Murray Watt has served as Australia’s Minister for Emergency Management, as well as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, in the Albanese Labor Government since June 2022.
In the portfolio, Minister Watt has led a major rethink of national disaster management, in order to better prepare Australia for the natural disasters we’ll face in the future. This includes the creation of the new National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in September 2022 and the introduction of the Government’s flagship Disaster Ready Fund, which invests up to $200 million a year in mitigation and resilience projects across the country.
He also served as the Shadow Minister for Disaster and Emergency Management from 2019-2022.
A proud Queenslander, Minister Watt has represented the State in the Senate since 2016, building strong relationships in all corners of the State. As a Senator and Shadow Minister, he led a number of Senate inquiries into issues including regional development, energy and resources, emergency management and health care.
Minister Watt has strong family ties to regional Queensland, with both sides of his family having a long history in farming and teaching.
For over 20 years, his working life has been spent as an advocate for others, as a lawyer, a public servant and as Chief of Staff to former Queensland Premier Anna Bligh. He also served one term as a Queensland State MP and Assistant Minister in health and economic portfolios.
He and wife Cynthia have two children and they are all big soccer fans.
