Melissa Price (politician)


Melissa Lee Price is an Australian politician who has been the Minister for Defence Industry in the Morrison Government since May 2019. She has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2013, representing the Division of Durack in Western Australia for the Liberal Party. She previously served as Minister for the Environment and Assistant Minister for the Environment.

Early life

Born in Kalgoorlie in 1963, Price's grandfather, David Dellar, and uncle, Stan Dellar, were both Australian Labor Party members of the Western Australian Legislative Council. Prior to entering Parliament, Price was Vice President of Legal and Business Development for Crosslands Resources, an entity of Mitsubishi Developments which control the major Western Australian Jack Hills Iron Ore Mine and is currently a director for Cancer Council Western Australia.

Politics

Price previously unsuccessfully contested the state seat of Kalgoorlie at the 2013 state election.
Price served as the Assistant Minister for the Environment from 20 December 2017 to 27 August 2018. Price was appointed to the Cabinet in the Morrison Ministry on 28 August 2018 as Minister for the Environment. In May 2019, Price was replaced as environment minister in the Morrison Government by Sussan Ley, and appointed Minister for Defence Industry.

Controversy

Price caused controversy in her role as Environment Minister by allegedly telling Anote Tong, the former president of Kiribati and climate change advocate, "I know why you're here. It is for the cash. For the Pacific it's always about the cash. I have my chequebook here. How much do you want?"