Dominic Perrottet
Dominic Perrottet MP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Perrottet in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
46th Premier of New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 5 October 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Governor | Margaret Beazley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | John Barilaro[a] Paul Toole | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gladys Berejiklian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Liberal Party in New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 5 October 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Stuart Ayres | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gladys Berejiklian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Epping | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 23 March 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Damien Tudehope | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | West Pennant Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 21 September 1982||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Australian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Liberal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse(s) | Helen Perrottet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence | Beecroft, New South Wales[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education | Redfield College Oakhill College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Sydney (LLB, BCom)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation |
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Cabinet | First (since 2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | domperrottet.com.au | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Part of a series on |
Conservatism in Australia |
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Dominic Francis Perrottet (/ˈpɛroʊteɪ/ PERR-oh-TAY; born 21 September 1982)[3] is an Australian politician who is currently serving as the 46th premier of New South Wales and leader of the New South Wales division of the Liberal Party of Australia. He assumed office on 5 October 2021 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 is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the seat of Epping since the 2019 state election. 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]
Early life and background[]
Perrottet was born in 1982,[9] and raised in West Pennant Hills, Sydney.[10] He is the third-oldest of 12 children.[11] His father, John Perrottet, works for the World Bank as the Global Lead for Tourism at the International Finance Corporation, in Washington, DC.[12] Perrotet's family were members of the Catholic prelature, Opus Dei.[13]
Perrottet was educated at private schools Redfield College in Dural and Oakhill College in Castle Hill. Perrottet was active in student politics while studying commerce and law at the University of Sydney and campaigned for voluntary student unionism.[14] He went on to work as a commercial lawyer for Henry Davis York in the areas of banking restructuring and insolvency law.[10]
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.[15]
Political career[]
Early career[]
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.[16] Clarke battled against Alex Hawke, Federal Member for Mitchell, to gain control of preselections.[17][18] At the 2011 state election, Perrottet was elected with a swing of 12.2 per cent, and won 80.8 per cent of the vote on a two party preferred basis.[19]
With the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as Premier,[20] 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][21][22]
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.[23] Perrottet was elected with 68 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.[24]
After the resignation of Baird as Premier,[25] 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.[26] Later that day, Berejiklian was sworn in as New South Wales' second female Premier.[27][28][29] 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.[30][31][32] At the 2019 state election Perrottet was elected as Member for Epping and reappointed as Treasurer in the second Berejiklian ministry.[33]
icare controversy[]
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.[34] 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.[35] 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.[36]
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.[37][38]
In April 2021, 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".[39]
COVID-19 pandemic[]
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.[40] Perrottet also pushed the federal government to reinstate JobKeeper payments for Sydney residents in July 2021 as a new wave of infections was beginning.[41]
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.[42][43][44]
Perrottet also fervently opposed his cabinet colleagues and the advice of NSW Health when they extended a COVID lockdown on 7 July 2021.[45]
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.[46][47] 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 government.
Premier of New South Wales (2021-present)[]
On 3 October 2021, following the resignation of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Perrottet 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.[48] 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.[49]
Political positions[]
Perrottet is a member of the conservative right faction of the NSW Liberal Party, and was backed to be Premier of NSW by conservative former Prime Minister John Howard.[50] He was described by the Australian Financial Review as the "great hope in Australia for political conservatives".[51] Perrottet is a conservative Catholic; he voted against decriminalising abortion in 2019 and reportedly will vote against voluntary euthanasia legislation when it is introduced in New South Wales Parliament in October 2021.[52][43]
Perrottet praised the US election of Donald Trump in a 2016 Facebook post, saying it represented "a victory for people who have been taken for granted by the elites of the political establishment" and that it was "time for a conservative spring".[43]
In his maiden speech to New South Wales 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".[53]
Personal life[]
Perrottet has six children with his wife, Helen.[52][54]
See also[]
- Perrottet ministry
- First Baird ministry
- Second Baird ministry
- First Berejiklian ministry
- Second Berejiklian ministry
References[]
Notes
- ^ Until 6 October 2021
- ^ When appointed to the cabinet position, the portfolio was called: “Minister for Finance and Services”.
Citations
- ^ Deare, Steven (25 September 2018). "Epping Liberal MP Damien Tudehope makes way for Dominic Perrottet". Northern District Times. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021.
- ^ Bharadwaj, Angira (5 October 2021). "Dom Perrottet: Get to know your new Premier". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021.
- ^ "Member for Epping". Hansard. 22 September 2020.
- ^ "Gladys Berejiklian to be Premier of New South Wales, replacing Mike Baird". ABC News. 23 January 2017. Archived from the original on 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ a b "The Hon. Dominic Francis Perrottet MP". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Refreshed NSW cabinet sworn in". Australia: Sky News. AAP. 30 January 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- ^ Hasham, Nicole (3 April 2015). "Premier Mike Baird's new NSW cabinet sworn in: Gladys Berejiklian and Gabrielle Upton first female Treasurer and Attorney-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- ^ a b Nicholls, Sean (22 April 2014). "Mike Baird's cabinet reshuffle a preparation for next election". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ Maiden, Samantha (4 October 2021). "New premier's firm beliefs revealed". news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ a b Reece, Heloise (16 November 2010). "Castle Hill says hello to new Liberals' choice". Hills News. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ^ "NSW Finance Minister Dominic Perrottet owes it all to his mother". Australian Financial Review. 7 October 2014. Archived from the original on 15 August 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
- ^ Hyland, Anne (29 November 2019). "NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet: lessons from my father, John". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ Gardner, Stephanie (10 August 2017). "Jean Claude Perrottet found not guilty". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021 – via Hawkesbury Gazette.
