Peter Baume

Not to be confused withPeter BaumorPierre Baume.

The Honourable Peter Baume AC
Minister for Education
In office 7 May 1982 – 11 March 1983
Prime Minister	Malcolm Fraser
Preceded by	Wal Fife
Succeeded by	Susan Ryan
Minister for Health
In office 20 April 1982 – 7 May 1982
Prime Minister	Malcolm Fraser
Preceded by	Michael MacKellar
Succeeded by	Jim Carlton
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
In office 3 November 1980 – 7 May 1982
Prime Minister	Malcolm Fraser
Preceded by	Fred Chaney
Succeeded by	Ian Wilson
SenatorforNew South Wales
In office 18 May 1974 – 28 January 1991
Succeeded by	John Tierney
Personal details
Born	Peter Erne Baume (1935-01-30)30 January 1935 Sydney,New South Wales,Australia
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Jennifer Tuson ​ (m.1958)​
Relations	Frederick Baume(grandfather) Rosetta Baume(grandmother) Eric Baume(uncle)
Alma mater	University of Sydney
Occupation	Physician

The northern face of the Peter Baume Building at the ANU. This building houses the ANU's School of Medicine

Peter Erne Baume,AC(born 30 January 1935) is a retired Australian doctor and politician. He was aSenatorforNew South Walesfrom 1974 to 1991, representing theLiberal Party.He served asMinister for Aboriginal Affairs(1980–1982) andMinister for Education(1982–1983) in theFraser government.

Early life

Baume was born inSydneyon 30 January 1935. He was the son of Jean (née Brodziak) and Sidney Erne Baume. His paternal grandfatherFrederick Baumewas a member of parliament in New Zealand, while his grandmotherRosetta Baumewas one of the first women to stand for parliament in New Zealand.

Baume spent his early childhood inMelbourne,where his father was manager of radio station3UZ.He attended Ormond State School and Grimwade House,Melbourne Grammar School's preparatory school. The family later returned to Sydney where they settled in the suburb ofCollaroy.Baume completed his education at Narrabeen Public School,North Sydney Boys High School,andSydney Grammar School.After leaving school he completed hisnational serviceas a medical orderly atRAAF Base Richmond.

Baume went on to study medicine at theUniversity of Sydney,graduatingMBBSin 1959. He completed his medical residency at theRoyal North Shore Hospitaland was admitted to theRoyal Australasian College of Physiciansin 1962.He subsequently studiedgastroenterologyin the United Kingdom and the United States.He received the further degree ofDoctor of Medicinefrom the University of Sydney in 1969. Baume worked in private practice as a gastroenterologist and physician at Royal North Shore Hospital before entering parliament. He was also a clinical lecturer at theUniversity of Sydney.

Political career

Baume was elected to theSenatefor New South Wales, representing theLiberal Partyat the1974 election.As a backbencher he chaired the Senate Standing Committee on Social Welfare, which produced two reports: "Drug problems in Australia—an intoxicated society?" (1977) and "Through a glass darkly: evaluation in Australian health and welfare services" (1979).He was theMinister for Aboriginal Affairsfrom November 1980 to May 1982 andMinister for Healthfrom 20 April 1982 to 7 May 1982 followingMichael MacKellar's resignation as minister. He was thenMinister for Educationuntil theFrasergovernment's defeat in theMarch 1983 election.He was the parliamentary representative on the Council of theAustralian National Universityfrom February 1986 until his resignation from parliament.

In 1987 when Baume was Shadow Minister for the Status of Women he contravened Liberal Party policy by voting for a bill giving equal employment opportunity in some government-owned bodies. He considered he was "... finished in the Liberal Party. It is true that one is allowed to cross the floor in the Liberal Party of Australia, but my philosophical liberal principles sat poorly with the increasingly dominant radical conservatism of others. It was time again for a change of career."He resigned from parliament in January 1991.

Baume is a cousin of former Liberal SenatorMichael Baume.

After politics

Baume was Professor of Community Medicine at theUniversity of New South Wales(UNSW) from 1991 to 2000 and studiedeuthanasia,drug policy and evaluation. Since 2000, he has been an honorary research associate with the Social Policy Research Centre at UNSW. He works as a facilitator of bi-weekly scenario groups for the first and second year of the university's medical program.

He wasChancellorof theAustralian National Universityfrom 1994 to 2006.He has also been Commissioner of theAustralian Law Reform Commission,Deputy Chair of the Australian National Council on AIDS and Foundation Chair of theAustralian Sports Anti-Doping Authorityfrom 1991 to 1998.He was appointed a director ofSydney Waterin 1998 following the discovery ofcryptosporidiumin Sydney's water supply.

Awards

Baume was appointed an Officer of theOrder of Australiain January 1992 in recognition of service to the Australian Parliament.In June 2008 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia.He received an honorary doctorate from the Australian National University in December 2004.in August 2016 Baume was recognised in theDisability Employment AustraliaHall of Fame for "his role in the 1994 Review of the Commonwealth Disability Services Program" (later dubbed the Baume Review).

The ANU 'Peter Baume Award', recognises "eminent achievement and merit of the highest order". It was first conferred in 2004.

Baume is a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

Personal life

Baume married Jennifer Tuson in 1958 and they have one son and one daughter, the latter of whom has three children.