Bernie Ripoll
Parliamentary secretary to the treasurer
Ripoll was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1998 as the Member of Parliament for Oxley and re-elected for a fifth term in 2010. He commenced his role as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer on March 5, 2012 and assists the treasurer in the development and implementation of policies in relation to corporate governance and financial literacy. Ripoll is also responsible for the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, the Legislative and Governance Forum for Corporations, the Housing Loans Insurance Corporation, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Royal Australian Mint. During this time he has represented the Treasurer at international meetings of the Asian Development Bank, at the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting, and participated in a business delegation to China. He has also overseen the passage of legislation relating to Australia’s audit quality framework, and improving accountability on director and executive remuneration.
An advocate of financial literacy, he has been working with ASIC’s MoneySmart initiative to give individuals and community groups across the country the skills to improve their personal finances and protect themselves against financial scams.
Before beginning his current role, Ripoll served as chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services. In this role, he chaired a number of inquiries and tabled a number of reports, including on the franchise sector, the financial services industry, the Future of Financial Advice legislation, and the collapse of Trio Capital. In particular, the Ripoll Report laid the foundations for the government’s Future of Financial Advice reforms.
Ripoll is actively involved in local charity work and is the founder of the Western Corridor Community Fund, aimed at helping young people in need. He is also patron, founder and organiser of the Brisbane 2 Ipswich Challenge annual charity bike ride. He is a passionate ambassador for cycling and has been formally recognised by the Cycling Promotion Fund for his advocacy of cycling infrastructure and active transport alternatives.
Before entering Parliament, Ripoll worked as an electrician, completed a bachelor’s degree in business through the Queensland University of Technology and served in the Royal Australian Air Force. He also worked as an organiser for the Queensland State Service Union and opened a small marketing and public relations business.