Former federal politician undergoes significant surgery

Christopher Pyne, the retired federal MP and former Liberal defence minister, has undergone heart bypass surgery.

The disease was caught early by his doctors and he was taken into surgery last week in Adelaide.

"I am lucky to live in a time when a procedure like this is routine, and where, at 57, I can gain a renovated new heart," Pyne said.

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"My father Remington was not so lucky, he died aged 59 in 1988 from the same disease.

"In a few weeks I will be right as rain."

Pyne is expected to make a full recovery over the coming weeks.

"While this is a significant surgery, he was fortunate to have discovered the need for the operation early, and will make a full recovery over the coming weeks," a Pyne and Partners spokesperson said.

Pyne was elected as federal MP of Sturt in 1993 at just 25 years old and held the role his entire political career.

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He served as the defence minister and leader of the house under former prime minister Scott Morrison from 2018 to 2019.

In his time in parliament, he also held several portfolios including, education and training minister, industry, innovation and science minister and ageing minister.

Pyne retired after 26 years in politics at the 2019 federal election and was appointed as the industry professor at the University of South Australia.

Today, he is the chairman of Pyne and Partners, Vision 2020 Austrailia and NIOA and holds several more high-level executive roles.

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