Peter Reith

The Honourable Peter Reith AM
Reith in 2001
Minister for Defence
In office 30 January 2001 – 26 November 2001
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	John Moore
Succeeded by	Robert Hill
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
In office 21 October 1998 – 30 January 2001
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	David Kemp
Succeeded by	Tony Abbott
Minister for Small Business
In office 18 July 1997 – 30 January 2001
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Geoff Prosser
Succeeded by	Ian Macfarlane
Leader of the House
In office 11 March 1996 – 8 October 2001
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Kim Beazley
Succeeded by	Tony Abbott
Minister for Industrial Relations
In office 11 March 1996 – 18 July 1997
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Laurie Brereton
Succeeded by	Himself (Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations)
Manager of Opposition Business
In office 31 January 1995 – 11 March 1996
Leader	John Howard
Preceded by	John Howard
Succeeded by	Simon Crean
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Deputy Leader of the Opposition
In office 3 April 1990 – 13 March 1993
Leader	John Hewson
Preceded by	Fred Chaney
Succeeded by	Michael Wooldridge
Member of the Australian Parliament for Flinders
In office 1 December 1984 – 8 October 2001
Preceded by	Bob Chynoweth
Succeeded by	Greg Hunt
In office 4 December 1982 – 5 March 1983
Preceded by	Phillip Lynch
Succeeded by	Bob Chynoweth
Personal details
Born	(1950-07-15)15 July 1950 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	8 November 2022(2022-11-08) (aged 72) Melbourne, Australia
Political party	Liberal
Alma mater	Monash University
Profession	Lawyer Politician

Peter Keaston Reith AM (15 July 1950 – 8 November 2022) was an Australian politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1982 to 1983 and from 1984 to 2001, representing the Liberal Party. He was the party's deputy leader from 1990 to 1993, and served as a minister in the Howard government.

Reith was born in Melbourne and studied law at Monash University. He settled in Cowes, Victoria, and served on the Phillip Island Shire Council from 1976 to 1981 (including as shire president for a period). Reith was elected to parliament at the 1982 Flinders by-election. He lost his seat at the 1983 federal election, but won it back the following year. In 1990, Reith was elected deputy leader of the Liberal Party under John Hewson. He was replaced by Michael Wooldridge after the 1993 election. In the Howard government, Reith served as Minister for Industrial Relations (1996–1997), Minister for Small Business (1997–2001), Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (1998–2001), and finally Minister for Defence from January 2001 until his retirement at the 2001 election. After leaving politics he worked as a company director and political commentator.