefficiencies observed firsthand in mining operations.

Trade Union Career

Initial Union Involvement and Rise

Combet entered the Australian trade union movement in 1987, accepting a position as industrial officer with the Waterside Workers' Federation (WWF), a role that marked the union's first such appointment since the early 1950s. His engineering qualifications, including a Bachelor of Mining Engineering from the University of New South Wales, equipped him to engage in technical workplace negotiations on the waterfront, where disputes often involved operational efficiencies and labor conditions amid deregulatory pressures. Over the subsequent years, he advanced within the WWF structure, handling industrial relations for Sydney operations and contributing to the federation's adaptation to waterfront reforms initiated under the Hawke government. By the early 1990s, as membership stagnated around 2.6 million despite employment growth—reflecting a decline from approximately 50% in the early to 40% by 1992—Combet transitioned to broader organizational roles that emphasized internal consolidation to counter eroding . In 1993, he joined the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), initially focusing on campaign coordination and strategies to bolster hierarchies amid causal pressures from enterprise bargaining and casualization, which reduced traditional membership bases. This period saw unions pivot toward aggressive organizing models, with Combet advocating reallocation of resources to targeted sectors, as declining necessitated intensified efforts to retain influence through structural reforms rather than sheer numbers. His ascent culminated in to ACTU positions by the mid-, positioning him as a key figure in navigating the shift from mass membership to leveraged institutional , including early explorations of superannuation oversight that would later amplify asset . Empirical trends underscored this dynamic: while overall density fell to around 35% by the late , strategic roles like Combet's enabled consolidation of authority in core industries, compensating for membership losses through focused advocacy and inter-union amalgamation drives.

Leadership in Major Industrial Disputes

Combet, serving as of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), coordinated the union campaign during the 1998 waterfront dispute, collaborating closely with Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) National Secretary John Coombs to mobilize solidarity actions against Patrick Stevedores' restructuring efforts. The dispute intensified on 7 April 1998 when Patrick, with government support, abruptly sacked and locked out approximately 1,400 unionized wharf workers across its operations, aiming to replace them with non-union labor amid longstanding concerns over inefficiency and high costs. Combet organized mass rallies, port blockades, and legal challenges, including a successful appeal that deemed Patrick's actions unlawful under trade practices law, leading to the reinstatement of most sacked workers by late June 1998 after 10 weeks of disruption. These tactics secured short-term concessions, preserving core conditions and preventing the full de-unionization of Patrick sites, with workers returning under negotiated productivity protocols that maintained structures while introducing shift flexibility. However, the dispute imposed substantial economic costs, including halted cargo handling at major ports like and , which delayed exports and strained small businesses dependent on reliable supply chains, with broader trade losses estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars amid a focus on waterfront reform. Critics of the , including groups, contended that prolonged militancy exacerbated pre-existing shortfalls—where Australian wharves operated at 20-50% of benchmarks—undermining competitiveness by deterring and prolonging reliance on overstaffed operations. Post-settlement data underscores long-term causal effects favoring over resistance: crane productivity doubled and output per worker hour quadrupled within three years, enabling the to handle increased volumes with fewer staff, but resulting in net job reductions of around 600 at Patrick alone and a national decline in wharfie employment from over 3,000 to fewer than 1,000 by the . While unions highlighted preserved conditions for remaining employees, empirical outcomes reveal that initial gains yielded to structural job as efficiency gains outpaced volume growth, illustrating how dispute militancy delayed necessary adjustments at the expense of sustained employment in a globally competitive sector.

Role as ACTU Secretary

Greg Combet was elected Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in 2000, succeeding Bill Kelty, and held the position until 2007. In this role, he focused on national-level strategies to counter the government's industrial relations agenda, emphasizing policy advocacy and electoral mobilization over operational dispute handling. Under his leadership, the ACTU coordinated opposition to reforms such as the 2005 legislation, which aimed to individualize contracts and restrict . The ACTU's "Your Rights at Work" campaign, launched in response to , involved extensive public and organizing, with unions collectively spending approximately $20 million on efforts by mid-2007. Combet positioned the campaign as a defense of basic employee entitlements, framing the reforms as eroding and family stability; ACTU polling indicated widespread voter concern, contributing to an estimated 3 percent additional swing against the in targeted marginal seats during the 2007 federal election. This mobilization strengthened union influence within Labor Party circles, reinforcing the ACTU's role in shaping opposition platforms, though the strategy relied heavily on affiliated unions' resources amid declining overall membership. Combet advanced the ACTU's involvement in superannuation as a lever for broader economic influence, advocating that union-controlled industry funds prioritize "good " in investment decisions and . By the mid-2000s, industry super funds managed over $100 billion in assets—representing a significant portion of the growing national pool exceeding $600 billion—enabling unions to exert pressure on company boards through and , though this raised questions about alignment with pure maximization. Such tactics expanded union sway beyond traditional bargaining into financial spheres, with Combet arguing they supported long-term worker interests via ethical investments. Efforts to unify fragmented unions included renewal strategies like organizing drives and congresses promoting a "new consensus," but these yielded mixed results amid structural challenges. density declined from 24.5 percent of employees in August 2000 to 19.3 percent by August 2007, per data, reflecting broader trends of casualization and competition from non-union sectors. Critics, including policy analysts, contended that Combet's emphasis on high-profile political alliances with the Labor Party—evident in coordinated election funding and policy alignment—prioritized partisan gains over innovative membership recruitment, exacerbating the disconnect from a shrinking base of non-unionized workers. This approach, while effective in blocking specific reforms, underscored tensions between advocacy for affiliated political goals and direct representation of an eroding workforce.