Mr Perrottet, who comes from a large family belonging to the conservative Catholic order Opus Dei
- ^ Ireland, Judith (13 May 2005). "Members only". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ^ "Dominic Perrottet sworn in as the youngest ever NSW premier after meteoric rise through the ranks". 7news. 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Bev (6 November 2010). "Perrottet wins Liberal Race for Castle Hill". The Hills Shire Times. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ Hall, Louise (27 November 2010). "Liberals finance man quits". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 28 November 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ^ Bowe, William (2011). "Electorate: Castle Hill". Crikey. Archived from the original on 4 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ^ Green, Antony (5 April 2011). "Castle Hill". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
- ^ "Barry O'Farrell quits as NSW Premier over memory fail". The Australian. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ "Mike Baird's NSW cabinet". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 2014. Archived from the original on 25 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ Bates, Stephanie (22 April 2014). "Castle Hill MP lands finance minister's job". Hills News. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ^ Bates, Stephanie (11 April 2014). "Castle Hill MP Dominic Perrottet to run for Hawkesbury seat; The Hills Cr Mark Taylor to run for Seven Hills". Hills News. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ^ Green, Antony (25 March 2015). "Electorate: Hawkesbury". NSW Election 2015. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ Jacques, Owen (19 January 2017). "Baird resigns: NSW Premier to quit top job and Parliament". The Satellite. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- ^ Clennell, Andrew (19 January 2017). "Gladys Berejiklian to land top job as premier and leader of the NSW Liberal Party". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
- ^ "Swearing-In of The Honourable Gladys Berejiklian MP, the 45th Premier of New South Wales, and The Honourable John Barilaro MP, Deputy Premier". Vice Regal Program. Governor of New South Wales. 23 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- ^ "Ministers". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- ^ Clennell, Andrew (26 January 2017). "Premier Gladys Berejiklian plans major reshuffle for cabinet". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- ^ Mayers, Liz (10 November 2018). "NSW Liberals: Damien Tudehope loses promised Upper House spot in pre-selection battle". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Loussikian, Kylar (9 November 2018). "Nasty Liberal preselection battle enters new phase as Berejiklian peace deal rejected". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Treasurer Perrottet 'disappointed' move has caused infighting". Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- ^ Sas, Nick (31 March 2019). "Gladys Berejiklian says Liberal Party has no women problem as re-elected NSW Premier shuffles Cabinet". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Rachwani, Mostafa (1 November 2020). "How Dominic Perrottet's ailing icare insurance scheme failed injured workers". Guardian Australia. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Scandal-ridden icare faces blowtorch of NSW Auditor-General". Australian Financial Review. 16 August 2020. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "How Dominic Perrottet's ailing icare insurance scheme failed injured workers". Guardian Australia. 31 October 2020. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Ferguson, Adele; Visentin, Lisa (12 August 2020). "Department warned icare had 'direct line to the Treasurer'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Smith, Alexandra (10 August 2020). "Perrottet's staff audit over icare labelled a 'sham'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Kozaki, Danuta (30 April 2021). "Damning reports into icare released as NSW Labor hits out at 'cowboy culture'". ABC News. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "NSW Treasurer suggested top doctor take pay cut for needless lockdowns". Australian Financial Review. 14 July 2021. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Massola, James (24 July 2021). "'Bring back JobKeeper now' demands Perrottet". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Dominic, Perrottet (2 September 2021). "COVID-19 Economic Support Measures Extended". Facebook. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ a b c "Meet Dom Perrottet — the conservative Catholic and father-of-six who will be NSW's next Premier". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "New $100 vouchers to lure office workers back to Sydney CBD". www.9news.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Talbot, Jonathan (8 July 2021). "Treasurer Perrottet in rift with NSW cabinet over lockdown extension decision". Sky News. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Final phase of roadmap out of restrictions could be brought FORWARD". 7NEWS. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ Bath, Gemma (8 October 2021). "NSW is opening up on Monday. But the new premier is no longer following health advice". Mamamia. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ "NSW's new Premier revealed after Liberals strike deal to find Berejiklian's replacement". ABC News. 3 October 2021. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ O'Keefe, Chris (7 October 2021). "Breaking". Twitter. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Dominic Perrottet set to become NSW premier after securing factional deal". Guardian Australia. 3 October 2021. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "Dominic Perrottet the 'great hope' for political conservatives in Australia". news.com.au. 3 October 2021. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ a b Smith, Alexandra (2 October 2021). "Perrottet and Stokes: running mates, factional rivals and men of faith". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Perrottet, Dominic. "Inaugural Speech to NSW Parliament" (PDF). Hansard. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Lim, Anne (3 October 2021). "Staunch Catholic Perrottet set to replace Berejiklian". Eternity News. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021.
- Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales
- Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
- Australian Roman Catholics
- Living people
- University of Sydney alumni
- 21st-century Australian politicians
- Treasurers of New South Wales
- 1982 births
- Australian monarchists
- Premiers of New South Wales
- People educated at Oakhill College