Long serving Liberal Christopher Pyne reveals his softer side

A Liberal Party minister in the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments, Christopher Pyne has quit party politics but still has plenty to say.

Having served as a Liberal Party minister in the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments, Christopher Pyne, has quit party politics, but he still has plenty to say on issues that affect Australians.

Aside from heading up public affairs firm Pyne and Partners, he’s taking on the big guns on Sky News’ Global Focus.

“It came about because Sky News and I agreed that there isn’t enough in-depth analysis of foreign and defence news in Australia,” he says.

Aside from stating confidently that “we will reconcile with France” over the countries’ collapsed submarine deal, Christopher also addresses Australia’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Aside from his political aptitude, he also has a softer side, swapping his dark suits for work boots on the family’s sandstone home in the picturesque Adelaide Hills.

Long-time Liberal Party minister Christopher Pyne at his Adelaide home.

“We’ve been here since early 2019, with my wife Carolyn and four children, Eleanor, Barnaby, Felix and Aurelia, three dogs, five chickens and two goldfish. We were drawn to the property because it is two and half acres, and had great gardening prospects,” he says.

“We have done extensive cosmetic renovations internally. Carolyn has remade the garden, we’ve built sheds, greenhouse, redone the bore, fenced the pool and court, however I have a sinking feeling she wants to do even more.”

AT HOME WITH CHRISTOPHER PYNE

Who: Former Minister of Defence and Sky News host of Global Focus with Christopher Pyne, which airs Sundays at 5.30pm.

Where: 1880s historic sandstone house in Adelaide.

Favourite thing: I spend a lot of time in the study, which was made for me, my books and many of my bits and pieces collected over decades in politics.

Inspiration: Twenty first century contemporary provincial.

Home is: My family close by so I can protect them … I’m a Leo.

CHRISTOPHER PYNE’S FAVOURITE THINGS

Remington Pyne

Christopher Pyne’s father Remington.

My father’s portrait, wearing his regalia as president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. He died in 1988 when he was only 59 and I was just 20. He had a profound influence on my upbringing. I hope I have made him proud.

JFK bust

JFK – an inspiration.

John Kennedy is a particular inspiration of mine and has been since I was in Year 10 and read The Making of the President 1960 by Theodore White. This bust is a miniature copy of the massive head that resides at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC.

Hornbeam Tree

Rare specimen.

It is very rare in South Australia. There are known specimens in the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens and the Royal Adelaide Botanic Gardens, and we are fortunate to have one at home. Lucky us.

Ethiopian Orthodox Cross

From Africa with love.

This was presented to me by Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, heir to the throne of Ethiopia once occupied by his grandfather, the Emperor Haile Selassie, the Lion of Judah. It comes from his personal collection.

Gallery wall in study

Eclectic collection.

As you can see, it’s an eclectic presentation of Napoleonic prints, Pyne family specific items, including a painted glass photograph of my forebear Remington Barnes, Benjamin Disraeli and some decent pieces of artwork.

Roman urn

Urn returned.

My parents lived in Rome in the late 1950s when my dad was studying ophthalmology. Grave diggers had been stealing Roman urns like this one for centuries and they collected it and returned it to Australia.

Catfish skeleton

From the shores of Lake Tiberias.

Legend holds that Christ held up a catfish on the shores of Lake Tiberias to make a point in a parable and from that time on, catfish in the lake bore the cross on the underside of their skeleton that can be clearly seen in this photograph of a catfish skeleton.

Victorian 19th Century bookcase

Family heirloom.

Well-kept by my wife’s parents and now in our possession after they downsized to their retirement home. Our furniture is mostly contemporary, but it’s nice to keep a couple of pieces from previous generations.

Global Focus with Christopher Pyne airs Sundays at 5:30pm AEDT on Sky News.

Originally published as Long serving Liberal Christopher Pyne reveals his softer side