Dominic Perrottet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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46th Premier of New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 5 October 2021 –28 March 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Governor | Margaret Beazley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | John Barilaro Paul Toole | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gladys Berejiklian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Chris Minns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Liberal Party in New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 5 October 2021 –25 March 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Stuart Ayres Matt Kean | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gladys Berejiklian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Mark Speakman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 23 January 2017 –5 October 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Gladys Berejiklian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gladys Berejiklian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Stuart Ayres | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | West Pennant Hills,Sydney,Australia | 21 September 1982||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Liberal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education | Redfield College Oakhill College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Sydney (LLB,BCom) [2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation |
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Cabinet | First (2021), Second (2021–2023) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | domperrottet.com.au | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This article is part of a series on |
Conservatism in Australia |
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Dominic Francis Perrottet [b] (born 21 September 1982) [3] is an Australian politician who served as the 46th premier of New South Wales from 2021 to 2023. He held office as leader of the New South Wales division of the Liberal Party of Australia, and assumed the position following the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian.
Perrottet previously served as treasurer of New South Wales and deputy leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party from January 2017 to October 2021, [4] and was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the seat of Epping from the 2019 state election until his resignation in 2024. He represented Castle Hill from 2011 to 2015 and Hawkesbury from 2015 to 2019. [5] Perrottet served as Minister for Industrial Relations in the first Berejiklian ministry and as Minister for Finance, Services and Property in the first and second Baird ministries. [6] [7] [8]
After the resignation of Berejiklian in October 2021, Perrottet won a leadership election to become the new premier and leader of the Liberal Party. He would lose power 18 months later in the 2023 state election, and resigned as leader shortly thereafter. In July 2024, he announced his resignation from the Legislative Assembly. [9]
Perrottet was born in 1982, [10] and raised in West Pennant Hills, Sydney. [11] He is the third oldest of 12 children. [12] His father, John Perrottet, works for the World Bank as the Global Lead for Tourism at the International Finance Corporation, in Washington, D.C. [13] Perrottet's family were members of the Catholic prelature, Opus Dei. [14]
Perrottet was educated at private schools Oakhill College in Castle Hill and Redfield College in Dural. Perrottet was active in student politics while studying commerce and law at the University of Sydney and campaigned for voluntary student unionism. [15] He went on to work as a commercial lawyer for Henry Davis York in the areas of banking restructuring and insolvency law. [11]
Perrottet was the President of the NSW Young Liberals Movement in 2005 and served on the NSW State Executive of the Liberal Party from 2008 to 2011. [16]
Following the resignation of sitting Liberal MP Michael Richardson, Perrottet won Liberal preselection for the very safe Liberal seat of Castle Hill in November 2010, with the backing of right-wing power broker David Clarke. [17] Clarke battled against Alex Hawke, Federal Member for Mitchell, to gain control of preselections. [18] [19] At the 2011 state election, Perrottet was elected with a swing of 12.2 points, winning 80.8 per cent of the two-party vote. [20]
With the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as premier, [21] and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle by Mike Baird, the new Liberal leader, [8] Perrottet was appointed as Minister for Finance and Services in April 2014. [5] [22] [23]
Following a redistribution of electoral boundaries, Perrottet traded seats with fellow Liberal Ray Williams for the 2015 state election. Perrottet handed Castle Hill to Williams to run in Williams' equally safe seat of Hawkesbury. [24] Perrottet was elected with 68 per cent of the two-party preferred vote. [25]
