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Dan Tehan
Dan Tehan
from Wikipedia

Daniel Thomas Tehan (TEE-an; born 27 January 1968) is an Australian politician who is the Manager of Opposition Business in the House. He has been the member of parliament (MP) for the Victorian division of Wannon since 2010.

Key Information

Tehan previously held various ministerial positions in the Coalition governments under Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison from 2016 to 2022. He was a member of the Dutton shadow ministry from 2022 to 2025. He was a public servant and political advisor before entering parliament.

Early life and education

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Daniel Thomas Tehan was born on 27 January 1968 in Melbourne,[1] the third of six children born to Jim and Marie Tehan (née O'Brien).[2] His mother was elected to the Parliament of Victoria in 1987 and served as a state government minister, while his father was a country vice-president of the Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division). Tehan grew up on the family's farming property near Mansfield, Victoria. His paternal grandfather Jim Tehan helped establish the National Farmers' Federation.[3] His mother and aunt both died of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.[2]

Tehan attended a Catholic primary school and a public high school in country Victoria before completing his secondary education as a boarder at Xavier College, Melbourne.[4] He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) from the University of Melbourne, Master of Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University, and Master of International Relations from the University of Kent in England.[1]

Early career

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Tehan worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1995 to 1998 and then was a member of the diplomatic service from 1999 to 2001.[1] He was posted to Mexico City and was also involved with Central America and Cuba.[3] In 2002 he was seconded to the office of Trade Minister Mark Vaile,[1] where he was involved in negotiations on the Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement in 2004.[5]

When Vaile became deputy prime minister in 2005 Tehan remained with him as a senior adviser. He later served as chief of staff to Fran Bailey, the Minister for Small Business and Tourism. After the defeat of the Howard government, he served as director of trade policy and international affairs with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2007–2008) and deputy state director of the Liberal Party in Victoria (2008–2009).[1]

Politics

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Tehan with constituents in 2015

While still working in Mexico, Tehan sought preselection for the Liberal Party at the 2001 Australian federal election in the Division of Indi.[6][7] Sophie Panopoulos was ultimately selected as the Liberal candidate.[8]

Tehan was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2010 federal election, succeeding David Hawker in the Division of Wannon. He was encouraged to run for Liberal preselection by Denis Napthine, a family friend, and beat nine other candidates in the ballot despite his lack of prior connections with the area.[3] He and his family moved to Hamilton in order to live in the electorate.[9]

In February 2015, Tehan publicly supported Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the lead-up to a motion to spill the leadership of the Liberal Party.[10] He reportedly also supported Abbott in the September 2015 leadership spill which saw him replaced by Malcolm Turnbull.[11]

Turnbull government

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On 13 February 2016 it was announced that Tehan would be appointed the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Minister for Defence Materiel, and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC following a rearrangement in the First Turnbull Ministry.[12]

With the reelection of the Turnbull government after the 2016 election, Tehan kept his Veterans' Affairs and Centenary of ANZAC portfolios and moved from Defence Materiel to Defence Personnel in the Second Turnbull Ministry.[13] Despite his earlier support of Tony Abbott, in June 2017 he publicly criticised him for his perceived lack of support for the Turnbull government.[14] In the fourth rearrangement of the same Turnbull ministry, on 20 December 2017 Tehan was promoted to the Minister for Social Services and served as a member of the Cabinet.[15]

Morrison government

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Tehan as trade minister in 2022 with U.S. agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack

During the August 2018 Liberal leadership spills, Tehan announced that he would not vote to depose a sitting prime minister.[16] When Turnbull withdrew from the second vote, he supported Scott Morrison.[17] Tehan was subsequently appointed Minister for Education in the first Morrison Ministry.[18]

Tehan commissioned two reviews into academic freedom following a series of controversies.[19] The first, led by Robert French, recommended the adoption of a freedom-of-speech code, with universities agreeing to implement this by the end of 2020. The second, led by Sally Walker, examined university responses to the French code.[20]

In 2020, Tehan announced a policy whereby university course fees would be altered to encourage "job-ready graduates", with fees to be increased for arts, commerce and law but reduced for STEM subjects.[21] He later proposed that students failing more than half of their courses be denied access to government loans.[22]

Tehan was moved to the trade portfolio in a December 2020 cabinet reshuffle, prompted by the retirement of Mathias Cormann.[23] He took over negotiations for the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement from his predecessor Simon Birmingham.[5]

Opposition

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Following the Coalition's defeat at the 2022 federal election, Tehan was given the immigration and citizenship portfolio in Peter Dutton's shadow cabinet.[1]

