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Prominent former politician Christopher Pyne recovering in Adelaide after heart surgery

The prominent former federal MP has had emergency surgery two weeks after suffering some seemingly innocuous symptoms.

Prominent former politician Christopher Pyne has had major heart bypass surgery and is recovering in Adelaide.
Prominent former politician Christopher Pyne has had major heart bypass surgery and is recovering in Adelaide.

Prominent former politician Christopher Pyne has had major heart bypass surgery and is recovering in Adelaide.

Pyne was the federal Liberal MP for Sturt from 1993 to 2019, and served as a minister in the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments.

Channel 7’s Sunrise are reporting the former defence minister took himself to hospital two weeks ago after suffering heartburn symptoms, deciding to seek treatment after his family’s history with heart issues.

Mr Pyne told the program he expects to recover well.

“I am lucky to live in a time when a procedure like this is routine and where at 57, I can gain a renovated new heart,” he said.

“My father Remington was not so lucky, he died at 59 in 1988 from the same disease.

“In a few weeks, I’ll be right as rain.”

Pyne rose to become a prominent figure in the Liberal Party, serving as an MP for 26 years before his retirement in 2019.
Pyne rose to become a prominent figure in the Liberal Party, serving as an MP for 26 years before his retirement in 2019.

Pyne rose to become a prominent figure in the Liberal Party, serving as an MP for 26 years before his retirement in 2019.

In 1988, Pyne began his political career as a research assistant for Amanda Vanstone before becoming President of the South Australian Young Liberals.

In 1989, he first ran as a Liberal candidate for the now-abolished Labor state seat of Ross Smith and was beaten by Premier John Bannon.

However in 1993, the 25-year-old Pyne was elected to the 37th Parliament of Australia as the MP for Sturt.

In 2007, he became the Minister for Ageing before the Howard Government lost the 2007 election.

In 2013, he was elevated to a Cabinet position as Leader of the House and Minister for Education in the Abbott government.

In 2015, under Turnbull, he remained Leader of the House and became the new Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science

In 2016, Pyne took on the Minister for Defence Industry position.

He tendered his resignation in 2019, after 26 years as the Member for Sturt.

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/prominent-former-politician-christopher-pyne-recovering-in-adelaide-after-heart-surgery/news-story/6c9b74221c82fcbc339a2815b3456d80