Criticisms of Union Tactics and Influence

Critics of Combet's union leadership, particularly during his tenure as ACTU in the late 1990s and Secretary from 2003 to 2010, have accused him of endorsing tactics that prioritized union power over , exemplified by his coordination of the response to the 1998 Patrick Stevedores waterfront dispute. In this conflict, union blockades and halted operations at major ports for weeks, disrupting supply chains and imposing short-term trade losses estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars, while underscoring deeper structural inefficiencies from restrictive work practices that had long burdened the sector. Business advocates, including stevedoring executives, argued that such militancy not only exacerbated immediate disruptions but also signaled to international investors the risks of operating in a union-dominated , contributing to the relocation of some cargo handling overseas and perpetuating Australia's reputation for uncompetitive ports prior to post-dispute reforms. Under Combet's ACTU stewardship, affiliated channeled significant financial resources to the Australian Labor Party, with disclosures showing millions in donations during election cycles that critics contend created capture, tilting reforms away from productivity-enhancing measures like flexible hiring toward protections that insulated union strongholds at the expense of national competitiveness. For instance, opposition to Howard-era changes, framed by Combet as defending workers but decried by employers as entrenching power imbalances, delayed labor market adjustments that economists linked to stagnant growth in non-unionized sectors and higher overall persistence. This funding dynamic, where unions supplied up to 80% of Labor's campaign resources in some periods, fostered accusations of causal distortions in electoral outcomes, as party platforms increasingly accommodated union vetoes on , hindering broader akin to Hawke-Keating era consensus models. Combet's longstanding ties within the drew scrutiny in the 2013 ICAC inquiry into NSW mining corruption, where he testified that former CFMEU mining division leader John Maitland had misled him about a Doyles Creek project disguised as a , prompting Combet's supportive letter based on shared . Maitland, later convicted of misconduct in office alongside figures like , highlighted risks inherent in dense union-political networks, where personal trust from industrial campaigns blinded leaders to potential graft, enabling projects tainted by to gain undue legitimacy. Detractors, including advocates, pointed to this as emblematic of systemic vulnerabilities in , where opaque alliances amplified exposure to corrupt intermediaries, eroding confidence in labor organizations' despite Combet's claims of .

Parliamentary Career

Entry into Federal Politics

In early 2007, Greg Combet, the Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), was recruited by Labor leader as a high-profile to contest the federal election. On 5 May 2007, he was officially confirmed as the Labor for the safe seat of Charlton, replacing retiring MP Kelly Hoare through a factional process controlled by party powerbrokers. This selection highlighted ongoing criticisms of Labor's internal factionalism, where choices often prioritized alliances over broader member input, potentially undermining party democracy and efficiency in responding to voter priorities. Combet's candidacy aligned with union efforts to mobilize voters against Howard's laws, which had eroded worker protections and fueled widespread backlash. Elected to the for Charlton on 24 November 2007, he secured a significant margin in the safe Labor electorate, contributing to the party's national victory that ended 11 years of rule. Labor's success, achieving 52.7% of the , was partly attributed to ACTU-led campaigns under Combet's prior leadership, which registered over 1.5 million voters and distributed millions in how-to-vote cards targeting marginal seats. As a new government from 2007 to 2009, Combet adjusted to parliamentary procedures, shifting from the confrontational tactics of union organizing—characterized by strikes and public campaigns with limited direct —to the deliberative required in elected , where representatives face periodic electoral judgment. He concentrated on oversight, leveraging his expertise to critique lingering effects of prior reforms within and committees, though the structured legislative environment imposed constraints absent in union roles. This transition underscored the heightened public and institutional of parliamentary service compared to positions insulated from voter mandates.

Ministerial Responsibilities and Policy Implementation

Combet was appointed for Defence on 3 December 2007, tasked with reforming acquisition processes to mitigate chronic delays and cost overruns in major capital projects, such as those identified in ongoing audits revealing systemic inefficiencies in and contractor performance. In this role until 25 February 2009, he initiated reviews of sustainment practices and emphasized better systems integration to reduce lifecycle costs, though defence as a whole continued to accumulate overruns estimated in the billions across portfolios inherited from prior administrations. From 1 April to 14 September , Combet served as Minister for Defence and , overseeing equipment , personnel , and defence initiatives, including the launch of the 2010 Defence on 25 June, which aimed to foster local capabilities through targeted investments in while addressing capability gaps exposed by budgetary pressures. His tenure involved coordinating intergovernmental efforts with authorities on skills for defence-related , yet projects under his purview, like sustainment contracts, faced escalations; for example, broader defence capital programs reported average delays of 21 months and cost growth of 27 percent per the 2009 Major Projects Report, factors exacerbated by leadership transitions that disrupted consistent oversight. Appointed Minister for Industry and Innovation on 14 December 2011, Combet managed federal programs for industrial development, including the $200 million Strategic Fund to support advanced manufacturing clusters and job retention in sectors like automotive and , amid efforts to align skills training with economic restructuring. He coordinated with the (NBN) rollout by promoting innovation grants for infrastructure suppliers, contributing to over 1,000 preserved in related supply chains through 2012, though detractors highlighted protectionist elements in these subsidies as impeding competitive efficiencies and contributing to higher long-term costs. implementation occurred against a backdrop of governmental instability, with the 2010 prime ministerial change from Rudd to Gillard leading to fragmented execution; metrics from the Australian indicated delays in industry innovation grants averaging 6-12 months, correlating with cabinet reshuffles that shifted priorities and increased administrative overhead.

