On October 1, 2021 the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) announced that they would be further probing then premier, Gladys Berejiklian, on her relationship with former Wagga Wagga MP, Daryl Maguire. Their relationship was met with state-wide media scrutiny because of alleged nefarious actions taken between 2012 and 2018 which were considered a breach of public trust.
This announcement by ICAC resulted in Berejiklian opting to resign that very same day, a decision which she stated was, “against every instinct of my being and something I do no want to do,” however, Berejiklian believed that the state of NSW needs certainty and that an ICAC investigation would affect her leadership.
As of October 5, 2021 the NSW Liberal Party has elected a new Premier for NSW, Dominic Perrottet. Perrottet was up against Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Rob Stokes, but the party room ballot was a landside victory for Perrottet with votes tallying 39 votes to 5, officially making Perrottet the 46th Premier of NSW.
So who is Dominic Perrottet and what does he stand for? Here at Chattr we thought offering some insight into the man that will lead NSW was crucial. So sit back and relax, it is time to learn about the NSW Premier.
Who is Dominic Perrottet?
Perrottet is a born and raised Sydneysider, growing up in West Pennant Hills, NSW. He is one of the youngest premiers in Australian history, turning 39 this past September. His political career began in 2011 when he was just 29 years old when he became the MP for Castle Hill, in 2015 he went on to become the MP for Hawkesbury, 2019 saw Perrottet win the seat of Epping, which he still holds.
From 2014-2017 he was the Minister for Finance, Services and Property under former premier, Mike Baird. He then went on to become the Minister for Industrial Relations under Gladys Berejiklian, he was also Berejiklian’s Deputy Leader and Treasure for NSW, until he was voted in as Premier of NSW following Berejiklian’s resignation.
He is currently married to his wife, Helen Perrottet, the couple has six children and live in the upper north shore suburb of Beecroft
Political Views
Perrottet, unlike Berejiklian, comes from the right-wing faction of the Liberal party and is a devout Catholic who, according to the Australian Financial Review’s, Aaron Patrick, “Perrottet is the great hope in Australia for political conservatives.”
Economic Views
Stamp duty or annual property tax? This is the choice Perrottet advocates for home buyers of NSW – he has lobbied for change, which has come to no avail.
The new premier is also a strong proponent of GST reform and believes the 10% tax on goods and services is unfair and that states should have a greater say in the GST debate.
In his inaugural speech to parliament in 2011, Perrottet stated that he was opposed to welfare handouts and that government intervention needed to stop in certain circumstances for welfare recipients.
COVID-19 Pandemic Views
Perrottet was strongly for businesses to remain open during lockdowns, as long as they followed the advice of health officials.
He was also one of the few NSW Liberal politicians who pleaded with the federal government to restart JobKeeper payments for Sydney residents once news of a new wave of infections was brought to the attention of the NSW government in July of 2021.
On that note however, Perrottet was adamant that lockdown extensions were not necessary, even though daily case numbers surged into the thousands from July to September of 2021.
Climate Change Views
In 2019, when he will still NSW Treasurer, Perrottet told Australian media that he does believe in the science of climate change, however, his job is to make sure NSW is in a strong financial position.
Perrottet doubled down on his disapproval of NSW including climate action in their annual state budget.
“Another example of gratuitous waste is the almost religious devotion of the political left to climate change,” said Perrottet.
Social Views
Perrottet in 2019 opposed the decriminalisation of abortion in NSW, stating that he could not support laws that stopped, “the beating heart of an unborn child,” he also voted in parliament against safe exclusion zones which would stop certain conduct from taking place outside clinics, such as protests.
On his official Facebook page during the 2016 plebiscite debate on same sex marriage, Perrottet posted the status, “if you want a plebiscite on same-sex marriage, you are not a homophobe,” causing outrage amongst the LGBTQI+ community.
He was also a Trump supporter during Trump’s presidential campaign, praising Trump, “a victory for people who have been taken for granted by the elites.”
The NSW State Election is still a long way away and is set for March 25, 2023, giving NSW voters a chance to truly get acquainted with Perrottet and his future policies. Chris Minns is the opposition leader for Labor and for now is still an unknown candidate amongst the general population.
Keep up to date with Perrottet and his social media channels by following him on Twitter and Instagram.