Damien Tudehope

Damien Francis Tudehope (born 1953[1]) is an Australian politician. Tudehope has served as the New South Wales Minister for Finance in the second Berejiklian and Perrottet ministries since April 2019.[2][3][4][5] He is 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.[6] Tudehope has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since the 2019 state election, representing the Liberal Party.

The Honourable
Damien Tudehope
MLC
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council
Assumed office
21 April 2023
DeputyTBD
LeaderMark Speakman
Preceded byPenny Sharpe
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
In office
21 December 2021 – 17 February 2023
PremierDominic Perrottet
Preceded byDon Harwin
Succeeded byPenny Sharpe
In office
15 April 2020 – 3 July 2020
Preceded byDon Harwin
Succeeded byDon Harwin
Vice-President of the Executive Council
In office
21 December 2021 – 17 February 2023
PremierDominic Perrottet
Preceded byDon Harwin
Succeeded bySarah Mitchell (acting)
Penny Sharpe]
Former Cabinet positions
Minister for Finance
In office
2 April 2019 – 17 February 2023
PremierGladys Berejiklian
Dominic Perrottet
Preceded byVictor Dominello (as Minister for Finance, Services and Property)
John Barilaro (as Minister for Small Business)
Succeeded byDominic Perrottet (acting)
Minister for Employee Relations
In office
21 December 2021 – 17 February 2023
PremierDominic Perrottet
Preceded byDon Harwin (as Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts)
Succeeded byDominic Perrottet (acting)
Constituencies
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
Assumed office
23 March 2019
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for Epping
In office
28 March 2015 – 1 March 2019
Preceded byGreg Smith
Succeeded byDominic Perrottet
Personal details
Born1953 (age 69–70)
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLiberal Party (after 1999)
Other political
affiliations		Australian Family Alliance (1999)
ResidenceWest Pennant Hills
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
ProfessionSolicitor
Websitedamientudehope.com.au

Tudehope was the New South Wales Legislative Assembly member for Epping from March 2015 until March 2019, representing the Liberal Party

Early life and education

Tudehope was educated at the University of Sydney where he received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws.[7] He has been a small business owner, worked as the chief of staff for the former Attorney-General Greg Smith in the O'Farrell ministry, and as a partner at O'Hara and Company Solicitors.[7]

As a lawyer, Tudehope successfully defended the later-convicted child sex offender priest Finian Egan against sexual abuse charges.[8] Later, as chief of staff to the Attorney General, Tudehope blocked release of material regarding Egan for a subsequent trial. On that occasion in 2013, Egan was represented by Tudehope's brother, Anthony Tudehope.[9] Egan was found guilty and jailed.[10]

Political career

Tudehope has acted as spokesperson for the socially conservative Australian Family Association. He was previously the State President of the National Civic Council.[11] He ran against the Liberal Party in 1999 as the Australian Family Alliance candidate for the NSW Legislative Council, and has nominated for the seats of Baulkham Hills, Ryde and Epping for the Liberal Party, although he withdrew each time before the preselection stage.[1]

Tudehope was endorsed by the Liberal Party for the state seat of Epping following Greg Smith's retirement from politics.[1] At the 2015 state election, Tudehope achieved 54.3% of the primary vote, the second-highest primary vote in the history of the seat of Epping.[12] In his inaugural speech, Tudehope cited housing affordability as a key issue that needed addressing.[13] On 3 June 2015 Tudehope was appointed Chair for the Parliamentary Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and Deputy Chair for the Parliamentary Committee on Children and Young People.[7]

In an agreement reached between Tudehope and Dominic Perrottet, Tudehope agreed to not contest the seat of Epping at the 2019 state election, allowing Perrottet the opportunity to move from Hawkesbury to contest Epping. In exchange, Tudehope sought Liberal Party endorsement for the Legislative Council. However, in November 2018, Liberal Party members voted against the deal.[14][15] Tudehope eventually gained endorsement[16] and was elected to the Legislative Council in March 2019. Tudehope was appointed as the Minister for Finance and Small Business in April 2019.[3]

In April 2020, Don Harwin resigned from his portfolios including Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council. Tudehope was appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council between 15 April 2020 and 3 July 2020, after which Harwin's portfolios were reinstated.[7][17] Tudehope was then appointed as Leader of the House in the Legislative Council.[18] In the December 2021 rearrangement of the Perrottet ministry, Tudehope was sworn in as the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Employee Relations, the Vice-President of the Executive Council, and the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.[6]

Personal life

Tudehope lives in West Pennant Hills with wife Diane, and has nine children, born between 1979 and 2000, including Monica, Dominic Perrottet's Deputy Chief of Staff and Executive Director Policy. Damien Tudehope is a Roman Catholic.

See also

References
  1. "We're for Sydney". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  2. "Government Notices (30)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 2 April 2019. p. 1088-1090. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  3. Sas, Nick (31 March 2019). "Gladys Berejiklian says Liberal Party has no women problem as re-elected NSW Premier shuffles Cabinet". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  4. "Premier announces new Cabinet" (Press release). Premier of New South Wales. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  5. Han, Sophie (2 April 2019). "Berejiklian's new massive cabinet sworn in amid peals of laughter". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  6. "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (662)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 21 December 2021.
  7. "The Hon. Damien Francis Tudehope MLC". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  8. "New questions over A-G's link to embattled priest - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". mobile.abc.net.au.
  9. Aston, Heath (7 July 2012). "Charged priest's political link". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  10. Bibby, Paul (20 December 2013). "Catholic priest Finian Egan jailed for sexually assaulting girls". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  11. "NSW Election 2015 - Epping". ABC News. March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  12. "Epping". ABC News.
  13. "Epping State Liberal MP Damien Tudehope delivers maiden speech". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 5 May 2015.
  14. Mayers, Liz (10 November 2018). "NSW Liberals: Damien Tudehope loses promised Upper House spot in pre-selection battle". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  15. Loussikian, Kylar (9 November 2018). "Nasty Liberal preselection battle enters new phase as Berejiklian peace deal rejected". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  16. "Damien Tudehope: Liberal for the Legislative Council". Liberal Party. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  17. "NSW Police boss hits back after former Arts minister Don Harwin gets off coronavirus fine". ABC News. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  18. "Statement on Don Harwin". NSW Government. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
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