Climate Change and Energy Initiatives

Greg Combet served as Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency from 14 September 2010 to 26 June 2013, during which he led the development and implementation of the carbon pricing mechanism as part of the Clean Energy Futures Plan. The mechanism commenced on 1 July 2012 with a fixed price of A$23 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent for emissions from around 60% of Australia's domestic greenhouse gases, transitioning to an emissions trading scheme in 2015, though later repealed. Revenues, projected to raise billions annually, were recycled into household compensation via tax cuts and payments, industry assistance packages, and funding for renewable energy initiatives, with Combet emphasizing its role in market-driven emissions reductions without excessive economic harm. Despite claims by Combet and government modeling of modest costs for cuts and economic transformation, the policy correlated with price increases of approximately 10% directly attributable to the , exacerbating broader retail hikes and drawing criticism for imposing regressive costs on households and energy-intensive industries like steel manufacturing. Empirical assessments post-implementation found limited success in curbing emissions from major polluters, with Australia's contribution to global gases at about 1.5% in 2012 rendering unilateral action of negligible worldwide effect amid China's rapid emissions growth, which exceeded Australia's annual output in roughly 12 days. Combet oversaw expansions and maintenance of the Renewable Energy Target (RET), mandating 20% of electricity from renewables by 2020 through quotas on retailers, complemented by the to incentivize in , and other sources via certificates and subsidies. While the RET spurred renewable additions, critics contended it distorted markets by favoring intermittent over dispatchable baseload, imposing costs estimated to reduce GDP by billions in modeling scenarios and contributing to early signals of supply unreliability, though major blackouts emerged post-tenure. The policy accelerated job displacements in sectors, which supported around 50,000 direct positions, as higher costs and regulatory pressures hit export-dependent amid demand shifts. Proponents attributed emissions declines in covered sectors to the combined measures, yet analyses highlighted inefficacy given offsetting rises elsewhere and negligible mitigation, underscoring causal limitations of domestic pricing without broader international alignment.

Political Controversies and Resignation

Combet encountered controversy stemming from his reflections on the , a $2.8 billion Rudd government stimulus initiative launched in February 2009 that installed insulation in over 1.1 million homes but was suspended in February 2010 after four installer electrocutions, more than 200 house fires, and extensive fraud by unqualified operators. As Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency from 2010, Combet oversaw remedial efforts and testified before the into the HIP, conceding the program's rushed design created inherent vulnerabilities that regulations failed to address, despite efforts to curb rorts through audits and prosecutions. He expressed being "deeply upset" by the fatalities but attributed persistent abuses to unscrupulous installers exploiting lax training requirements, later critiquing in a 2015 documentary the decision-makers' detachment from practical realities: "They've got to at least have the life experience and experience the real economy to say well, shit that's open to abuse isn't it?" This admission underscored accountability gaps in program oversight, contributing to perceptions of wasteful Labor spending amid the global response. Further scrutiny arose from Combet's entanglement in a coal licensing scandal probed by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). In May 2013, he testified about a September 2008 letter he signed as federal MP for Charlton, endorsing a training mine proposal at Doyles Creek for former union associate John Maitland, then head of the Hunter Valley coal mineworkers' division. Combet maintained he had been misled on the application's details, writing the support based on Maitland's representations of job-training benefits without awareness of Maitland's undisclosed equity interests or the project's irregularities, and claimed shock at later revelations of favoritism in the licensing process. The ICAC inquiry exposed corrupt conduct by Maitland and others in securing the license, highlighting risks of undue union-political influence in resource approvals, though Combet faced no formal findings of wrongdoing. Combet's parliamentary exit was precipitated by acute factional strife within the Australian Labor Party. On 26 June 2013, after lost an 57-45 leadership to , Combet—a staunch Gillard ally—resigned from , rejecting Rudd's to remain as and Industry . He announced his full retirement from politics on 29 June, forgoing re-election in Charlton after three terms, attributing the decision to personal fatigue from 30 years in the labor movement rather than the spill alone. In 2014 disclosures, Combet revealed Gillard had privately offered to yield the premiership to him days before the , an he declined due to lacking the requisite prime ministerial experience. This internal chaos, emblematic of three leadership changes in six years, eroded public trust, with Labor suffering a 4.9% primary vote drop to 33.4% in the 7 September 2013 election, losing 15 seats and enabling a landslide amid voter fatigue over perceived instability and policy mismanagement.

Post-Political Engagements

Corporate Directorships and Advisory Positions

Following his resignation from federal in 2013, Greg Combet transitioned to roles in and funds , leveraging his background in and . In November 2014, he was appointed as a of Members Equity (), serving on its Audit and Committee as well as the Risk and Compliance Committee. This position involved oversight of a mutual with exceeding $10 billion at the time, focusing on and risk in customer-owned banking operations. Concurrently, Combet assumed the role of chair of IFM Investors in 2014, a global infrastructure investment manager owned by 28 Australian superannuation funds, where he guided long-term investment strategies emphasizing sustainable returns for retirement savings. IFM managed over $100 billion in assets during his tenure, prioritizing infrastructure projects aligned with economic stability rather than short-term market fluctuations. His prior experience as a director of AustralianSuper from 2002 to 2007 informed this focus, though his post-parliament directorships centered on ME Bank and IFM, highlighting a shift to advisory influence in industry superannuation without elected office. Combet also engaged in selective consulting for corporations and governments on economic and industrial matters during this period, drawing on networks from his ACTU and ministerial roles to advise on policy intersections with business. In 2014, he co-authored The Fights of My Life with Mark Davis, a detailing key labor disputes and political battles, which underscored his advocacy for reformed balancing worker interests with enterprise viability. These engagements reflected continuity in promoting long-term investment horizons, though critics have noted that union-derived connections facilitated access to such boards, raising empirical questions about merit versus relational influence in Australian financial appointments absent transparent selection criteria.

Chairmanship of the Future Fund

Greg Combet was appointed Chair of the Future Fund Board of Guardians on 29 January 2024 by the Australian government for a five-year term, commencing on 1 June 2024, to oversee the sovereign wealth fund managing approximately A$212 billion in assets at the time of announcement. The appointment followed Combet's tenure as Chair of the Net Zero Economy Agency and drew early warnings from former Future Fund Chair Peter Costello against diverting the fund toward government-favored "pet projects" in areas like housing or infrastructure, emphasizing the need to prioritize long-term, apolitical returns over short-term political priorities. Under Combet's leadership in his first full financial year, the fund achieved a 12.2% return for FY2025 (ending 30 June 2025), surpassing its mandated benchmark of 6.1% and adding A$27.4 billion to its value, elevating total assets under management to A$252.3 billion for the first time. Combet has overseen strategic reallocations, including an increase in and exposure by A$6 billion to A$28.7 billion as of 30 June 2025, alongside investments in data centers and other assets aligned with like , amid broader portfolio adjustments for global economic shifts such as geopolitical tensions and U.S. policy uncertainties. In November 2024, the updated the fund's to encourage profitable opportunities in , , and the , prompting Combet to publicly defend the changes against claims of politicization, asserting they align with duties without compromising returns. Critics, including Costello and other fund architects, have raised concerns that such mandate shifts risk transforming the into a vehicle for off-budget social engineering, potentially eroding its independence and long-term value preservation, particularly given Combet's background in union leadership and which some view as predisposing toward government-aligned investments over purely commercial ones. Combet has countered that criticisms misrepresent the mandate's flexibility, insisting the board retains discretion to pursue only risk-adjusted, profitable strategies, though ongoing debates highlight tensions between the fund's original purpose of intergenerational fiscal buffering and contemporary pressures for targeted domestic spending.

