Brad Hazzard

The Honourable
Brad Hazzard
MP
Minister for Family and Community Services
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 April 2015
Premier Mike Baird
Preceded by Gabrielle Upton
Minister for Social Housing
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 April 2015
Premier Mike Baird
Preceded by new portfolio
Attorney General of New South Wales
In office
23 April 2014  2 April 2015
Premier Mike Baird
Preceded by Greg Smith
Succeeded by Gabrielle Upton
Minister for Justice
In office
23 April 2014  2 April 2015
Premier Mike Baird
Preceded by Greg Smith
Succeeded by Troy Grant (as Minister for Justice and Police)
David Elliott (as Minister for Corrections)
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
In office
3 April 2011  23 April 2014
Premier Barry O'Farrell
Preceded by Tony Kelly
Succeeded by Pru Goward (as Minister for Planning)
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Wakehurst
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 May 1991
Preceded by John Booth
Majority 30.5 points (2011)
Personal details
Born 30 August 1951
Political party Liberal Party of Australia
Alma mater University of Sydney
University of New South Wales
Macquarie University
Occupation Solicitor and Teacher
Website Brad Hazzard MP webpage

Bradley "Brad" Ronald Hazzard MP (born 30 August 1951), an Australian politician, is the New South Wales Minister for Family and Community Services and the Minister for Social Housing since April 2015 in the second Baird government.[1][2] Hazzard is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Wakehurst for the Liberal Party since 1991.[3] Hazzard previously served as the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and the Minister Assisting the Premier on Infrastructure NSW in the O'Farrell government between 2011 and 2014; and as the Attorney General of New South Wales and the New South Wales Minister for Justice between 2014 and 2015 in the first Baird ministry.[4]

Background and early career

Hazzard was educated at Manly Boys' High School (now Manly Selective Campus), Macquarie University where he gained a Bachelor of Arts (Science) and a Diploma of Education, the University of New South Wales where he graduated Bachelor of Laws, and the University of Sydney where he graduated Master of Laws. Hazzard was then employed as a science teacher (1974-1977) before being admitted as a Solicitor in 1977. He was a partner in a Manly law firm from 1981 to 1996.[3]

Political career

In 1983, Hazzard joined the Liberal Party and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming regional president and a member of the state executive from 1985 to 1986.[3] Hazzard was pre-selected as Liberal Party candidate for Wakehurst in April 1991, ahead of the sitting Liberal Party member John Booth. He was elected to NSW Legislative Assembly in 1991 and sat in the backbench during the Greiner and Fahey governments.[5]

Hazzard played a role in the 'Metherell affair', involving the neighbouring Member for Davidson, Terry Metherell, who upon his resignation from the Liberal Party had expressed to Hazzard his interest in one of the Directorships at the new Environmental Protection Authority. Hazzard discussed this with Premier Greiner and the Minister for the Environment, Tim Moore, at Greiner's residence in February 1992. Greiner and Hazzard then discussed the matter with Metherell while in Parliament ten days later.[6] The government subsequently created the job for Metherell, which he accepted, effectively engineering a vacancy in a seat that the Liberal Party would recover at a by-election. At the May 1992 by-election the Labor Party did not nominate a candidate, and a field of Independents and minor parties reduced the Liberal vote by 16 points (14 points after preferences), nevertheless won by Liberal candidate Andrew Humpherson.[7]

NSW Opposition

After the Labor party won the 1995 election, Hazzard was appointed to the Opposition frontbench and has held various shadow portfolios since. Under Opposition Leader Peter Collins, Hazzard was Shadow Minister for Corrective and Emergency Services (1995–96), Environment (1996-1997), Aboriginal Affairs (1996-2007), and Sport and Recreation (1997–99)[3] Under Kerry Chikarovski he was Shadow Minister for Housing (1999-2000), Corrective Services (1999-2000), Disability Services and Ageing (2000–03), and Community Services (2000–03). Under John Brogden he was Shadow Minister for Energy and Utilities (2003–05), Science and Medical Research (2003–05), Youth (2005), and Community Services (2005).[3]

Under Peter Debnam and Barry O'Farrell he was Shadow Minister for Education (2005–07) and was made Shadow Minister for Redfern Waterloo (2007–08).[3] Between 2007 and 2011 Hazzard criticised the State Labor Government's move to take planning powers away from Local government and handing them to government-appointed planning panels and their attitudes towards development of heritage areas.[8]

NSW Government

In April 2011 Hazzard was appointed Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and Minister Assisting the Premier on Infrastructure NSW.[9]

Due to the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as Premier,[10] and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle by Mike Baird, the new Liberal Leader,[4] in April 2014 Hazzard was sworn in as the Attorney General and as the Minister for Justice; and lost the portfolio of Planning and Infrastructure.[3][11][12] In April 2015, following the 2015 state election, Hazzard was sworn in as the Minister for Family and Community Services and the Minister for Social Housing in the second Baird ministry.[1]

Personal life

Hazzard is married with two adult sons.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 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. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  2. Coultan, Mark (1 April 2015). "Mike Baird reveals NSW cabinet". The Australian. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Mr (Brad) Bradley Ronald Hazzard, BA, DipEd, LLB(NSW), LLM(Syd) MP". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Nicholls, Sean (22 April 2014). "Mike Baird's cabinet reshuffle a preparation for next election". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Profile". webpage. Brad Hazzard, MP. Retrieved 21 February 2007.
  6. Hancock, Ian (2000). The Liberals: a history of the NSW division of the Liberal party (hardback). Sydney: The Federation Press. pp. 293297. ISBN 978-1-86287-659-0.
  7. Green, Antony (12 September 2005). "NSW By-Elections Background". ABC Election Guide 2005 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  8. "NSW Opposition angry at plan to remove more council planning powers". Livenews.com.au. Retrieved 21 June 2009.
  9. "New faces in Barry O'Farrell's Cabinet". The Australian. AAP. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  10. "Barry O'Farrell quits as NSW Premier over memory fail". The Australian. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  11. "Mike Baird's NSW cabinet". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  12. "Baird Cabinet announced: Premier promotes Constance to Treasurer, makes way for five new MPs". ABC News (Australia). 22 April 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
Parliament of New South Wales
Preceded by
John Booth
Member for Wakehurst
1991–present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Tony Kelly
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
2011–2014
Succeeded by
Pru Goward
as Minister for Planning
Preceded by
Greg Smith
Attorney General of New South Wales
2014–2015
Succeeded by
Gabrielle Upton
Minister for Justice
2014–2015
Succeeded by
Troy Grant
as Minister for Justice and Police
Succeeded by
David Elliott
as Minister for Corrections
Preceded by
Gabrielle Upton
Minister for Family and Community Services
2015–present
Incumbent
New title Minister for Social Housing
2015–present