The Honourable
Anthony Roberts
MP
Photo of Anthony Roberts in 2016
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Lane Cove
Assumed office
22 March 2003
Preceded byKerry Chikarovski
Ministerial offices 2011–⁠2023
Minister for Planning
In office
21 December 2021 – 28 March 2023
PremierDominic Perrottet
Preceded byRob Stokes (as Minister for Planning and Public Spaces)
Succeeded byPaul Scully (as Minister for Planning and Public Spaces)
In office
30 January 2017 – 23 March 2019
PremierGladys Berejiklian
Preceded byRob Stokes
Succeeded byRob Stokes (as Minister for Planning and Spaces)
Minister for Homes
In office
21 December 2021 – 28 March 2023
PremierDominic Perrottet
Preceded byMelinda Pavey (as Minister for Water, Property and Housing)
Succeeded byRose Jackson (as Minister for Housing)
Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections
In office
2 April 2019 – 21 December 2021
PremierGladys Berejiklian
Dominic Perrottet
Preceded byDavid Elliott
Succeeded byGeoff Lee (as Minister for Corrections)
Minister for Housing
In office
30 January 2017 – 23 March 2019
PremierGladys Berejiklian
Preceded byBrad Hazzard
Succeeded byMelinda Pavey (as the Minister for Water, Property and Housing)
Special Minister of State
In office
30 January 2017 – 23 March 2019
PremierGladys Berejiklian
Preceded bynew portfolio
Succeeded byDon Harwin
In office
9 December 2013 – 2 April 2015
PremierBarry O'Farrell
Mike Baird
Preceded byChris Hartcher
Succeeded byportfolio abolished
Minister for Industry
In office
2 April 2015 – 30 January 2017
PremierMike Baird
Preceded byTroy Grant (as Minister for Trade and Investment)
Succeeded byNiall Blair (as the Minister for Trade and Industry)
Minister for Resources and Energy
In office
9 December 2013 – 23 January 2017
PremierBarry O'Farrell
Mike Baird
Preceded byChris Hartcher
Succeeded byDon Harwin (as the Minister for Resources)
Minister for Fair Trading
In office
3 April 2011 – 9 December 2013
PremierBarry O'Farrell
Preceded byVirginia Judge
Succeeded byStuart Ayres
Personal details
Born (1970-04-19) 19 April 1970
Sydney
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLiberal Party
Alma materUniversity of Technology, Sydney

Anthony John Roberts (born 19 April 1970[1]) is an Australian politician. Roberts is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Lane Cove for the Liberal Party since 2003.[1] He is the longest-serving Member of the Legislative Assembly and so holds the honorary title of "Father of the House."

He was a senior minister in the O'Farrell, Baird, Berejiklian and Perrottet governments, serving in various portfolios including Planning, Resources and Energy. Following the Coalition's loss at the 2023 election, Roberts contested the Liberal leadership. He lost to Mark Speakman and returned to the backbench.

Before entering politics, Roberts was a director of the public relations firm Flagship Communications.[2]

Early life

Roberts was elected to Lane Cove Council and was a councillor between 1995 and 2003, including a term as deputy mayor and two terms as mayor, between 1999 and 2000 and between 2001 and 2002.[1]

Political adviser

Between 1992 and 1996, Roberts was employed as an adviser to the Hon Dr Brian Pezzutti MP,[1] and between 1996 and 2003, Roberts was employed as an electorate officer to then-prime minister, John Howard.[1][3] In the book Jonestown: The Power and the Myth of Alan Jones, journalist Chris Masters claimed that Roberts was employed to act as a liaison between the office and Sydney radio broadcaster Alan Jones.[4] Australian online political magazine Crikey.com gave Roberts the title, "Minister for Alan Jones".[5][6]

Orange Grove accusations

After Roberts was elected to parliament in 2003, Flagship Communications acted on behalf of owners of the Orange Grove site.[7] Then NSW Premier Bob Carr claimed in 2004 that, "there appeared to be a warm relationship between Gazcorp and Mr Roberts, evidenced by a stream of faxes and emails giving the Liberal MP questions to ask of the Labor Party about the factory outlet".[8] On 14 September 2004, Roberts said in Parliament that he had ceased being a director of Flagship Communications prior to being elected to Parliament and had never received any payment from Flagship Communications.[9]

Political career

Roberts left Howard's office when he was elected as the Member for Lane Cove in 2003, following the retirement of Kerry Chikarovski.[1] Roberts was re-elected in 2007, increasing his margin from 3.2 points to 12.4 points.