Political positions

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Tehan is a member of the National Right (Old Guard) faction of the Liberal Party,[24] after previously being aligned with centre-right faction during the Morrison government years.[25]

Tehan opposed the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia, but in June 2016 announced he would vote in parliament in accordance with the results of a nationwide plebiscite.[26] He ultimately voted in favour of the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017 which legalised same-sex marriage.[27]

In 2018 he delivered the St Thomas More Lecture in Canberra and spoke of a "creeping encroachment from the state on religious belief", suggesting the introduction of a national religious discrimination act.[28]

Personal life

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Tehan has three children and is twice divorced.[29]

Tehan supports the Richmond Tigers in the Australian Football League.[30]

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia

Daniel Thomas Tehan (born 27 January 1968) is an Australian politician who has represented the Division of Wannon in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Party since 2010.
Tehan grew up on a family farm in rural Victoria and entered federal politics after working as a senior adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister and chief of staff to a cabinet minister.
During the Morrison government, he held several ministerial portfolios, including Veterans' Affairs (2016), Social Services (2017–2018), Education (2018–2020), and Trade, Tourism and Investment (2020–2022), where he oversaw policy implementation in defence materiel procurement, social welfare reforms, university funding adjustments, and international trade negotiations.
As chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Tehan contributed to bipartisan reports enhancing national security oversight.
In opposition following the 2022 election, he served as Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship until May 2025, and currently holds the role of Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, focusing on policy critiques of government energy strategies.
Tehan has secured federal investments for his electorate, including upgrades to the Warrnambool Rail Line and regional infrastructure projects.

Early life

Family background and childhood

Dan Tehan was born on 27 January 1968 in , Victoria. He was the third of six children to parents Jim Tehan, a , and Marie Tehan (née O'Brien), who later entered . The family resided on a farming property near in Victoria's High Country, where Tehan spent his childhood. His father managed operations involving sheep and on the property. Tehan grew up alongside three brothers and two sisters in this rural setting. Tehan's mother, Marie Tehan, supplemented family income through a in a nearby town before pursuing a political career. She served as a Liberal member of the for Seymour from 1992 to 1999 and held ministerial positions in the Kennett government, including from 1996 to 1999. Both parents were politically engaged, instilling an early awareness of in the household. The family's agricultural roots emphasized and rural values, shaping Tehan's formative years amid farm life and community involvement.

Education

Tehan completed his secondary education at , a Catholic independent school in . He then pursued tertiary studies, earning a with honours from the . Following his undergraduate degree, Tehan obtained two postgraduate qualifications: a Master of from the in , , and a Master of Foreign Affairs and Trade from . These advanced degrees focused on international affairs, aligning with his subsequent career in and .

Pre-political career

Professional roles and Liberal Party involvement

Prior to entering federal politics, Tehan worked in both in and overseas, including a year as a farmhand after , during which he observed the impacts of economic policies on rural sectors. He subsequently joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, serving in various roles, notably as a at the Australian Embassy in . In these positions, Tehan focused on and issues. Tehan later transitioned to advisory roles in government, acting as Senior Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister and Chief of Staff to the Minister for Small Business and , where he addressed practical policy challenges in , , and rural economies. These experiences built on his diplomatic background and agricultural roots, emphasizing first-hand engagement with policy implementation. Tehan's involvement with the Liberal Party predated his parliamentary career, influenced by his family's political ties—his mother, Marie Tehan, served as a minister in the Kennett state government, and his father, Jim Tehan, was a party vice-president. From 2008 to 2009, he held the position of Deputy State Director for the Victorian division of the Liberal Party, managing organizational and campaign operations. This role honed his political strategy skills ahead of his successful preselection for the seat of Wannon in 2010.

Parliamentary career

Entry to Parliament and early roles


Dan Tehan was elected to the as the Liberal Party member for the Division of Wannon, Victoria, at the federal election held on 21 August 2010. He succeeded David Hawker, the retiring Liberal incumbent who had represented the seat since 1983, thereby preserving Wannon's status as a safe Liberal electorate. Tehan achieved a share of approximately 60 percent, reflecting strong support in the rural and regional constituency spanning western Victoria.
Upon entering amid the formation of a Labor under , Tehan initially served as a backbench opposition member. In his first term from 2010 to 2013, he was appointed to multiple parliamentary committees, focusing on areas pertinent to his electorate's agricultural and regional interests. These included the House Standing Committee on , Resources, Fisheries and from 25 October 2010 to 5 August 2013, and the House Standing Committee on over the same period. Additionally, he contributed to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters from 2 June 2011 to 9 December 2011, and the Joint Statutory Committee on from 14 March 2012 to 5 August 2013. Tehan was re-elected in the 2013 federal election, which saw the Liberal-National Coalition form government under . During the 2013–2016 term, he continued active committee involvement, serving on the House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Industry from 4 December 2013 to 11 February 2016, and chairing the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security from 12 December 2013 to 25 February 2016. These roles underscored his emphasis on , rural policy, and scrutiny prior to his elevation to the ministry in early 2016.