After the resignation of Baird as Premier, [26] the main factions of the NSW Liberals agreed to support his deputy, Gladys Berejiklian, as his successor, with Perrottet as her deputy. Berejiklian is from the party's moderate wing, while Perrottet is from the conservative wing. Accordingly, on 23 January 2017, Berejiklian and Perrottet were unanimously elected as leader and deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party. [27] Later that day, Berejiklian was sworn in as New South Wales' second female Premier. [28] [29] [30]
When Berejiklian reshuffled her ministry, Perrottet took over her former ministerial roles as Treasurer and Minister for Industrial Relations, with effect from 30 January 2017. [6] In the lead up to the 2019 state election, Perrottet attempted to wrest Castle Hill back from Williams, citing work-life balance as Hawkesbury was too far for him to travel. This was unsuccessful, with Williams retaining the Liberal preselection, and resulted in media reports of significant party infighting and Perrottet publicly apologising. Eventually, Perrottet abandoned the Hawkesbury preselection, and he settled on his second-choice, the equally safe seat of Epping. [31] [32] [33] At the 2019 state election Perrottet was elected as Member for Epping and reappointed as Treasurer in the second Berejiklian ministry. [34]
Perrottet's record as NSW Treasurer was marred by allegations that his department mismanaged the state's workers compensation scheme, icare. A combined investigation by The Age , The Sydney Morning Herald and ABC TV's Four Corners found that icare had underpaid as many as 52,000 injured workers by up to $80 million and that the organisation was close to collapse. [35] Following the investigation, NSW's workers' compensation regulator State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) announced in August 2020 that it would be applying increased scrutiny to icare's 2020 financial audit. [36] icare was also accused of improperly handling private sector contracts. The Information and Privacy Commission NSW found that icare had not publicly registered 422 contracts since 2015, each worth more than $150,000. These contracts include some being awarded without a competitive tender to companies associated with Liberal Party figures, such as marketing firm IVE Group being awarded millions of dollars in contracts. IVE Group is run by former NSW Liberal party president Geoff Selig. [37]
An internal note among senior figures in the NSW Treasury in 2018 raised a concern that "a direct line to [Perrottet] means icare often bypasses Treasury". The Sydney Morning Herald reported on the note in 2020 and noted that other concerns raised included icare's non-compliance with recruitment policies and limited disclosures of capital expenditures. Scrutiny of Perrottet's close relationship with icare prompted him to direct Treasury Secretary Michael Pratt to audit the Treasurer's staffing arrangements, which the NSW Labor Party criticised as a "sham" as the Secretary was a former deputy chairman of icare. [38] [39]
In April 2021 the NSW parliament's Law and Justice Committee tabled its 2020 review of the Workers' Compensation Scheme. The report highlighted the deteriorating financial position of the scheme, a fall in return to work rates and an increase in claim costs, including medical expenses. The committee's chairman said "icare's decision and ambitious approach to implementing a new claims management model has also played a role, to the detriment of injured workers and the public". A statutory review by the NSW Government was released on the same day, with the reviewer the Hon Robert McDougall QC saying execution of the program was "sloppy" and "the result of these shortcomings was that procurements for the [Nominal Insurer]—often involving very large sums of money—were conducted on an opaque basis". [40]
Perrottet advocated strongly for business activity in the face of lockdowns and advice from health officials. During the northern beaches lockdown at the end of 2020, he suggested that the state's chief health officer, Kerry Chant, take a pay cut if Sydney or its suburbs were unnecessarily locked down. [41] Perrottet also pushed the federal government to reinstate JobKeeper payments for Sydney residents in July 2021 as a new wave of infections was beginning. [42]
As Treasurer, Perrottet has been one of the architects of the JobSaver program and has overseen micro business support payments, payroll tax waivers and deferrals, vouchers for spending in CBD businesses and other support for businesses affected by the epidemic. [43] [44] [45]
Perrottet opposed his cabinet colleagues and the advice of NSW Health when they extended a COVID lockdown on 7 July 2021. [46]
In early October 2021, after becoming premier, Perrottet unveiled an accelerated roadmap out of lockdown with some key changes to attendance limits at indoor and outdoor gatherings. [47] [48] The changes were not endorsed by the NSW Chief Health Officer, who had warned that the changes came with increased risks but that it was ultimately a decision for the government.