In May 2008, Roberts was appointed to the Shadow ministry of Barry O'Farrell as Shadow Minister for Emergency Services and Juvenile Justice. In December 2008, was moved from these portfolios and was subsequently appointed Shadow Minister for the Arts, Citizenship and Volunteering.[1]

On 24 April 2010 Roberts was unanimously endorsed by the Liberal Party to contest the 2011 state election. He was re-elected to Lane Cove with a swing of 13.4 points and won the seat with 77.3 per cent of the two-party vote.[10] His main opponent was Mario Tsang, representing Labor.

Minister (2011-2023)

On 3 April 2011, subsequent to the state election, Roberts was appointed as the Minister for Fair Trading in the O'Farrell government.[1] Following the resignation of Chris Hartcher from cabinet on 4 December 2013, Roberts was appointed Minister for Resources and Energy and Special Minister of State. Stuart Ayres was appointed to succeed Roberts in his Fair Trading portfolio.[11] Following the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as Premier,[12] and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle by Mike Baird, the new Liberal Leader,[13] in April 2014, Roberts assumed the role of Leader of the House in the Legislative Assembly, in addition to his Ministerial responsibilities.[1][14] Following the 2015 state election, Roberts was sworn in as the Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, and retained his role as Leader of the House. In this role, Roberts was tasked with the creation of 150,000 jobs in NSW over four years, promoting industry development in NSW and leading the newly created Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development.

Following the resignation of Mike Baird as Premier,[15] Gladys Berejiklian was elected as Liberal leader and sworn in as Premier.[16][17][18] The Berejiklian ministry was subsequently formed with Roberts sworn in as the Minister for Planning, the Minister for Housing, and the Special Minister of State with effect from 30 January 2017.[19] He retained his responsibilities as the Leader of the House. In the second Berejiklian ministry, Roberts served as the Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections, from April 2019 through to the second rearrangement of the Perrottet ministry in December 2021. He was subsequently sworn in as the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Homes.[20]

He was Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes in the Perrottet ministry from December 2021 until March 2023 when the Perrottet government was defeated at the 2023 New South Wales state election.[20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "The Hon Anthony John Roberts, MP". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  2. ↑ "Inquiry into the Approval of the Designer Outlets Centre, Liverpool – Final Report" (PDF). General Purpose Standing Committee No. 4. Legislative Council of New South Wales. 10 September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "To dream the unthinkable". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 September 2004.
  4. ↑ Masters, Chris (2006). Jonestown: The Power and the Myth of Alan Jones (hardcover). Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-74175-156-7.
  5. ↑ McClymont, Kate; McMahon, Neil; Ricketson, Matthew (23 October 2006). "Write again: Jones and his potent pen". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  6. ↑ Mitchell, Alex (12 May 2008). "Debnam resigns over NSW electricity privatisation". Crikey. Private Media Pty Limited. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  7. ↑ Mitchell, Alex (26 September 2004). "Lowys told to appear at inquiry". The Sun-Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  8. ↑ Davies, Anne (15 September 2004). "Orange Grove owner is PM's landlord". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  9. ↑ "Designer Outlets Centre, Liverpool, Closure (Personal Explanation)". Hansard – New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Parliament of New South Wales. 14 September 2004. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  10. ↑ Green, Antony (5 April 2011). "Lane Cove". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  11. ↑ Gerathy, Sarah (9 December 2013). "Anthony Roberts appointed NSW Resources, Energy and Special Minister for State". ABC News. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  12. ↑ "Barry O'Farrell quits as NSW Premier over memory fail". The Australian. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Nicholls, Sean (22 April 2014). "Mike Baird's cabinet reshuffle a preparation for next election". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  14. ↑ "Mike Baird's NSW cabinet". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ "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.
  17. ↑ "Ministers". www.parliament.nsw.gov.au. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  18. ↑ Clennell, Andrew (26 January 2017). "Premier Gladys Berejiklian plans major reshuffle for cabinet". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  19. ↑ "Refreshed NSW cabinet sworn in". Sky News. Australia. AAP. 30 January 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (662)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 21 December 2021.
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