Recent Economic and Investment Activities

In June 2025, under Combet's chairmanship, the announced plans to partially internalize the management of its direct investments in Australian and property assets, aiming to reduce external management fees and enhance operational flexibility amid uncertainties such as potential shifts in trade and fiscal policies. This approach builds on the Fund's existing A$12 billion in local holdings, including stakes in major airports, by shifting from reliance on external managers for select domestic deals, a first for the organization. The Fund also expanded its exposure to high-growth sectors, notably increasing its stake in CDC Data Centres to 34.55% in February 2025 through a subscription to a capital raise funding -driven developments across . This move, detailed in Combet's June 17, 2025, speech to the (), positions the Fund to capitalize on demand for advanced computing infrastructure, including expansions in tied to defense-related needs. For the financial year ended June 30, 2025, the delivered a 12.2% return, adding A$26 billion to its value and surpassing its benchmark, with gains partly attributed to strategic tilts toward equities and alternatives that buffered against global volatility from geopolitical tensions and fluctuations. In the address, Combet emphasized long-term, diversified strategies over reactive short-termism to sustain sovereign wealth growth, highlighting the need for balanced portfolio adjustments in an era of technological disruption and policy flux.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Greg Combet was first married in the early 1980s, from which union he has one biological daughter. His second marriage, to Petra Hilsen, began around 1996 and included her two children from a prior relationship: stepdaughter Clara (born circa 1984) and stepson Yanni (born circa 1991). The couple separated in 2008 amid Combet's rising political demands, reflecting the strains of high-profile public service on personal stability. Since 2012, Combet has maintained a long-term relationship with ABC journalist , with whom he cohabits on Sydney's ; Phillips brings two children, Marcus and Mischa, from her earlier marriage to Mario Milostic. The pair, both navigating prior divorces and blended family dynamics, have described their partnership as evolving gradually, emphasizing the practical challenges of step-parenting without shared biological children. This arrangement underscores empirical patterns of serial relationships in political circles, where career pressures often disrupt initial family units but facilitate later adaptations.

Health Challenges and Reflections on Public Service

In June 2013, Greg Combet announced his retirement from federal politics ahead of the next election, citing personal reasons including unspecified health problems that caused ongoing discomfort and pain. These issues, described as non-life-threatening but persistent, were compounded by the physical toll of his role as Minister for and , involving 18-hour workdays and seven-day weeks that disrupted , , and exercise. Combet's final year in exemplified the exhaustion, with only an average of two days per month spent at home due to constant travel and demands, leaving insufficient time for attention or personal recovery. He later reflected that maintaining became "virtually impossible" in such a ministerial position, where health problems began manifesting amid emotional strain from a deteriorating culture marked by internal divisions and hostility. During mid-2013 discussions about potential transitions, Combet experienced constant pain from these ailments, influencing his decision to prioritize well-being over further responsibilities in a volatile . Reflecting on public service, Combet characterized political life as a "selfless pursuit" that paradoxically demanded "cravenly selfish" absorption of one's time, generating a toxic work environment that threatened personal health and democratic health alike. He attributed his exit partly to family obligations, such as supporting his sister's care for ageing parents, underscoring how the role's isolation eroded work-life balance. Despite the burdens, Combet viewed his tenure as fulfilling, having advanced workers' rights and environmental policies like the carbon tax, though he advocated transitioning to market-based mechanisms for emissions reduction. His experiences highlighted the unsustainable nature of frontline politics, prompting a shift to advisory and corporate roles post-retirement.