On 3 October 2021, following the resignation of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Perrottet was nominated to run as NSW Liberal Party leader, with Stuart Ayres, the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, as his deputy. Having struck a deal with party powerbrokers, he was elected leader by the Liberal party room when it met on 5 October, and was sworn in as premier later that day. [49] At 39 years of age, Perrottet became the youngest premier in New South Wales history, surpassing the previous record held by Nathan Rees, who was 40 when he first took office. [50]
In April 2022 his government passed an anti-protest law, which was criticised by human rights groups as being repressive and anti-democratic. [51] The new law would see protesters who block rail, ports and roads jailed for 2 years and fined 22,000 dollars for "disruption." [52]
In June 2022 the Perrottet government announced plans to fly the Aboriginal flag on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, at the cost of 25 million dollars. [53] This was seen as a hypocritical move by some, as in 2018 he lashed out at the same proposal by then-Opposition Leader Luke Foley, branding the proposal as 'virtue signaling.' [54]
In late June 2022 controversy arose following the appointment of former Deputy Premier John Barilaro to a lucrative trade role. Controversy focused over the allegations that the appointment and selection process was interfered with and adjusted in favour of Barilaro, with specific focus placed on Trade Minister and deputy Liberal leader Stuart Ayres, with Investment NSW boss Amy Brown stating that he was "not at arms length from the process." [55] Ayres resigned as a result from the fallout in early August 2022, being replaced as deputy Liberal leader by Treasurer Matt Kean. [56] Controversy also came from Perrottet's perceived poor handling of the situation, reports that he told Barilaro to "go for it", [56] and allegations that he promised Transport Minister David Elliott a job outside of politics, some reports stating that he was offered the position of Governor. [57]
In late July 2022 further controversy emerged over allegations of bullying and mistreatment of staff by then-Fair Trading Minister Eleni Petinos, resulting in her sacking from the cabinet. [58] Soon after, the resignation letter of the then-NSW Building Commissioner was released, blaming relations with Petinos for his decision. [59] Allegations were also raised of potential interference between Petinos and removals of stop work orders placed on development company Coronation Property, a company employing Barilaro and implicated with links to gangs. [60]
Toward the end of September opinion polls showed significant drops in popularity, with Labor establishing a substantial lead over the Coalition—drops widely linked with the fallout from the controversies. [61]
Perrottet supports the Voice to Parliament. [62]
Perrottet has announced plans to introduce a cashless gaming card for pokie machines in clubs and pubs in NSW, [63] but a transition period where non-metropolitan pokies may be excluded from the pilot program has been discussed. [64]
On 12 January 2023, Perrottet revealed that he had worn a Nazi uniform as fancy dress at his 21st birthday, apologising at a media conference after a cabinet minister was made aware of the incident. [65] [66] Rumours circulated that a photo of Perrottet and the uniform had been uncovered, but Perrottet denied any knowledge of the photograph and stated that his parents explained to him why the costume was inappropriate the day after the party. Transport Minister David Elliott stated that he had warned Perrottet about his political opponents knowing that he had worn the uniform and one of them was conspiring to use it against him. [67]
A poll found that 67% said the Nazi uniform scandal would not make a difference to their vote, 20% said it would make then less likely to vote for the Coalition and 8% said the scandal would make them more likely to vote for the Coalition. [68]
The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party will refer Perrottet to the NSW Police Force regarding whether Perrottet disclosed wearing a Nazi uniform as fancy dress at his 21st birthday as part of his preselection bid. At the time, Perrottet declared he had nothing to disclose that could embarrass the Liberal Party. Robert Borsak, the leader of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, argued that this could have potentially broken the Oaths Act, which is punishable by up to 5 years in jail. [69]
As much of the vote came in for the election, speculation emerged if Perrottet would maintain his seat of Epping after there was 'tossup' between Labor candidate Alan Mascarenhas and himself. Eventually, ABC's Antony Green announced that Perrottet would retain his seat with a ~8-point swing to Labor, challenging a traditionally 'safe' Liberal seat. [70]
Perrottet's Liberal–National coalition lost the election to Chris Minns and the Labor Party on 25 March 2023, ending over twelve years of Liberal/National rule. Tasmania was to then be the only state within Australia under Liberal control. [71]
As counting continued on election night it soon became clear that only Labor could realistically form government and the only question was if it would be a majority or minority Government. Perrottet conceded the election to Minns and resigned as NSW Liberal leader. In his concession speech he described the election as a "race to the top" and "battle of ideas."
