Greg Pearce (politician)

Greg Pearce BA LLB MLC
Minister for Finance and Services
In office 3 April 2011 – 1 August 2013
Succeeded by	Andrew Constance
Minister for the Illawarra
In office 3 April 2011 – 1 August 2013
Preceded by	Eric Roozendaal
Succeeded by	John Ajaka
Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 November 2000
Preceded by	John Hannaford
Personal details
Born	New South Wales
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Residence	Sydney
Website	Parliamentary webpage

Greg Pearce BA, LLB MLC, an Australian politician, is a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales representing the Liberal Party of Australia since 1 November 2000.

Early life and education

Pearce was born to parents George Alfred and Margaret Anne Pearce on 22 January 1955^[1] at Camperdown, New South Wales,^[2] one of three siblings.^[3]

Pearce attended public primary schools at Bundanoon and Wentworth Falls, but later went on to be educated in the Catholic school system at De La Salle Brothers and Benilde High School at Bankstown. He then attended the University of Sydney and obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws.

Career

Pearce was admitted as a solicitor on 14 July 1978^[4] and practiced at Freehill, Hollingdale and Page, Solicitors (now known as Freehills) from 1978. He became a partner at the age of 28, and was part of the first international environment law practice in Australia.^[3] This led to him attending as a delegate at the Earth Summit in Brazil in 1992. until 2000. He became a Director with Clean Up Australia and then Clean Up the World.

He became the President of the Double Bay Branch of Liberal Party in 1993 and continued in that role until 2000. He was a Member of the CARE Sydney Fundraising Committee between 1999 and 2000, a Councillor on the Law Society of New South Wales between 1999 and 2001.

Political career

He was appointed to the casual vacancy in the Legislative Council of New South Wales on 1 November 2000 following the resignation of John Hannaford. The balance of Hannaford's term was until the start of 2003. He defeated Kerry Jones in the pre-selection battle for the nomination to the vacancy.^[5]

He first stood for election in 2003. He was pre-selected as the third on the joint Liberal/National ticket for the Upper House. He was declared elected after obtaining the seventh highest quota in the election.^[6]

In Parliament he has been on the Standing Committee on Law and Justice, Joint Select Committee on the Cross City Tunnel, and the Standing Committee on Social Issues.^[3] In 2003 he was Chair of the Opposition Waste Watch Committee until 2005.^[2]

He was the Shadow Minister for Finance in 2005 and 2006, the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The Assistant Shadow Minister for Planning in 2006, the Shadow Minister for Commerce in 2006 and 2007, the Shadow Minister for Housing in 2006 and 2007, Shadow Treasurer from 11 April 2007 until 29 December 2008 when Leader of the Opposition Barry O'Farrell conducted a reshuffle of the Shadow Cabinet.

On 3 April 2011, Pearce was appointed Minister for Finance and Services and the Minister for the Illawarra in the O'Farrell ministry.^[7][8]

Despite his removal as Shadow Treasurer, Pearce as Finance Minister was given some of the responsibilities that formerly belonged to Treasurer Mike Baird.^[8]

Pearce was dismissed from the cabinet and the ministry on 1 August 2013 after an investigation revealed that he failed to disclose a conflict of interest when making an appointment to the board of Sydney Water.^[9]

References

1. "Parliament@Work – Parliamentarian". www.parliament.curriculum.edu.au. Retrieved 19 October 2008.
2. Who's Who Australia
3. "The Hon. Gregory Stephen PEARCE, BA LLB MLC – NSW Parliament". Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
4. "– Search Results". Law Society of New South Wales. Retrieved 19 October 2008.
5. "10 October 2000: Monarchist Kerry Jones loses Liberal Pre-Selection bid". australianpolitics.com. Retrieved 19 October 2008.
6. "2003 Elected Members of the Legislative Council". Election Commission of New South Wales. Retrieved 19 October 2008.
7. "New faces in Barry O'Farrell's Cabinet". The Australian. AAP. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
8. Clennell, Andrew (5 April 2011). "Cupboard is Baird for new Treasurer as Barry O'Farrell 'neuters' department". The Australian. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
9. Nicholls, Sean (1 August 2013). "Greg Pearce sacked over conflict of interest". smh.com.au. Retrieved 1 August 2013.

External links

• "The Hon. Gregory Stephen PEARCE, BA LLB MLC – Parliament of New South Wales