References

  1. [1]
    Combet a champion of Australian workers
    Jun 29, 2013 · Greg Combet joined the ACTU as an industrial officer in 1993 and served as ACTU Secretary between 2000 and 2007. Contact Details. Name: ACTU ...
  2. [2]
    Hon Greg Combet AO - Parliament of Australia
    Biography. Parliamentary service. Elected to the House of Representatives for Charlton, New South Wales, 2007. Re-elected 2010. Retired prior to general ...
  3. [3]
    Greg Combet - Q+A
    Greg was born in Sydney in 1958. He studied mining engineering at the University of NSW and has a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Sydney. He ...
  4. [4]
    Greg Combet, Former Board Member, Deputy Chair and Chair (2014
    He has extensive experience and knowledge of Australian industry and the workings of Parliament and government, has over 30 years of experience with industry ...Missing: politician biography
  5. [5]
    Federal Labor frontbencher Greg Combet to quit politics - ABC News
    Jun 28, 2013 · The former ACTU secretary entered parliament in 2007, and as climate change minister he was responsible for the Labor Government's controversial ...
  6. [6]
    Retirement of Greg Combet a Big Loss For Working Australians
    Jul 2, 2013 · When he was elected Secretary of the ACTU in 2000, Greg played a central role in winning compensation for asbestos victims of the James ...
  7. [7]
    The Hon. Greg Combet AM appointed Chair of the IFM Investors Board
    Prior to this, he held the role of ACTU Secretary for eight years and Assistant Secretary for six years. Mr. Combet has been a director of both ...
  8. [8]
    Board of Guardians - Future Fund
    Prior to entering Parliament Mr Combet was the leader of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining), ...
  9. [9]
    Australia appoints former minister to head sovereign wealth fund
    Jan 28, 2024 · Until then, Combet will continue as chair of the Net Zero Economy Agency, which oversees Australia's net zero transition plans, Chalmers said.Missing: ministerial | Show results with:ministerial
  10. [10]
    Greg Combet: how I was almost shot by my father
    Jul 25, 2014 · When I was born in 1958, my father, Ivan Louis Combet, known as Tod, was also a winemaker at Minchinbury.Missing: Rooty Hill
  11. [11]
    Greg Combet - Wikiwand
    Combet was for many years an Australian labour movement leader. He is a former Labor politician and Cabinet Minister, former leader of the Australian Council ...<|separator|>
  12. [12]
    Man of Steel | Greg Combet - ABC News
    Aug 27, 2006 · Australian Story reveals his blended family, his struggle to balance work and home, and a childhood passion kept in a backyard cage. Sydney.Missing: origins | Show results with:origins
  13. [13]
    What makes them run? - Inside Story
    Sep 5, 2014 · A smart kid, Combet was the first member of his family to make it to university. He got a degree in mining engineering from the University of ...Missing: childhood origins
  14. [14]
    Leading with the left - The Sydney Morning Herald
    Aug 24, 2002 · Combet says his politics developed early in his childhood. His mother was from dyed-in-the-wool Country Party stock. Her family came to ...Missing: origins | Show results with:origins
  15. [15]
    Greg Combet - AFR
    Feb 10, 2006 · They were French migrants. My father was Ivan Louis Combet, my grandfather was Leon Ivan, and I'm Gregory Ivan. We had to move when my father ...Missing: childhood | Show results with:childhood
  16. [16]
    From waterfront to watershed - The Sydney Morning Herald
    Jul 7, 2007 · Combet snr also worked hard to bring his son out of his shell. "My father was a very good orator," Greg Combet says. "He was in Rotary and ...
  17. [17]
    Combet praises energy research - UNSW Sydney
    Sep 3, 2012 · Mr Combet, who has a degree in mining engineering from UNSW, said the research and learning that will happen inside the Tyree building will ...
  18. [18]
    Worth the fight | Financial Standard
    His father was a tradesman but relapsed to the family profession of winemaking on a Penfolds-owned estate that his father had managed before him. He passed away ...
  19. [19]
    COMBET, the Hon. Gregory (Greg) Ivan, AO - Parliamentary Handbook
    Graduate Diploma of Labour Relations and the Law, University of Sydney. Bachelor of Economics, University of Sydney. Honours. (2). Appointed an Officer of the ...
  20. [20]
    The rise and rise of Mr Fixit - The Sydney Morning Herald
    Mar 20, 2010 · GREG COMBET CV · EDUCATION Mining engineering, Uni NSW; bachelor of economics, University of Sydney; graduate diploma in labour relations and law ...
  21. [21]
    [PDF] greg-combet---occassional-address.pdf - University of South Australia
    May 15, 2022 · I chose to study Mining Engineering and worked as a coalminer and later in minerals exploration in Queensland. But I quickly realised that a ...
  22. [22]
    Greg Combet's National Press Club Speech
    Jun 12, 2002 · I started at the ACTU in late 1993, at a time of dramatic change in industrial relations. Ninety years of centralised wage fixing had been ...Missing: career | Show results with:career
  23. [23]
    Greg Combet: Bob Hawke transformed Australia irrevocably and for ...
    May 16, 2019 · As a young waterside workers union official in the late 1980s I had first-hand exposure to Hawke's ability to win union support for difficult ...
  24. [24]
    Dancing Alone: The Australian Union Movement Over Three Decades
    Aug 17, 2012 · While employment grew strongly through the 1980s, union membership stagnated at around 2.6 million, then fell throughout the 1990s under an ...
  25. [25]
    Trade union membership, August 2024 | Australian Bureau of Statistics
    From 1992 to 2024, the proportion of employees who were trade union members has fallen from 40% to 13% (from 43% to 12% for men and 35% to 14% for women). Trade ...Key statistics · Trade union membership over... · Duration of trade union... · Industry
  26. [26]
    Unions urged to drive for new members - AFR
    Aug 21, 1999 · The blueprint for union organising launched by the ACTU's heir apparent, Mr Greg Combet calls for a radical re-allocation of union resources ...<|separator|>
  27. [27]
    Future Fund chair: How Greg Combet will be different
    Jun 20, 2024 · He entered politics in 2007 taking over the federal seat of Charlton in the Newcastle area of NSW – a region still known for its coal mining.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  28. [28]
    The 1998 Waterfront Dispute - ANU Archives
    In December 1997, MUA National Secretary John Coombs and Australian Council of Trade Union's Assistant Secretary Greg Combet had met with government ...
  29. [29]
    How the Howard government set up its bruising 1998 waterfront ...