On 19 July 2024, Perrottet announced his resignation from the NSW parliament to take effect in August, after 13 years of public service. [72] [9] His former deputy chief of staff Monica Tudehope succeeded him in the 2024 Epping by-election. [73]
Perrottet has been described as both conservative [44] [74] [75] [76] [77] and moderate or liberal. [78] [79] [80] [81]
Perrottet is the leader of the National Right or right-wing faction of the NSW Liberal Party. [82] [83] Previously backed to be Premier of NSW by conservative former Prime Minister John Howard, [84] Perrottet was described by the Australian Financial Review as the "great hope in Australia for political conservatives". [85] Perrottet has been described as a conservative Catholic; he voted against decriminalising abortion in 2019 and voluntary euthanasia legislation in 2021. [86] [44] [87]
In his maiden speech to NSW Parliament in 2011 he stated a belief in "exercising freedom [so] that individuals can develop the habits of generosity, hard work, fairness and concern for others". He also stated that traditionalism and libertarianism are both "vital and necessary strands of the fabric of conservative thought" and that the Liberal Party should embrace both. He stated opposition to "more social engineering, more welfare handouts... more government spending and intervention in our lives". [88]
Despite his personal views being conservative, during his time as Premier, Perrottet backed many liberal reforms, such as a ban on gay conversion therapy [89] and gambling reform [90] while still maintaining a strong support for religious freedom. [91]
Perrottet is married to Helen and has seven children. [86] [92]
Perrottet is a Catholic, which has influenced many of his political views such as those on abortion. [93]
Perrottet is a supporter of NRL club the Wests Tigers.
The New South Wales Liberal Party, officially called The Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division, and colloquially known as the NSW Liberals, is the state division of the Liberal Party of Australia in New South Wales. The party is currently in Opposition in New South Wales in a coalition with the National Party. The party is part of the federal Liberal Party.
Melinda Jane Pavey, is a former Australian politician. Pavey had been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2015 to 2023, representing the seat of Oxley for The Nationals. She was previously a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 2002 and 2015.
Gladys Berejiklian is an Australian businesswoman and former politician who served as the 45th premier of New South Wales and the leader of the New South Wales division of the Liberal Party from 2017 to 2021. Berejiklian currently works as an executive for the telecommunications company Optus.
Andrew James Constance is an Australian politician who represented Bega for the Liberal Party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 2003 and December 2021.
Bradley Ronald "Brad" Hazzard is a retired Australian politician who served as the member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly district of Wakehurst between May 1991 and March 2023.
Raymond Craig Williams is an Australian politician who has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the seat of Kellyville for the Liberal Party since 2023. He previously represented the electorates of Hawkesbury from 2007 to 2015 and Castle Hill from 2015 to 2023.
Robert Gordon Stokes is an Australian retired politician. Stokes served as the New South Wales Minister for Infrastructure, the Minister for Cities, and the Minister for Active Transport in the Perrottet ministry between 21 December 2021 and 25 March 2023. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Pittwater for the Liberal Party between 2007 and 2023.
Stuart Laurence Ayres is an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 19 June 2010 to 25 March 2023, representing the electorate of Penrith as a member of the Liberal Party.
