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Andrew Charlton
Australian politician (born 1978) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Andrew Henry George Charlton (born 26 September 1978) is an Australian politician and economist. A member of the Labor Party, he has been the Member of the Australian Parliament for Parramatta in New South Wales since the 2022 federal election.[2][3][4] He was appointed to the second Albanese ministry as Cabinet Secretary and Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy following the 2025 federal election.[5]
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Charlton has been described in the media as a "centrist, evidence-based, data-driven economist with entrepreneurial flair".[6] He is the author of several books on economics including Fair Trade for All which he co-authored with Joseph Stiglitz.[6] From 2007 to 2010, he worked as the chief economic adviser to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, before founding his own consultancy firm which would later be acquired by Accenture.[7]
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Early life and education
Andrew Charlton was born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1978.[8] He attended the Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga.
Charlton then attended the University of Sydney to study economics, where he was a resident of St Paul's College. He was awarded the university medal for economics. He later won a Rhodes Scholarship to attend the University of Oxford, where he earned a DPhil in economics.[6]
Career in economics
Economic adviser
From December 2007 to June 2010, Charlton served as the chief economic adviser to then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.[6] Charlton played a role alongside Rudd in overseeing Australia's response to the 2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession.[6]
Notably, Charlton was Australia's senior official sent to the Copenhagen Climate Conference in 2009 at the request of then-Prime Minister Rudd.[9]
In 2009, Charlton made news after he was threatened by then-Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull at the Midwinter Ball over the now disproven Utegate scandal.[10]
After Rudd was successfully challenged for the Labor leadership by Julia Gillard in June 2010, Charlton ceased to be the Government's chief economic adviser.
Private business
In 2015, Charlton founded AlphaBeta Advisors, a consulting and technology firm and served as its director until it was acquired by Accenture in February 2020.[11] Charlton was subsequently named Accenture's Sustainability Services Lead for Growth Markets.[12]
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Political career
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2022 federal election
Nomination as Labor candidate
In October 2021 then-Member for Parramatta Julie Owens announced she would not contest the next election, creating an open preselection for the seat. Owens declared her wish for a rank-and-file preselection to determine the candidate for the marginal seat. Several locals declared their intention to nominate, however the Labor Party instead continued 'shopping around' for a candidate.[13] Charlton's eventual announcement as the candidate created a furore in local branches (although this is contested) and the media. Many questioned Charlton's capacity to represent the electorate. However, others declared Charlton was exactly the calibre of person needed in Parliament. Labor leader Anthony Albanese supported Charlton's candidacy.[14] He became the candidate on 1 April 2022 with only 50 days until the election.
Election result
With only 50 days as Labor's candidate until the election, Charlton secured more than 34,000 first preference votes at the 2022 Federal election. After preference flows, he secured 54.57% of the two-party-preferred vote, representing a 1.07% positive swing.[15] He claimed victory on the night of the election following concession by his opponent, Maria Kovacic.[16]
2025 federal election
Charlton was re-elected in the 2025 federal election. He was appointed Cabinet Secretary and Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy in the second Albanese ministry.[5]
Personal life
He is married to barrister Phoebe Arcus, with whom he has three children.[17]
Charlton moved from a $16 million home in Bellevue Hill and purchased a house in North Parramatta in May 2022 to be more connected with the electors in the division of Parramatta.[17][18] He later purchased a sub-penthouse in Parramatta when he was unable to renovate the previously purchased property.
Charlton purchased a $12 million home in Palm Beach in 2024.[19] Charlton's children continue to attend schools in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney.
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Publications
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Charlton has authored several books on economics:
Fair Trade for All (2005)
In Fair Trade for All, lead author Joseph Stiglitz and Charlton argue that it is important to make the trading world more development friendly.[20] Stiglitz and Charlton advocate "a carefully managed trade liberalization agenda," and reject the Washington Consensus's "simple prescription of rapid liberalization and privatization of markets," arguing that this contributes to inequality.[21] The idea is put forth that the present regime of tariffs and agricultural subsidies is dominated by the interests of former colonial powers and needs to change. The removal of the bias toward the developed world will be beneficial to both developing and developed nations. They note that the developing world suffers from many "pervasive market failures" inhibiting the effectiveness of trade liberalisation, including "a lack of credit and insurance markets and an undersupply of public goods".[21] The developing world is in need of assistance, and this can only be achieved when developed nations abandon mercantilist based priorities and work towards a more liberal world trade regime. However, they advocate limiting a "pro-development trade agenda" to poverty-reduction issues. Fundamentally, the central trade agenda they propose is that "all WTO members should provide free market access to all goods from developing nations poorer and smaller than themselves."[21].
Ozonomics (2007)
In Ozonomics, Charlton examines the true accuracy of the mythology surrounding the economic management of the Howard-Costello years in Australia.
Quarterly Essay 44 - Man-Made World (2011)
Quarterly Essay 54 - Dragon's Tail (2014)
Australia's Pivot to India (2023)
On 27 September 2023 Charlton launched Australia's Pivot to India at Parramatta Riverside Theatre alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The book examines Australian-Indian geopolitical relations, and how they can balance the Indo-Pacific Region.
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References
External links
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