    Dec 31, 2018 · The head of the MUA at the time, John Coombs, and then assistant secretary of the ACTU, Greg Combet, were convinced they were heading for all- ...
  30. [30]
    20 years on: The costs and lessons of the waterfront dispute
    Apr 6, 2018 · On the night it began, Combet was assistant secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
  31. [31]
    From the archives: What was the “victory” on the Australian waterfront?
    Nov 17, 2022 · It saw 625 permanent jobs destroyed—almost half the workforce—100 working conditions eliminated and nearly 200 non-core maintenance, cleaning ...Missing: improvements losses
  32. [32]
    The waterfront dispute, 10 years on - ABC News
    Apr 6, 2008 · He says the reforms delivered permanent improvements in productivity at the ports and has been of great benefit to the Australian economy. Mr ...
  33. [33]
    When Labour Makes a Difference: Union Mobilization and the 2007 ...
    Jun 16, 2011 · Gaining parliamentary support from the centrist Australian Democrats, Howard's 1996 reform introduced individual contracts, strengthened non- ...<|separator|>
  34. [34]
    Greg Combet: The Human Cost of the Howard Government's IR Laws
    Jun 28, 2006 · Greg Combet, ACTU Secretary, outlines the impact of the new IR laws and the union campaign ahead. Speech by Greg Combet, Secretary ACTU, ...Missing: reforms | Show results with:reforms
  35. [35]
    Greg Combet: Industrial Relations, Employee Rights and the Economy
    Jul 6, 2005 · The Prime Minister would have us believe that industrial relations is the most pressing economic issue facing the nation. He argues that the ...Missing: electoral | Show results with:electoral
  36. [36]
    Superannuation, Unions and Good Labour Relations - Australian ...
    Unions have a right and a responsibility to make out their case about the links between performance and good industrial relations argues ACTU Secretary Greg ...
  37. [37]
    Greg Combet's Speech To ACTU Superannuation Seminar
    I simply want to say that we will be active in terms of the claims we make upon employers across the bargaining table, in our view of corporate governance, in ...Missing: influence | Show results with:influence
  38. [38]
    [PDF] PDF file created from a TIFF image by tiff2pdf
    This is an edited transcript of an interview with Greg Combel, conducted on Sib April 2004 with the JAPE editors. Could you take us through the history ...
  39. [39]
    Greg Combet: A New Australian Consensus for the 21st Century
    all for its ...
  40. [40]
    Unions' Last Stand - IPA
    Oct 21, 2020 · We are told union decline primarily results from attacks by conservative governments “bent on their destruction”, when the rate of decline has ...
  41. [41]
    RDP 2019-02: Is Declining Union Membership Contributing to Low ...
    The union membership rate in Australia has declined steadily since the middle of the 20th century. As at 2018, around 15 per cent of wage earners were members ...
  42. [42]
    The ACTU is a key Labor supporter but how much power does it ...
    Jun 9, 2016 · The ACTU is a key player in support of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in the 2016 federal election. Some of the ACTU's largest affiliates, ...Missing: donations | Show results with:donations
  43. [43]
    How the influence of trade unions on the Labor Party is overestimated
    Apr 26, 2016 · Affiliated unions have substantial influence in the ALP. They influence party policy and its implementation by “quiet” internal lobbying through ...Missing: Combet donations<|control11|><|separator|>
  44. [44]
    Combet grilled at ICAC over mine support - ABC News
    May 2, 2013 · Greg Combet tells a corruption probe former union boss John Maitland misled him about the real purpose of a mine he backed.Missing: testimony | Show results with:testimony
  45. [45]
    John Maitland's fall from grace - The Sydney Morning Herald
    Aug 30, 2013 · ... Greg Combet and many others - a written endorsement for a training mine scheme which would radically change Mr Maitland's life.
  46. [46]
    ICAC: Combet blames Maitland for tricking him - ABC listen
    May 3, 2013 · Climate Change Minister Greg Combet says he was misled by the former union official John Maitland, before he wrote a letter in support of a ...
  47. [47]
    Rudd drafts another star recruit to his team - The Age
    Mar 25, 2007 · KEVIN RUDD'S strategy to seize government on the back of high-profile candidates has received another boost with union leader Greg Combet ...
  48. [48]
    Combet confirmed as federal Labor candidate - ABC News
    May 5, 2007 · Greg Combet has been officially confirmed as the federal Labor Party's candidate to run for the New South Wales seat of Charlton by the ...
  49. [49]
    Two sitting Labor MPs lose preselection - The Sydney Morning Herald
    May 6, 2007 · ... Charlton and Michael Hatton in Blaxland. Current ACTU secretary Greg Combet was formally installed as the candidate in Charlton, replacing ...
  50. [50]
    The parties' democratic deficit - Inside Story
    Feb 10, 2010 · LIKE MOST other western liberal democracies, Australia has experienced a steady decline in membership of political parties, with the ...
  51. [51]
    Public 'supports' Labor's IR policies - The Sydney Morning Herald
    May 15, 2007 · ACTU secretary and Labor candidate Greg Combet says his party's industrial relations policies respect human rights and are supported by most ...
  52. [52]
    Combet takes out safe Labor seat - ABC News
    Nov 24, 2007 · Labor candidate and former ACTU secretary Greg Combet has won the safe Labor seat of Charlton, near Newcastle, in New South Wales.
  53. [53]
    Polls a vindication of IR stand: Combet - ABC News
    May 15, 2007 · Union boss and Labor candidate Greg Combet says strong opinion polls indicate the party should not change its industrial relations policy.Missing: 2007-2010 | Show results with:2007-2010
  54. [54]
    [PDF] Chapter 1: Introduction - Parliament of Australia
    1.24. On 7 May 2008, the Hon Greg Combet MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, also announced a review of Defence procurement and sustainment.
  55. [55]
    [PDF] Report: Procurement procedures for Defence capital projects
    For many years, Defence's program for the procurement of major capital equipment has been dogged by delays and cost overruns for which there are tangible.
  56. [56]
    Defence Industry Policy 2010: The Combet Iteration - jstor
    On Friday 25 June 2010, the then Minister for Defence Materiel and Science (The Hon Greg Combet) launched the latest iteration of Defence policy for Australian ...Missing: criticisms | Show results with:criticisms
  57. [57]
    Defence spending under the spotlight - ABC News
