Keith Pitt was born into a farming family in 1969. He undertook an electrical apprenticeship and was named Queensland Electrical Apprentice of the Year. Mr Pitt went on to complete a Bachelor degree in computer and electrical engineering at the Queensland University of Technology.
He established the Australian Safety & Training Alliance in 2002, training over 10,000 local students from more than 1,000 businesses.
In September 2013, Mr Pitt was elected to represent the Hinkler Electorate in the Australian Parliament. In February 2016, he became the Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, taking responsibility for a range of policy areas such as natural resource management and the Landcare program, soil health, animal welfare, rural skills and central Queensland water. He was also appointed Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. In February 2020, Mr Pitt was elevated to the federal cabinet in a ministerial reshuffle under the Morrison government, as the new Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia. He lost his Northern Australia portfolio in July 2021 following a leadership spill and the re-election of Barnaby Joyce as Nationals leader and deputy prime minister. Mr Pitt relinquished his ministerial portfolios in May 2022 following the defeat of the Liberal Party at the federal election.
