Peter Keaston Reith (15 July 1950 – 8 November 2022) was an Australian politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1982 to 1983 and from 1984 to 2001, representing the Liberal Party. He was the party's deputy leader from 1990 to 1993, and served as a minister in the Howard Government. Reith was born in Melbourne and studied law at Monash University. He settled in Cowes, Victoria, and served on the Phillip Island Shire Council from 1976 to 1981 (including as shire president for a period). Reith was elected to parliament at the 1982 Flinders by-election. He lost his seat at the 1983 federal election, but won it back the following year. In 1990, Reith was elected deputy leader of the Liberal Party under John Hewson. He was replaced by Michael Wooldridge after the 1993 election. In the Howard Government, Reith served as Minister for Industrial Relations (1996–1997), Minister for Small Business (1997–2001), Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (1998–2001), and finally Minister for Defence from January 2001 until his retirement at the 2001 election. After leaving politics he worked as a company director and political commentator. Early life Reith was born in Melbourne on 15 July 1950. He was educated at Brighton Grammar School and at Monash University, from which he obtained bachelor's degrees in economics and law. He then practised as a solicitor first in Melbourne and then at Cowes, a small town on Phillip Island. First elected as a Councillor of the Shire of Phillip Island from 1976, he was Shire President in his last year on the Council in 1981. While living on Phillip Island Reith was behind the establishment of Newhaven College, an independent school on Phillip Island. He was also the key proponent for the establishment of the penguin research facility. Political life Reith joined the Liberal Party in 1966. Representing that party, he entered the House of Representatives in December 1982 by winning a by-election for the seat of Flinders, caused by the resignation of former Deputy Liberal Leader Sir Phillip Lynch. Reith lost the seat only three months later at the March 1983 general election. He regained the seat at the December 1984 election, which saw a substantial swing towards the Liberals (though not enough to win them government), and he continued to hold the seat for the next 17 years. Except for a few months in 1993, Reith was