    May 6, 2008 · Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement Greg Combet says in the past there have been problems with some high profile projects.Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
  58. [58]
    Transcript 18309 - PM Transcripts
    Dec 12, 2011 · The Honourable Greg Combet MP will be appointed Minister for Industry and Innovation. Minister Combet will also retain his responsibilities for ...
  59. [59]
    Transcript 18311 | PM Transcripts
    Given the importance I am placing on jobs today and jobs tomorrow, on the shaping of this future economy I am appointing Greg Combet as Minister for Industry ...Missing: support | Show results with:support
  60. [60]
    Factbox: Cabinet & Ministry reshuffle | SBS News
    Minister Greg Combet will continue to be responsible for manufacturing at a Cabinet level. PARLIAMENTRY SECRETARY CHANGES. Jan McLucas will become ...<|separator|>
  61. [61]
    Chapter 2 - Parliament of Australia
    ... Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the Hon. Greg Combet AM MP, announced the establishment of the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee (MPCCC).
  62. [62]
    The Australian Government's proposals for a carbon pricing policy
    Aug 2, 2011 · The new Australian scheme will cover around 60 per cent of Australia's domestic emissions of greenhouse gases, which is a greater share than is ...Missing: 2010-2013 | Show results with:2010-2013
  63. [63]
    [PDF] Securing a Clean Energy Future: Implementing the Australian ...
    May 8, 2012 · All revenue from the carbon price will be used by the Government to: • assist households; • support jobs and competitiveness; and • invest in ...Missing: 2010-2013 | Show results with:2010-2013
  64. [64]
    Controversial carbon tax takes effect - ABC News
    Jun 30, 2012 · Climate Change Minister Greg Combet says history will prove the carbon tax to be a manageable economic reform. Mr Combet says Labor has lost a ...
  65. [65]
    [PDF] Living with the Carbon Tax - Centre for Policy Development
    Jul 3, 2012 · Impact on household electricity prices in context​​ 16 These increases dwarf the predicted 10% rise17,18 from the carbon tax, and they will ...
  66. [66]
    Australia's carbon tax plans fail to please | International Tax Review
    Mar 31, 2011 · BlueScope has referred to the carbon plan as "economic vandalism". But Greg Combet, minister for climate change, defends the government's ...<|separator|>
  67. [67]
    Did Australia's brief period of carbon pricing impact corporate ...
    We find that the short period of implementation of a carbon tax in Australia was not successful in improving the carbon emissions of the high polluters subject ...
  68. [68]
    [PDF] Australian carbon tax – winners and losers*
    Although Australia' s greenhouse gas emissions are relatively low – accounting for around. 1.5% of global carbon emissions, its emissions per capita are the ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  69. [69]
    https://ipa.org.au/publications-ipa/media-releases/media-release-china-emits-more-in-12-days-than-australia-does-in-one-year
  70. [70]
    Renewable energy target survives review, despite criticism
    Mar 21, 2013 · Australia's renewable energy target will survive at its current size after the Gillard government rejected calls from some of the country's ...Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
  71. [71]
    [PDF] Submission to the review of the Renewable Energy Target (RET ...
    Sep 14, 2012 · The Australian Government argues that: 'The Renewable Energy Target complements the carbon price by driving additional large and small-scale ...
  72. [72]
    [PDF] renewable energy target review: issues - Climate Change Authority
    In 2020, Australian GDP under the ETS_EU + RET policy option is $6.5 billion lower in today's dollars, as compared to GDP under the ETS_EU policy only option.Missing: criticisms | Show results with:criticisms
  73. [73]
    Climate change: The world needs to ditch coal to save humanity - CNN
    Nov 4, 2021 · Australia makes around $50 billion annually in coal exports and the industry directly employs around 50,000 Australians, government data shows.Missing: losses | Show results with:losses
  74. [74]
    [PDF] The Australian Carbon Pricing Mechanism: Promise and Pitfalls on ...
    2. See GREG COMBET, MINISTRY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE & ENERGY. EFFICIENCY, SECURING A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE: IMPLEMENTING THE. AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S CLIMATE CHANGE ...Missing: details | Show results with:details
  75. [75]
    Home Insulation Program | Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)
    Oct 15, 2010 · Home Insulation Program ... On 3 March 2010, the Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the Hon Greg Combet ...
  76. [76]
    Home insulation deaths: regulation could not stop risks, says Greg ...
    May 15, 2014 · Home insulation deaths: regulation could not stop risks, says Greg Combet ... Labor's home insulation program was flawed from the start, but no ...
  77. [77]
    Home insulation royal commision: Greg Combet says unscrupulous ...
    May 15, 2014 · Greg Combet has told the royal commission into Labor's home ... home insulation program". He said he was "deeply upset" by the ...
  78. [78]
    'Shocked' Combet backed mine plan - The Sydney Morning Herald
    Mr Combet was called before the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Friday to explain why he signed a 2008 letter to support Mr Maitland's application ...
  79. [79]
    Combet fronts ICAC over mine support letter - ABC News
    May 2, 2013 · Federal Climate Change Minister Greg Combet has told a corruption inquiry he wrote a letter of support for a controversial mine because he ...
  80. [80]
    Australia Climate Minister Combet Resigns After Leadership Vote
    Jun 26, 2013 · Greg Combet, Australia's minister for climate change, resigned after Prime Minister Julia Gillard lost a vote that re-established Kevin Rudd ...
  81. [81]
    Greg Combet To Leave Parliament - AustralianPolitics.com
    Jun 29, 2013 · The former Climate Change Minister in the Gillard government, Greg Combet, has announced that he will not recontest his electorate of ...
  82. [82]
    Julia Gillard offered to stand aside for me in Labor spill, says Greg ...
    Jul 24, 2014 · Combet was critical of Rudd's prime ministership saying he took “a pretty chaotic approach to governing” and should not have attacked Malcolm ...Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
  83. [83]
    https://www.mebank.com.au/getmedia/1857f186-86d0-4237-99ec-8c7d82c0b82b/MEB-Financial-Statement-20150630.pdf
  84. [84]
    The Fights of My Life, Greg Combet and Mark Davis
