Biography

Greg was born in Frankston in 1965, the son of Alan Hunt, who served West Gippsland and the Mornington Peninsula for over 30 years as the State Upper House member for South-Eastern Province.

Raised in Mornington, Greg attended school at Mornington Primary and The Peninsula School. In 1984, prior to entering university, he spent a year based on a kibbutz in Israel. This included a three-month period spent riding a bicycle around Europe.

In 1990, he graduated from Melbourne University with First Class Honours in Law, winning an award for the best final year law thesis. He subsequently won a Fulbright Scholarship to complete a Masters in International Relations at Yale University in the United States.

While at university, Greg captained the Australian Universities Debating Team, was runner-up at the World Universities Debating Championships and won the Edinburgh International Debating Tournament. He also worked casually as a steelworker, fruit picker, waiter and storeman and packer.

After university and a year spent as an articled clerk with Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Greg became an Associate to the Chief Justice of the Federal Court as well as spending time as an intern with the United Nations Centre for Human Rights in Geneva.

Between 1994 and 1998, Greg worked as a senior adviser to the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer. Greg had responsibility for South East Asia, defence, human rights, trade and international law and counts his contribution to the development of an international initiative for the removal of land mines as his most important work.

After spending time as Chief Australian Electoral Observer in Cambodia, Greg spent almost three years with McKinsey and Co - from early 1999 to late 2001 - rising to the position of Engagement Manager. His time with McKinsey included a secondment as Director of Strategy at the World Economic Forum in Geneva.

Greg was elected as the Federal Member for Flinders in 2001. In 2004 he became Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment and Heritage and in January 2007 was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

After the November 2007 Federal election, Greg was appointed Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Urban Water, a role that brings together the great interests of his time in parliament. In September 2008 his role was expanded to include all water responsibilities as part of a new position of Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water.

As the Member for Flinders, Greg has completed two 500km walks around the electorate - in 2004 and 2007 – to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Greg is married to Paula, a trained surgical nurse. They have a daughter, Poppy, who was born in April 2005 and a son, James, born July 2009. They live at Mt Martha on the Mornington Peninsula.

He is a keen sportsman and has competed in seven marathons as well as numerous local events such as the Arthurs Seat Challenge fun run, the San Remo Channel Challenge run and swim and the Dromana Life Saving Club swim. Greg also includes rock climbing and ocean swimming among his pastimes.