John Hewson

John Hewson, born on October 28, 1946, in Sydney, New South Wales, is a distinguished Australian economist and former politician. He earned his PhD in Economics from Johns Hopkins University, complemented by degrees from the University of Sydney and the University of Regina. Before embarking on his political career, Hewson held various roles, including economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia, economic advisor to the Fraser government, business journalist, and director at Macquarie Bank.

In 1987, Hewson entered the political arena when he was elected to the House of Representatives. His political journey saw him appointed to the shadow cabinet in 1988, where he served under notable leaders John Howard and Andrew Peacock. Following Peacock's defeat in the 1990 election, Hewson ascended to the role of leader of the Liberal Party, becoming the Leader of the Opposition.

Hewson is perhaps best known for launching the Fightback! policy manifesto in 1991, which proposed significant economic reforms, with a goods and services tax (GST) at its core. His leadership was put to the test during the 1993 federal election, where economic policy dominated the discourse amidst the early 1990s recession. Despite initial optimism for a Coalition victory, the Labor Party, led by Paul Keating, successfully retained power.

After a year of continued leadership, Hewson faced a leadership spill in 1994, losing to Alexander Downer, and subsequently left parliament the following year. Since his departure from active politics, he has remained a prominent figure in business and political commentary, voicing his opinions on various issues. In 2019, he resigned from the Liberal Party, having been a vocal critic of its policy direction, particularly regarding climate change.