    The Fights of My Life is the story of a man who faces up to the power structures of politics, big business and the media.
  85. [85]
    Labor and merit-based appointments | The Saturday Paper
    Aug 31, 2024 · ... public sector board appointments. The review, by former public ... Former minister for climate change and union leader Greg Combet was appointed ...
  86. [86]
    Appointments to the Future Fund Board | Treasury Ministers
    Jan 29, 2024 · Mr Combet has served as Chair of IFM Investors, a Trustee of AustralianSuper and Superannuation Trust of Australia and has extensive experience ...Missing: involvement | Show results with:involvement<|control11|><|separator|>
  87. [87]
    Greg Combet to chair Future Fund - The Sydney Morning Herald
    Jan 29, 2024 · Former Labor cabinet minister Greg Combet has been appointed to chair the Future Fund's board for the next five years. January 29, 2024 ...
  88. [88]
    Labor warned not to risk Future Fund on 'pet projects' - AFR
    Jan 30, 2024 · New Future Fund boss Greg Combet has been warned by the $212 billion sovereign wealth fund's first chairman not to risk taxpayer money on ...Missing: warnings | Show results with:warnings
  89. [89]
    Future Fund posts 12.2% annual return | Asia Asset Management
    Sep 10, 2025 · The gain added A$27.4 billion to the fund's assets, bringing the total to A$252.3 billion, the Future Fund Board of Guardians says in a ...
  90. [90]
    Future Fund tops $250bn after 12.2% return in FY 2025 - Capital Brief
    Sep 9, 2025 · Future Fund Board of Guardians chair Greg Combet said the result had been achieved amid “significant geopolitical upheaval and market volatility ...
  91. [91]
    Future Fund infra allocation increased by A$6bn in 2024-25
    Sep 9, 2025 · In addition, Future Fund's total assets under management surpassed A$250 billion for the first time, to reach A$252.3 billion as of 30 June. ...
  92. [92]
    [PDF] Year in Review 2024–25 - Future Fund
    Sep 23, 2025 · This publication reports the high-level performance figures of the funds we manage for 2024–25. Further data regarding our individual asset ...
  93. [93]
    Government tells Future Fund to invest in climate and housing but ...
    Nov 20, 2024 · The federal government will direct the Future Fund to invest in housing and the green energy transition where profitable.
  94. [94]
    False Future Fund claims are not in the country's interest - AFR
    Nov 27, 2024 · Much of what has been written and said in recent days about the new investment mandate for the Future Fund is factually incorrect and also ...
  95. [95]
    Costello warns politicising Future Fund will lose money - AFR
    Nov 21, 2024 · Mr Murray, who chaired the fund from 2006 to 2012, said Labor could use the fund to hide “off-budget” spending on pet projects. Advertisement.Missing: warnings | Show results with:warnings
  96. [96]
    Future Fund architects skewer Jim Chalmers' 'disgraceful ...
    Nov 22, 2024 · The architects of Australia's $230 billion Future Fund have skewered Labor's changes to its investment mandate, warning the “disgraceful” ...
  97. [97]
    Future Fund chair slams 'factually incorrect' criticism of new mandate
    Nov 27, 2024 · The chair of the Future Fund has slammed critics of the sovereign wealth fund's new mandate as “factually incorrect”.Missing: politicization | Show results with:politicization
  98. [98]
    Future Fund: Chairman Greg Combet strongly defends major ...
    Nov 21, 2024 · Future Fund: Chairman Greg Combet strongly defends major overhaul as criticism mounts on Jim Chalmers · Future Fund father Costello blasts ...
  99. [99]
    Future Fund to internalise some local real assets amid US uncertainty
    Jun 18, 2025 · Australia's Future Fund will partially internalise its direct local infrastructure and property investments to cut costs and boost flexibility.Missing: warnings pet projects<|separator|>
  100. [100]
    Australia's Future Fund to invest directly in infra without external ...
    Jun 17, 2025 · Combet was making the speech to CEDA to mark one year in his role as chair of the Future Fund. He was previously chair of IFM Investors, deputy ...
  101. [101]
    Future Fund acquires further shares in CDC
    Feb 18, 2025 · Following the transaction the Future Fund will hold a 34.55% stake in the company, Infratil 49.75% and CSC 12.04%. As Australia's sovereign ...
  102. [102]
    Speech by Future Fund Chair The Hon Greg Combet AO to the ...
    Jun 17, 2025 · The Fund's strong long-term performance is underpinned by a thoughtful investment strategy, good governance, a well-defined and powerful culture ...Missing: ACTU | Show results with:ACTU
  103. [103]
    Growing Australian Sovereign Wealth | Greg Combet - CEDA
    CEDA's Sydney audience recently heard from Future Fund Chairman, the Hon. Greg Combet who took to the stage to address the challenges of the new investment ...
  104. [104]
    Juanita Phillips: "I felt like I was drowning"
    Mar 28, 2015 · Combet, who has a daughter and two stepchildren from his previous marriages, describes it as a "slow coming together".
  105. [105]
    Baby claim denied | Herald Sun
    Nov 1, 2009 · Mr Combet, the Minister for Defence Personnel, split from his second wife, Petra Hilsen, last year. The relationship between Ms Parke and the ...
  106. [106]
    Boyfriend of ABC news anchor now in charge of $300billion fund
    Jan 29, 2024 · Greg Combet, who served as a cabinet minister under Labor prime ... He separated from his wife Petra Hilsen while she left her husband Mario ...
  107. [107]
    ABC newsreader Juanita Phillips resigns from broadcaster
    Jul 31, 2023 · Ms Phillips has two children, Marcus and Mischa, from her first marriage to graphic designer Mario Milostic, and has been in a relationship with ...
  108. [108]
    Juanita Phillips and Greg Combet on their love affair
    Jul 28, 2014 · ABC newsreader Juanita Phillips and former Gillard government minister Greg Combet have opened up about their two year love affair.
  109. [109]
    Combet tells of pain behind retirement - Newcastle Herald
    "I have a couple of health problems," he said. He kept details private, but said it "leaves me in quite a lot of discomfort and pain at times".
  110. [110]
    The Political Life is no Life at All - Meanjin
    Greg Combet is now happily established in life after politics, a life that allows time to think and time to circulate. He has plenty of projects, his health ...Missing: post | Show results with:post
  111. [111]
    Gillard offered Greg Combet the prime ministership because of his ...
    Jul 29, 2014 · Julia Gillard has said she offered to stand down as prime minister and back Greg Combet to take over in mid 2013 because she believed he best ...Missing: advisory | Show results with:advisory