Service in the Turnbull government

Dan Tehan was appointed to the outer ministry on 18 2016 as Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Materiel, following Malcolm Turnbull's ascension to in 2015. In these roles, he oversaw support services for approximately 300,000 veterans and managed procurement and sustainment of defence equipment valued at billions of dollars annually. A cabinet reshuffle on 19 2016 saw Tehan's portfolio adjusted; he retained and was appointed Minister for Defence Personnel—responsible for the welfare, recruitment, and retention of over 60,000 members—and Minister Assisting the for the Centenary of ANZAC, coordinating commemorative events for the 1915 Gallipoli campaign's centenary involving national ceremonies and community programs attended by millions. Defence Materiel duties transferred to another minister amid efforts to streamline acquisition processes. On 19 December 2017, Tehan entered cabinet as , administering welfare payments, disability support, and child care subsidies affecting over 5 million Australians through and related agencies, while assumed . He held this position until the Turnbull government's dissolution on 24 August 2018, focusing on welfare reforms including tightening mutual obligation requirements for 800,000 job seekers.

Service in the Morrison government

Tehan was sworn in as Minister for Education on 28 August 2018, retaining the portfolio following Scott Morrison's ascension to the prime ministership. In this capacity, he prioritized reforming the to emphasize foundational skills, criticizing the existing structure as overburdened and advocating a return to essentials like phonics-based reading instruction, arithmetic proficiency, and writing fundamentals. He also advanced the government's Gonski 2.0 funding model, securing agreements with states and territories that allocated an additional $4.6 billion over a decade, predominantly to independent and Catholic schools, while tying future disbursements to performance metrics and needs-based criteria. Amid the , Tehan oversaw adaptations in schooling, including the extension of free childcare until July 2020 to support workforce participation and the subsequent transition to a reduced framework, which aimed to balance economic recovery with early access. These measures were credited with mitigating disruptions but drew scrutiny from public sector advocates over perceived shortfalls in sustained funding for government schools. On 22 December 2020, in a prompted by departures including Health Minister , Tehan transitioned to Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, succeeding . Assuming the role amid heightened Sino-Australian trade frictions—initiated by China's imposition of tariffs and bans on Australian exports like , and following Canberra's calls for a origins inquiry—Tehan pursued diplomatic outreach, contacting his Chinese counterpart in January 2021 to advocate for "constructive engagement" and resolution of disputes. However, offered no substantive reply, prompting Tehan to intensify diversification efforts, including bolstering agreements and partnerships in the region. Tehan championed "economic statecraft" to counter coercive practices, advancing WTO challenges against Chinese measures and fostering alternative markets, such as enhanced economic corridors with through joint initiatives on critical minerals and . In tourism and , he supported sector recovery from pandemic-induced border closures via export promotion and incentives for innovation, contributing to a reported uptick in non-China trade volumes by mid-2022. His tenure concluded with the Coalition's electoral defeat on 21 May 2022.

Opposition roles and recent developments

Following the Liberal-National Coalition's defeat in the May 2022 federal election, Dan Tehan was appointed to the shadow cabinet as Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship on 5 June 2022 under Opposition Leader . He retained this portfolio through the Dutton shadow ministry period, focusing on scrutiny of the government's migration policies and border security measures. Tehan held the immigration role until 28 May 2025, when assumed the leadership of the opposition following internal party changes. In Ley's newly announced shadow ministry, Tehan was reassigned to Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, a position he continues to hold as of 2025. In his current energy portfolio, Tehan has led the Coalition's review of energy policy, including evaluations of the net zero emissions target by 2050 and potential resurrection of options. In September 2025, he undertook a study tour in the United States to examine nuclear energy technologies and their applications. Tehan has publicly advocated for nuclear inclusion in Australia's , criticizing Labor's approach to renewables and emissions reduction as inconsistent with market principles. This stance aligns with broader efforts to develop an alternative policy framework amid ongoing debates over reliability and cost in the national grid.

