Anne Ruston

Who is Anne Ruston?

Anne Sowerby Ruston is an Australian politician, and Liberal Party Member of the Australian Senate.

Born 10 June 1963 in Renmark, South Australia, Ruston spent her early years in Renmark before matriculating from Renmark High School and graduated with a Bachelor of Business at the University of Southern Queensland.

Since 2003, she has been the owner and managing director of Ruston's Roses, the largest rose garden in Australia.

Prior to purchasing Ruston's Roses and then entering the Senate, Ruston held a number of positions in politics. She began her career as an electorate officer for Peter Arnold, local Member for Chaffey. Upon the election of the Brown Liberal Government in 1993 she became Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister for Industrial Affairs and Tourism, Recreation, Sport and Racing. In 1996, Ruston was appointed Chief Executive at the National Wine Centre until 2002, following which she purchased Ruston's Rose Garden and became a commercial rose producer.

Ruston became Vice-President of the South Australian Liberal Party in 2011. In August 2012, Ruston was pre-selected by the Liberal Party to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the resignation of Mary Jo Fisher.