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| Cory Bernardi | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cory Bernardi |
| Caption | Cory Bernardi in 2016 |
| Birth date | 6 November 1969 |
| Birth place | Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Office | Senator for South Australia |
| Term start | 12 March 2006 |
| Term end | 20 January 2020 |
| Party | Liberal Party of Australia (until 2017); Australian Conservatives (2017–2019) |
Cory Bernardi is an Australian conservative politician, commentator, and author who served as a federal senator for South Australia from 2006 to 2020. Known for outspoken positions on social and cultural issues, he was a prominent figure within the Liberal Party of Australia before founding a separate political organisation that aimed to reshape the Australian conservative movement. His career intersected with debates involving national leaders, ideological disputes, and organisational realignments in Australian politics.
Born in Adelaide in 1969, he was raised in a suburban family with ties to local commerce and community organisations. He attended Prince Alfred College and later studied at the University of South Australia, where he completed degrees in economics and politics through programs affiliated with national tertiary institutions. Early influences included involvement with Young Liberal organisations, participation in student politics, and engagement with conservative think tanks such as the Menzies Research Centre and policy groups linked to the Liberal Party of Australia.
He entered federal politics after preselection contests within the Liberal Party of Australia in South Australia, securing a Senate seat for the 2004 federal election and taking office in March 2006. During his time in the Parliament of Australia, he served on parliamentary committees including those addressing finance, foreign affairs, and social policy, and he held shadow portfolios under Opposition leaders such as Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull. He chaired and participated in intra-party factional networks aligned with conservative and traditionalist currents, interacting with figures from the National Party of Australia, the Australian Christian Lobby, and international conservative networks, while contributing to policy debates on taxation, industrial relations, and national security during the tenures of prime ministers including John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, and Scott Morrison.
His public commentary often addressed contentious topics including family policy, same-sex marriage, multiculturalism, and climate policy, drawing responses from advocacy groups such as Australian Marriage Equality, GetUp!, and faith-based organisations like the Australian Christian Lobby. He criticised aspects of mainstream media outlets including The Australian, Nine Network, and ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), and he engaged with international commentators and politicians from United Kingdom, United States, and Canada conservative circles. Controversies included remarks about multicultural immigration framed against policies from the Rudd government and positions on gender and sexuality debated during parliamentary inquiries and public forums featuring commentators from Sky News Australia and academic critics from institutions such as the University of Sydney and the Australian National University.
In 2017 he left the Liberal Party of Australia to establish the Australian Conservatives, positioning the new organisation as an alternative to major parties and launching campaigns ahead of state and federal elections. The party contested elections and operated in coalition discussions with minor parties including Family First Party and conservative independents, but struggled in preference negotiations involving the Australian Electoral Commission and major party machinery. After limited electoral success, the organisation was wound down and merged or deregistered in the context of shifting alignments among groups like One Nation, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, and other right-leaning movements. Following his parliamentary resignation in January 2020, he became active as a commentator, author, and participant in think tanks and media platforms including appearances linked to Sky News Australia and conservative publications, and he engaged in international speaking tours addressing audiences connected to the Claremont Institute and other policy institutes.
He resides in Adelaide with his family and has been involved with faith communities and charitable organisations linked to faith-based initiatives and social services. He has authored books and opinion pieces published in national newspapers such as The Australian Financial Review and The Australian, and he has participated in public debates at venues associated with universities and policy forums across Australia and abroad. He maintains an active presence in public commentary through media appearances and contributions to conservative networks and cultural events.
Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Members of the Australian Senate Category:Politicians from Adelaide