Political positions and controversies

Policy stances on energy, trade, and education

Tehan, as Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction since May 2025, has strongly supported incorporating into Australia's energy framework to deliver reliable, low-emissions electricity amid rising demands from sectors like data centres. In September 2025, he conducted a study tour to examine advancements in , followed by statements emphasizing a "nuclear renaissance" for safe, clean, and abundant energy generation. He has affirmed overwhelming consensus on nuclear's viability, rejecting alternatives like heavy reliance on renewables due to concerns over and costs associated with net-zero targets by 2050. As Minister for , and from December 2020 to May 2022, Tehan advanced Australia's agenda by negotiating and signing key agreements to diversify export markets and counter coercive practices by non-market economies. He finalized the Australia-United Kingdom on 17 December 2021, eliminating tariffs on over 99% of Australian goods exports to the —valued at $9.2 billion annually—and facilitating services trade in areas like professional qualifications and rules. In April 2022, he signed the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and , reducing tariffs on Australian exports such as , sheep , and lobsters while opening opportunities in critical minerals and services. These pacts contributed to agreements covering preferential access for goods comprising 75% of Australia's trade by early 2022, with Tehan stressing bilateral relationships to bolster economic resilience. Serving as Minister for Education from August 2018 to September 2020, Tehan implemented the Job-ready Graduates package in 2020, restructuring university funding to lower student contributions by up to 35% for high-priority fields like , , , and STEM—totaling an estimated $1.3 billion in relief over four years—while raising fees for and to shift the balance of public funding from 58% to 52% of total costs and steer enrollments toward national skill shortages. He prioritized rural and regional equity, advocating for measures to attract quality teachers to remote s and independent youth allowances for country students accessing . Tehan also championed evidence-based reforms, including a focus on in early reading instruction and record school funding increases—reaching $24.6 billion annually by 2020—to promote choice between public and independent systems without postcode-based disparities.

Criticisms and responses

During his tenure as Minister for Education in 2020, Tehan faced criticism for publicly accusing Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews of applying a "sledgehammer" to the state's education sector by closing schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which strained federal-state relations and prompted accusations of politicizing public health decisions. Tehan responded the following day by conceding he had "overstepped the mark" in his criticism, emphasizing a desire to maintain national consensus on education responses and clarifying that his intent was to highlight evidence supporting school reopenings where possible. Andrews, in turn, defended Victoria's approach as necessary for vulnerable students and staff, rejecting federal interference. In August 2020, Tehan drew scrutiny for citing flawed government statistics in a speech advocating "job-ready" degree pricing, which incorrectly suggested graduates had employment rates 10-20 percentage points below those in fields like and ; the error stemmed from comparing full-time employment rates for against overall rates for other disciplines. Critics, including Labor and university sector representatives, accused him of using misleading data to justify funding reforms that would increase fees for non-STEM courses by up to 113%. Tehan's department promptly corrected the figures, with Tehan attributing the discrepancy to "sloppy or mischievous" interpretation in the underlying report, while defending the broader policy as incentivizing vocational alignment in higher education. Tehan has also been criticized by transparency advocates for consistently voting against procedural motions in to establish a federal anti-corruption commission between 2018 and 2022, with records showing opposition in 10 out of 10 relevant divisions. In response, Tehan and colleagues argued that existing integrity bodies, such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission introduced post-2022 election, sufficiently addressed risks without the overreach of proposed models, prioritizing targeted enforcement over broad inquisitorial powers. As Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship from 2023, Tehan faced accusations from policy analysts of vagueness in opposing Labor's migration settings without specifying targets, with one critique labeling his stance as unhelpful to evidence-based reform amid housing pressures. Tehan countered by emphasizing sustainable net migration levels around 160,000-200,000 annually—citing pre-COVID benchmarks—and prioritizing skilled migration over what he termed unchecked inflows exacerbating infrastructure strains.

Personal life

Family and residences

Tehan was born on 27 January 1968 in , Victoria, to Jim Tehan and Marie Tehan, the latter of whom served as a minister in the Victorian state government from 1987 to 1999. He grew up on the family's sheep and cattle farm in rural Victoria alongside three brothers and two sisters. Tehan has been married twice, with his first marriage producing two children: son and daughter Maya. His second marriage was to , which produced daughter and incorporated Sarah's two children from her prior relationship, resulting in a blended of five children. In March 2024, Tehan confirmed his separation from Sarah after nearly 20 years of marriage; he amended his parliamentary register of interests to remove references to her that month. Tehan resides in , within his electorate of Wannon, where he and his family established a farm home in 2016. As of October 2024, his declarations indicate ownership of two properties.

References

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