Brad Hazzard

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The Honourable
Brad Hazzard
Minister for Health
In office
30 January 2017 – 28 March 2023
PremierGladys Berejiklian
Dominic Perrottet
Preceded byJillian Skinner
Succeeded byRyan Park
Minister for Medical Research
In office
30 January 2017 – 21 December 2021
PremierGladys Berejiklian
Dominic Perrottet
Preceded byPru Goward
Succeeded byAlister Henskens (as Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Minister 2011–⁠2017
Minister for Family and Community Services
In office
2 April 2015 – 23 January 2017
PremierMike Baird
Preceded byGabrielle Upton
Succeeded byPru Goward
Minister for Social Housing
In office
2 April 2015 – 23 January 2017
PremierMike Baird
Preceded byGabrielle Upton (as Minister for Families and Community Services)
Succeeded byPru Goward
Attorney General of New South Wales
In office
23 April 2014 – 2 April 2015
PremierMike Baird
Preceded byGreg Smith
Succeeded byGabrielle Upton
Minister for Justice
In office
23 April 2014 – 2 April 2015
PremierMike Baird
Preceded byGreg Smith
Succeeded byTroy Grant (Justice and Police)
David Elliott (Corrections)
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
In office
3 April 2011 – 23 April 2014
PremierBarry O'Farrell
Preceded byTony Kelly
Succeeded byPru Goward (Planning)
Mike Baird (Infrastructure)
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Wakehurst
In office
25 May 1991 – 25 March 2023
Preceded byJohn Booth
Succeeded byMichael Regan
Personal details
Born (1951-08-30) 30 August 1951 (age 72)
Sydney
Political partyLiberal Party
Spouse
Nicole Hazzard
​
(m. 2020)​
Children2
Alma mater
OccupationSolicitor
Teacher
WebsiteBrad Hazzard MP webpage

Bradley Ronald "Brad" Hazzard (born 30 August 1951) is a retired Australian politician who served as the member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly district of Wakehurst between May 1991 and March 2023.

A member of the Liberal Party,[1] Hazzard has also 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; as the Attorney General of New South Wales and the Minister for Justice between 2014 and 2015 in the first Baird ministry;[2] as the Minister for Family and Community Services and the Minister for Social Housing between April 2015 and January 2017 in the second Baird government;[3][4] and as the Minister for Health between January 2017 and March 2023 in the Berejiklian and Perrottet ministries.[5][6][7]

Background and early career[edit]

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.[1]

Political career[edit]

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.[1] 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.[8]

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.[9]

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.[10]

NSW Opposition[edit]

After the Labor Party won the 1995 election, Hazzard was appointed to the Opposition frontbench and held various shadow portfolios. Under Opposition Leader Peter Collins, Hazzard was Shadow Minister for Corrective and Emergency Services (1995–1996), Environment (1996–1997), Aboriginal Affairs (1996–2007), and Sport and Recreation (1997–1999)[1]

Under Kerry Chikarovski he was Shadow Minister for Housing (1999–2000), Corrective Services (1999–2000), Disability Services and Ageing (2000–2003), and Community Services (2000–2003). Under John Brogden he was Shadow Minister for Energy and Utilities (2003–2005), Science and Medical Research (2003–2005), Youth (2005), and Community Services (2005).[1]

Under Peter Debnam and Barry O'Farrell he was Shadow Minister for Education (2005–2007) and was made Shadow Minister for Redfern Waterloo (2007–2008). He was also appointed Shadow Minister for Planning (2008–2011) and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure (2008–2011).[1] 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.[citation needed]

NSW Government[edit]

In April 2011 Hazzard was appointed Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and Minister Assisting the Premier on Infrastructure NSW. He also served as Leader of the Legislative Assembly from April 2011 to April 2014.[11]

Due to the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as Premier,[12] and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle by Mike Baird, the new Liberal Leader,[2] 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.[1][13][14] 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.[3]

Following the resignation of 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 Hazzard sworn in as the Minister for Health and the Minister for Medical Research with effect from 30 January 2017.[5] Following the 2019 state election the two portfolios were merged as the Minister for Health and Medical Research.[6] In December 2021, Hazzard was sworn in as the Minister for Health, with the responsibilities of the Office of Medical Research transferred to the Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Alister Henskens.[7]

On 25 October 2022, Hazzard announced his retirement from politics ahead of the 2023 state election.[19]

Personal life[edit]

Hazzard has two adult sons.[8] Hazzard married his second wife Nicole in February 2020.[20]

Policies and beliefs[edit]

In August 2019, Brad Hazzard came out in support of removing abortion as a criminal offence (after 119 years within the NSW Crimes Act 1900 section(s) 82–84)[21] via a bill he co-sponsored with 14 others of all different political parties and independents.[22][23] The bill passed the parliament on 26 September 2019. Hazzard also supported proposals to ban the controversial practice of conversion therapy at a state and national level, however, as of August 2019 a bill had not yet been introduced.[24]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Mr (Brad) Bradley Ronald Hazzard, BA, DipEd, LLB(NSW), LLM(Syd) MP". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b Nicholls, Sean (22 April 2014). "Mike Baird's cabinet reshuffle a preparation for next election". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  3. ^ a b 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.
  4. ^ Coultan, Mark (1 April 2015). "Mike Baird reveals NSW cabinet". The Australian. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Refreshed NSW cabinet sworn in". Australia: Sky News. AAP. 30 January 2017. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Government Notices (30)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 2 April 2019. p. 1088-1090. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (662)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 21 December 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Profile". webpage. Brad Hazzard, MP. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2007.
  9. ^ Hancock, Ian (2000). The Liberals: a history of the NSW division of the Liberal party (hardback). Sydney: The Federation Press. pp. 293–297. ISBN 978-1-86287-659-0.
  10. ^ Green, Antony (12 September 2005). "NSW By-Elections Background". ABC Election Guide 2005. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  11. ^ "New faces in Barry O'Farrell's Cabinet". The Australian. AAP. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  12. ^ "Barry O'Farrell quits as NSW Premier over memory fail". The Australian. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  13. ^ "Mike Baird's NSW cabinet". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  14. ^ "Baird Cabinet announced: Premier promotes Constance to Treasurer, makes way for five new MPs". ABC News. Australia. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 22 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". 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. ^ "NSW health minister Brad Hazzard to retire from politics at state election". the Guardian. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  20. ^ "'Fear of the unknown': Hazzard on the pandemic and 30 years as an MP". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  21. ^ Crime Act 1900 No 40
  22. ^ Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill
  23. ^ "NSW set to decriminalise abortion as health minister says it's 'time for change'". Guardian Australia. AAP. 28 July 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  24. ^ "'Gay conversion therapy nearly killed me': Survivor backs NSW push for national ban". ABC News. Australia. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2021.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Wakehurst
1991–2023 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
2011–2014 		Succeeded byas Minister for Planning
Succeeded byas Minister for Infrastructure
Preceded by Attorney General of New South Wales
2014–2015 		Succeeded by
Minister for Justice
2014–2015 		Succeeded byas Minister for Justice and Police
Succeeded byas Minister for Corrections
Preceded by Minister for Family and Community Services
2015–2017 		Succeeded by
Vacant
Title last held by
Frank Terenzini
as Minister for Housing 		Minister for Social Housing
2015–2017
Preceded by Minister for Health
2017–2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Medical Research
2017–2021 		Succeeded byas Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology
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