Ian Hunter

Who is Ian Hunter?

Ian Keith Hunter is an Australian politician, representing the Australian Labor Party in the South Australian Legislative Council since the 2006 state election. In October 2011 Hunter was elevated to Cabinet as Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion in the Weatherill Labor government. Hunter is currently the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation.

Prior to entering parliament he worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Clinical Immunology at Flinders Medical Centre, later serving as an advisor to the Federal government and as South Australian State Secretary of the ALP.

Hunter is the only openly gay member of the South Australian Parliament, as well as Cabinet, as well as the first to marry while in parliament and the second same-sex married politician in Australia, and is noted for his public advocacy for LGBT issues, which at times has conflicted with aspects of ALP policy. Hunter and his partner of 20 years, Leith Semmens chose to travel to Spain to marry as Australian law does not recognise same sex marriage.