Giovanni DomenicBarilaro is an Australian former politician who served as the 18th deputy premier of New South Wales and the leader of the NSW National Party from 2016 to 2021. He was the Minister for Regional New South Wales, Industry and Trade in the second Berejiklian ministry from April 2019, and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electoral district of Monaro since 2011 until his resignation in October 2021.
Paul Lawrence Toole is an Australian politician. Toole was the Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 2021 to 2023, and the leader of the New South Wales Nationals from October 2021 to May 2023.
Mark Raymond Speakman is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since 2011, representing Cronulla for the Liberal Party. On 21 April 2023, he became the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Party in New South Wales.
Geoffrey Lee is a former Australian politician. He served as the Minister for Corrections in the second Perrottet ministry between December 2021 and March 2023. He has previously served as the Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education in the second Berejiklian and Perrottet ministries between April 2019 and December 2021. Lee was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Parramatta for the Liberal Party since 2011 until his retirement in 2023.
Matthew John Kean is a former Australian politician who is the Chair of the Climate Change Authority. Prior to this, he was the Treasurer of New South Wales in the second Perrottet ministry of New South Wales between October 2021 and March 2023. He was also the Minister for Energy between April 2019 and March 2023 and was also the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party from August 2022 until March 2023. He represented Hornsby for the party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2011 to 2024.
David Andrew Elliott is a retired Australian politician. Elliott served as the New South Wales Minister for Transport and the Minister for Veterans in the Perrottet ministry between 21 December 2021 and 25 March 2023. Elliott was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Baulkham Hills for the Liberal Party between 2011 and 2023.
Damien Francis Tudehope is an Australian politician. Tudehope served as the New South Wales Minister for Finance in the second Berejiklian and Perrottet ministries from April 2019 to March 2023. He was also the Minister for Employee Relations, the Vice-President of the Executive Council, and the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council in the Perrottet ministry since December 2021. Tudehope has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since the 2019 state election, representing the Liberal Party.
The Second Baird ministry was the 95th ministry of the Government of New South Wales, and was led by Mike Baird, the state's 44th Premier. It is the second and subsequent of two occasions when Baird served as Premier.
The 2023 New South Wales state election was held on 25 March 2023 to elect the 58th Parliament of New South Wales, including all 93 seats in the Legislative Assembly and 21 of the 42 seats in the Legislative Council. The election was conducted by the New South Wales Electoral Commission (NSWEC).
The 2021 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election was a leadership vote held on 5 October 2021 to elect a new leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party of Australia and subsequently the Premier of New South Wales, following the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian. The election was conducted among the Liberal Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales and contested between Dominic Perrottet and Rob Stokes. Perrottet won the election 39 votes to 5. Stuart Ayres was elected unopposed as deputy party leader.
The First Perrottet ministry or First Perrottet–Toole ministry was the 98th ministry of the Government of New South Wales, and was led by Dominic Perrottet, the state's 46th Premier.
The Second Perrottet ministry or Second Perrottet–Toole ministry was the 99th ministry of the Government of New South Wales, and was led by Dominic Perrottet, the state's 46th Premier.
Mr Perrottet, who comes from a large family belonging to the conservative Catholic order Opus Dei
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Hoping to return as premier is Liberal leader Dominic Perrottet – a political conservative and devout Catholic with seven children, who was this week forced to respond to allegations aired on Four Corners about curriculum concerns at a Sydney school linked to Catholic group Opus Dei. Perrottet attendedRedfield College, one of the schools featured in the ABC report.
But the record shows, if we're to judge him solely by his actions in office, not his ill-advised past mistakes, Perrottet isn't just less conservative than feared; he's borderline progressive. For a Liberal, anyway.
While Perrottet and Stokes' religious perspectives may differ, they have been aligned on social issues that have emerged in this term of parliament. Both men voted against the 2019 bill to remove abortion from the state's criminal code. The vote ultimately passed 59 to 31.
Both Premier Dominic Perrottet and Labor leader Chris Minns voted against the bill