Biography

Personal information

Born in Cairns Base Hospital and raised in Gordonvale, Curtis Pitt continues his family’s long history of service to the Far North.

Having attended Gordonvale Primary School, Gordonvale High School, St Mary’s College Woree, he has a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) from James Cook University in Cairns.

Curtis is a person of integrity and believes strongly in family values. He is a hard worker who uses his drive and enthusiasm to serve the Mulgrave electorate. Curtis and his wife Kerry have had three children – Isabel (deceased), two year-old Tristan, and Layla born in May 2011.

Parliamentary activity and committees

Currently Minister for Disability Services, Mental Health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.

During his time as Minister, he has overseen the launch of the Learning Earning Active Places (LEAP) strategy to close the gap for the nearly 80 per cent of Queenslanders who live in urban and regional areas who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. In 2011 he also released ‘Just Futures’, the Queensland Government’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice strategy to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system. During NAIDOC 2011, he launched the ‘Deadly Stories’ campaign.

As Minister for Disability Services, he released ‘Absolutely Everybody’ — Queensland’s ground breaking 10 year disability strategy, as well as the Carer Action Plan 2011-14, which focuses on the varying needs of carers. He also introduced the Forensic Disability Act 2011 and the Forensic Disability Service which provides a therapeutic model of support for those people on forensic orders with a sole diagnosis of intellectual or cognitive impairment. He is also a member of the COAG Select-Council working with the Australian Government to lay the foundations for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

And as Queensland’s first Minister for Mental Health, he jointly launched the anti-stigma campaign ‘Change Our Minds’, followed soon after by the launch of a new mental health community services plan ‘Supporting Recovery 2011-2017′. He is currently leading the development of the first Mental Health Commission for Queensland – another major mental health reform.

Prior to his appointment to Cabinet, Curtis was Deputy Government Whip (May 2010 – February 2011) and briefly member of the Environment and Resource Committee. He was a member of the Integrity, Ethics and Parliamentary Privileges Committee (April 2009 – February 2011) and Temporary Speaker/Deputy Speaker (April 2009 – May 2010). Curtis has also previously been a member of various Ministerial Legislative Committees.

Away from Parliament, Curtis is a member of the Mission Australia’s Southern Corridor Family Support Standing Committee (Communities for Children initiative) and the Far North Queensland Regional Planning Committee, which advises the State Government about the implementation of the FNQ 2031 Regional Statutory Plan.

Community and other interests

Curtis has been an Auxiliary Firefighter with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, and is currently a member of the Edmonton Lions Club and the Gordonvale RSL Citizens’ Auxiliary. He is also patron of the following organisations:

Edmonton and District Tennis Association
Innisfail Police Citizens Youth Club
Edmonton Storm Junior Rugby League Club
Mulgrave District Historical Society
Babinda Pony Club
Cairns and District Rugby League Referees’ Association
Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support (SANDS) Queensland

A competition tennis player, Curtis has played in local cricket, basketball and rugby league teams and enjoys cycling and running for personal fitness.

Prior to his election

Curtis worked in the Queensland Public Service for six years which has given him the practical knowledge of how to get Mulgrave residents a good deal from government. Most recently, he led the Queensland Government’s Indigenous Jobs and Enterprises Taskforce, established to improve economic participation for members of discrete Indigenous communities.

Previously, Curtis worked for the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships on alcohol reforms in Indigenous Communities. He has also led the Queensland Government’s business and skilled migration program, working closely with the Australian Government and private sector employers on a number of industrial relations and multicultural issues.

Prior to his career in the public service, Curtis was the regional marketing manager for Birch Carroll & Coyle. He also worked for Cairns radio stations 4CA and HOT FM.