Malcolm Turnbull is the 29th prime minister of Australia. He was appointed to this post in 2015. Turnbull belongs to the moderate wing of the Liberal Party and holds non-conservative views on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. Prior to entering politics, he was a journalist, lawyer, investment banker, venture capitalist and chairman of the Australian Republican Movement. Turnbull became a multi-millionaire in the 1990s, having successfully invested in shares of the Internet service provider Ozemail.
Childhood and education
Malcolm Turnbull's ancestors settled in Australia in the early 19th century. He was born in Sydney in 1954. As a child, Turnbull suffered from asthma. From the age of 9, he was raised by his father, since his mother left the family.
After leaving school, Turnbull entered the University of Sydney and received a bachelor's degree in law. He combined his studies and work as a political journalist on television and radio. Turnbull won a Rhodes International Scholarship and continued his education at the University of Oxford, where he received a bachelor's degree in civil law. At the same time he workedcorrespondent for several British, American and Australian newspapers.
Career
After graduating from Oxford University, Turnbull returned to Australia and began working as a barrister (the so-called high-ranking lawyer in countries with the Anglo-Saxon legal system). After winning several high-profile cases in the courts, he founded his own law firm.
In 1987, Turnbull decided to try his hand at finance. Together with several partners, he created an investment company. The firm has been successfully operating for almost ten years. Subsequently, Turnbull was invited to the position of Managing Director of the Australian branch of Goldman Sachs, one of the largest financial institutions in the world.
Republican Movement
Australia is ruled by the British monarch, who appoints the country's Governor General as his representative. Turnbull has consistently advocated changing this order. For several years he served as Chairman of the Australian Republican Movement. This organization seeks the granting of independence to the country and the termination of participation in government by the British Queen. An important episode in the political biography of Malcolm Turnbull was his active promotion of the referendum on the establishment of the Australian Republic in 1999. The supporters of independence were defeated.
Work in Parliament and Cabinetministers
In 2008, Turnbull became leader of the Liberal Party, defeating his rival by a narrow margin. Shortly before the election, he publicly admitted to smoking marijuana in his youth. No Australian politician other than Turnbull has made such statements. At the time of his election, the Liberal Party was in opposition to the current government. In 2013, Turnbull was appointed Communications Minister. In this position, he was involved in the development of the project of an alternative national telecommunications network (National Broadband Network).
Head of government
The Prime Minister of Australia is appointed on the nomination of the Governor General. The current official representative of the British Crown, Sir Peter Cosgrove, sworn in Turnbull in September 2015. The Prime Minister of Australia is the most important political figure in the state. Turnbull differs from his predecessor Tony Abbott in his support for same-sex marriage and his commitment to turning the country into a republic.
Foreign relations
Change of the Prime Minister of Australia does not lead to a revision of the state's foreign policy. This is due to the country's strong dependence on such influential powers as the US and the UK. In international matters, Australia tends to stick to their course.
The media reported on an incident between Turnbull and Donald Trump shortly after the latter was elected President of the United States. Previous American administrationguaranteed Australia assistance in solving the problem of refugees. Trump, in a telephone conversation with Turnbull, rudely refused to fulfill these promises and hung up. Later, both sides announced the settlement of the conflict.
Boeing MH17 crash
In relation to Russia, Malcolm Turnbull differs little from his predecessor, Tony Abbott, known for his harsh remarks about President Vladimir Putin. Relations between the two countries became more complicated after the death of Australian citizens on board a Malaysian airline plane shot down in Ukrainian airspace. Tony Abbott spoke about Russia's involvement in this incident. After his appointment as prime minister, Turnbull also made similar statements. Political tensions do not threaten economic consequences, since the trade turnover between Australia and Russia is a very small amount.
Private life
Turnbull has been married for 37 years. His wife Lucy is a successful businesswoman. The couple have a son, a daughter and two grandchildren. By religion, Turnbull is a Catholic. But the prime minister has a rocky relationship with the church over his support for abortion and same-sex marriage.
