Anne Sowerby Ruston (born 10 June 1963) is an Australian politician who served as
Minister for Families and Social Services
The Minister for Social Services is the Australian federal government minister who oversees Australian Government social services, including mental health, families and children's policy, and support for carers and people with disabilities, and ...
in the
Morrison Government
The Morrison government was the federal executive government of Australia, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison of the Liberal Party of Australia, between 2018 and 2022. The Morrison government commenced on 24 August 2018, when it was sworn ...
from 2019 to 2022. She has been a
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...
for
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
since 2012.
Before entering politics Ruston was a commercial rose-grower and chief executive of the
National Wine Centre. She was appointed to the Senate to fill a
casual vacancy
In politics, a casual vacancy (''casual'' in the sense of "by chance") is a situation in which a seat in a deliberative assembly becomes vacant during that assembly's term. Casual vacancies may arise through the death, resignation or disqualifi ...
caused by the resignation of
Mary Jo Fisher
Mary Josephine Fisher (born 25 December 1962) is a former Australian politician. She was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from June 2007, representing the state of South Australia, but resigned in August 2012, after twice being charge ...
. Ruston served as Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources in the
Turnbull Government from 2015 to 2018 and as
Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific in the Morrison Government from 2018 to 2019. She was elevated to