Gladys Berejiklian

The Honourable Gladys Berejiklian MP
Treasurer of New South Wales
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 April 2015
Premier	Mike Baird
Preceded by	Andrew Constance
Minister for Transport
In office 3 April 2011 – 2 April 2015
Premier	Barry O'Farrell Mike Baird
Preceded by	John Robertson
Succeeded by	Andrew Constance (as Minister for Transport and Infrastructure)
Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 April 2014
Leader	Mike Baird
Preceded by	Jillian Skinner
Minister for the Hunter
In office 23 April 2014 – 2 April 2015
Premier	Mike Baird
Preceded by	Mike Gallacher
Succeeded by	abolished
Minister for Industrial Relations
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 April 2015
Premier	Mike Baird
Preceded by	Andrew Constance
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Willoughby
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 March 2003
Preceded by	Peter Collins
Personal details
Born	(1970-09-22) 22 September 1970 Sydney
Political party	Liberal

Gladys Berejiklian (born 22 September 1970) is the Treasurer of New South Wales and Minister for Industrial Relations in the second Baird government.^[1][2] She is also the Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party. Berejiklian is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Willoughby for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2003.

Berejiklian has previously served as the Minister for Transport and the Minister for the Hunter in the first Baird government.^[3]

Early years and background

Berejiklian was born in Sydney and has a Bachelor of Arts (1992), a graduate diploma in international studies (1996) from the University of Sydney and a Masters in Commerce from the University of New South Wales (2001).^[4] She served a term on the Armenian National Committee of Australia.^[5]

Berejiklian joined the Liberal Party in 1993 and was president of the New South Wales Young Liberal Party (1997–98), being the third female president in its history.^[6] She also served as a Delegate to State Council (1996–2003), Urban Representative of the NSW Liberal Party State Executive (1997–2003), Campaign Director for State seat of Willougby (1999) and Chair of Convention Committee (2002). Berejiklian also worked for Peter Collins and Senator Helen Coonan and the Commonwealth Bank as general manager, Youth Retail Banking and Government & Industry Affairs.^[7]

Parliamentary career

Berejiklian (right) with Andrew Stoner, Victor Dominello and Liberal Leader Barry O'Farrell

Elected as the Member for Willoughby in 2003, Berejiklian joined the frontbench in 2005 as Shadow Minister for Mental Health and was appointed to the opposition frontbench portfolio of Transport by Peter Debnam in 2006. Following the 2007 State election, she was given the shadow portfolio of Citizenship by Opposition Leader O'Farrell.^[8]

Following the election of the O'Farrell government at the 2011 state election, on 3 April 2011 Berejiklian was appointed Transport Minister.^[9] Berejiklian has been outspoken against the former NSW Labor Government's handling of trains, buses and ferries.^[10] The major achievements in her term as Minister for Transport include the extension of the Sydney Light Rail Dulwich Hill Line from Lilyfield to Dulwich Hill;^[11] the phased introduction of the Opal card;^[12][13] and commencement of construction of the North West Rail Link.^[14]

On 17 April 2014, Mike Baird was elected Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and Berejiklian was elected Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party following the resignation of Barry O'Farrell.^[15] In a subsequent ministerial reshuffle, in addition to her existing responsibilities, on 23 April 2014 Berejiklian was sworn in as the Minister for the Hunter.^[4][16]

Following the 2015 state election, Berejiklian was appointed as Treasurer of New South Wales and Minister for Industrial Relations following a cabinet reshuffle announced on 1 April 2015 by Premier Baird.^{[1][2][17][18]}

References