Linda Reynolds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Linda Reynolds
CSC
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| Minister for Government Services Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme |
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| In office 30 March 2021 – 23 May 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Stuart Robert |
| Succeeded by | Bill Shorten |
| Minister for Defence | |
| In office 29 May 2019 – 30 March 2021 |
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| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Deputy | Melissa Price |
| Preceded by | Christopher Pyne |
| Succeeded by | Peter Dutton |
| Minister for Defence Industry | |
| In office 2 March 2019 – 29 May 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Steven Ciobo |
| Succeeded by | Melissa Price |
| Minister for Emergency Management and North Queensland Recovery | |
| In office 2 March 2019 – 29 May 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | David Littleproud |
| Assistant Minister for Home Affairs | |
| In office 28 August 2018 – 2 March 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Alex Hawke |
| Succeeded by | Jason Wood |
| Senator for Western Australia | |
| In office 1 July 2014 – 30 June 2025 |
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| Succeeded by | Tyron Whitten |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Linda Karen Reynolds
16 May 1965 Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Alma mater | Curtin University |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch/service | Australian Army Reserve |
| Years of service | 1984–2012 |
| Rank | Brigadier |
| Commands | 5th Combat Service Support Battalion |
| Awards | Conspicuous Service Cross |
Linda Karen Reynolds (born 16 May 1965) is an Australian politician. She was a Senator for Western Australia from 2014 until her term ended on 30 June 2025. She represented the Liberal Party.
Before becoming a politician, Linda Reynolds served in the Australian Army Reserve for almost 30 years. She was the first woman in the reserve to reach the high rank of brigadier. She was first elected to the Senate in 2013. However, that election result was cancelled, and she was re-elected in a special election in 2014.
In the Australian government led by Scott Morrison, she held several important roles. These included Assistant Minister for Home Affairs (2018–2019), Minister for Defence Industry (2019), and Minister for Emergency Management and North Queensland Recovery (2019). She also served as Minister for Defence (2019–2021) and later as Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (2021–2022).
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Early Life and Education
Linda Reynolds was born in Perth, Australia, on 16 May 1965. She grew up with her two brothers. Her family taught her strong values. Her grandfather, Alfred Reynolds, was also a politician in Western Australia.
As a child, Linda lived in Indonesia for some time because of her father's job. Her family learned to speak Indonesian. She went to St Brigid's College for her schooling.
Linda Reynolds studied at Curtin University, where she earned a degree in Commerce. She also has special certificates in training, defence management, and strategic studies from other universities.
Military Career
Linda Reynolds joined the Australian Army Reserve in 1984 when she was 19. She had a long and successful career in the Army Reserve. She held many different positions, including logistics officer and military instructor. She also commanded the 5th Combat Service Support Battalion.
In 2011, she received the Conspicuous Service Cross. This award was for her excellent work as the Director of Army Strategic Reform Program coordination. In 2012, she became a brigadier, which is a very senior rank. She was the first woman in the Australian Army Reserve to achieve this rank.
Early Political Involvement
Linda Reynolds became a member of the Liberal Party in 1987. Before she was elected to parliament, she worked behind the scenes for the party. She helped manage election campaigns and was a deputy federal director from 2006 to 2008.
She also worked as an advisor to politicians. For example, she was a senior advisor to Justice Minister Chris Ellison. Before 2014, she also helped mentor political leaders from other countries like Thailand and Iraq.
Senate (2014–2025)
Linda Reynolds was elected to the Australian Senate in the 2013 federal election. She was one of the Liberal Party's candidates for Western Australia. However, there was a problem with some ballot papers, so a new election was held in 2014. Linda Reynolds was re-elected in this special election, and her term as Senator began on 1 July 2014.
She was re-elected again in the 2016 and 2019 federal elections. In 2019, she was the main candidate for the Liberal Party in Western Australia. Before becoming a minister, she led several Senate committees.
Linda Reynolds is part of the Centrist group within the Liberal Party. During a leadership challenge in 2018, she supported Scott Morrison to become prime minister. She also spoke in the Senate about how upset she was by the behavior of some politicians during that time.
Government Minister
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In August 2018, Linda Reynolds became the Assistant Minister for Home Affairs. In March 2019, she joined the Cabinet, which is a group of senior ministers. She became Minister for Defence Industry. This was part of a plan for her to become the Minister for Defence later.
She also took on a new role as Minister for Emergency Management and North Queensland Recovery. In early 2019, she strongly opposed a bill that would make it easier for asylum seekers to get medical help in Australia.
In May 2019, after the election, Linda Reynolds became the Minister for Defence. She was the second woman to hold this important position. In March 2021, her role changed, and she became Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Public Discussions and Legal Matters
In February 2021, there were public reports about an incident that happened in Linda Reynolds' office in 2019. A former staff member, Brittany Higgins, made an allegation. Linda Reynolds faced questions about what she knew. The person involved was dismissed shortly after the incident.
Linda Reynolds later apologized for a comment she made about the situation to her staff. She also reached a private agreement with Brittany Higgins, which included paying legal costs and donating to a charity.
In December 2022, the legal case related to the incident was stopped by the Director of Public Prosecutions. They stated it was "no longer in the public interest" to continue, partly due to concerns for Brittany Higgins' well-being. The accused person always said they were innocent, and the case against them was not proven in court.
In July 2023, Linda Reynolds said she would ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission to look into a payment made to Brittany Higgins. On 15 April 2024, a judge in the Federal Court ruled that it was more likely than not that the incident involving Brittany Higgins happened in Parliament House in 2019.
Opposition Role
After the Liberal Party lost the 2022 federal election, Linda Reynolds did not become a minister in the new government. In August 2022, she was appointed to lead the Senate Standing Committee on Senators' Interests. She also became deputy chair of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit.
In August 2024, she suggested that Australia should pause all international adoptions. This was due to concerns about past adoptions of children from South Korea.
In February 2024, Linda Reynolds announced that she would not seek re-election. Her term as Senator ended on 30 June 2025.
