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Dan Tehan
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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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]
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
[edit]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
[edit]
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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]Tehan has three children and is twice divorced.[29]
Tehan supports the Richmond Tigers in the Australian Football League.[30]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Hon Dan Tehan MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Former Minister died from CJD". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 November 2004. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ a b c Woolley, Jarrod (20 February 2016). "The rise of Dan Tehan: From the farm to the frontbench". The Standard. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ Packham, Ben (27 August 2018). "Tehan's job: win back the Catholic schools vote". The Weekend Australian. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Attack on Dan Tehan was part of plot to take credit for long-expected trade deal breakthrough". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Hannan, Ewin (24 August 2000). "Another Tehan set to stand". The Age. p. 3.
- ^ "Daniel Tehan in for Indi". Mansfield Courier. 13 September 2000. p. 3.
- ^ "Indi Libs choose a royalist". The Age. 23 October 2000. p. 6.
- ^ Sinnott, Alex (24 December 2010). "The best and worst of 2010 politics". The Standard. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ Woolley, Jarrod (6 February 2015). "Wannon MP Dan Tehan back Prime Minister ahead of Liberal leadership spill". The Standard. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ Martin, Sarah (16 September 2015). "Malcolm Turnbull: treachery defeated Abbott, claim loyalists". The Australian. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ Massola, James (13 February 2016). "Cabinet reshuffle: Malcolm Turnbull announces new frontbench as Mal Brough resigns". The Age. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- ^ Anderson, Stephanie (20 July 2016). "Election 2016: Malcolm Turnbull unveils ministry with Christopher Pyne, Greg Hunt on the move". ABC News. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
- ^ Tillett, Andrew (30 June 2017). "Liberal conservatives hit back at Tony Abbott". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Turnbull, Malcolm (19 December 2017). "Ministerial arrangements". Prime Minister's Office. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ Murphy, Katharine. "Dutton backers launch late-night attack on Turnbull, hoping to trigger second spill". Guardian Australia. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "How the party members voted in the Liberal leadership contest". The Age. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ Bagshaw, Eryk (26 August 2018). "Prime Minister Scott Morrison reveals new cabinet". The Age. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
- ^ Ferguson, Richard (23 February 2021). "Glyn Davis and Dan Tehan in university free-speech clash". The Australian. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "Education Minister Dan Tehan launches review into universities' implemention [sic] of free speech code". The Australian. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Karp, Paul (19 June 2020). "Australian university fees to double for some arts courses, but fall for Stem subjects". Guardian Australia. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "University students who fail half their first-year courses could lose federal funding". Guardian Australia. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "Dan Tehan named new trade minister while aged care 'elevated' to cabinet in reshuffle". the Guardian. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/liberal-party-factions-the-split-in-the-right-that-is-reshaping-the-opposition-20250903-p5ms5b.html
- ^ Massola, James (20 March 2021). "Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ Martinich, Rex (29 June 2016). "Member for Wannon Dan Tehan would look to any national plebiscite result for vote on legalising gay marriage". The Wimmera Mail-Times. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Martinich, Rex (8 December 2017). "Wannon MP Dan Tehan and Mallee MP Andrew Broad vote for same-sex marriage amid battle over religious freedom". Stawell Times. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Kelly, Joe (7 July 2018). "Dan Tehan in fresh push for freedom of religion". The Australian. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "The Hon Dan Tehan MP". National Press Club of Australia. 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "Each AFL Teams Biggest Political Fan".
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Search or browse Hansard for Dan Tehan at OpenAustralia.org
Dan Tehan
View on GrokipediaDaniel 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.[1][2]
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.[2][3]
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.[1][4][5]
As chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Tehan contributed to bipartisan reports enhancing national security oversight.[6]
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.[1][4]
Tehan has secured federal investments for his electorate, including upgrades to the Warrnambool Rail Line and regional infrastructure projects.[7]
Early life
Family background and childhood
Dan Tehan was born on 27 January 1968 in Melbourne, Victoria.[8] He was the third of six children to parents Jim Tehan, a farmer, and Marie Tehan (née O'Brien), who later entered politics.[7] The family resided on a farming property near Mansfield in Victoria's High Country, where Tehan spent his childhood.[9] His father managed operations involving Merino sheep and Hereford cattle on the property.[2] Tehan grew up alongside three brothers and two sisters in this rural setting.[2] Tehan's mother, Marie Tehan, supplemented family income through a small business in a nearby town before pursuing a political career.[10] She served as a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Seymour from 1992 to 1999 and held ministerial positions in the Kennett government, including Health from 1996 to 1999.[11] Both parents were politically engaged, instilling an early awareness of public service in the household.[8] The family's agricultural roots emphasized self-reliance and rural values, shaping Tehan's formative years amid farm life and community involvement.[12]Education
Tehan completed his secondary education at Xavier College, a Catholic independent school in Melbourne.[13] He then pursued tertiary studies, earning a Bachelor of Arts with honours from the University of Melbourne.[1] [14] Following his undergraduate degree, Tehan obtained two postgraduate qualifications: a Master of International Relations from the University of Kent in Canterbury, United Kingdom, and a Master of Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University.[1] [14] These advanced degrees focused on international affairs, aligning with his subsequent career in diplomacy and policy.[2]Pre-political career
Professional roles and Liberal Party involvement
Prior to entering federal politics, Tehan worked in agriculture both in Australia and overseas, including a year as a farmhand after secondary school, during which he observed the impacts of economic policies on rural sectors.[2] He subsequently joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, serving in various diplomatic roles, notably as a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Mexico.[3] In these positions, Tehan focused on international trade and agricultural policy issues.[15] 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 Tourism, where he addressed practical policy challenges in trade, tourism, and rural economies.[2] These experiences built on his diplomatic background and agricultural roots, emphasizing first-hand engagement with policy implementation.[16] 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.[17] 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.[14] This role honed his political strategy skills ahead of his successful preselection for the seat of Wannon in 2010.[3]Parliamentary career
Entry to Parliament and early roles
Dan Tehan was elected to the House of Representatives as the Liberal Party member for the Division of Wannon, Victoria, at the federal election held on 21 August 2010.[1][18] 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.[19] Tehan achieved a two-party-preferred vote share of approximately 60 percent, reflecting strong support in the rural and regional constituency spanning western Victoria.[18] Upon entering parliament amid the formation of a Labor minority government under Julia Gillard, Tehan initially served as a backbench opposition member.[1] 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 Agriculture, Resources, Fisheries and Forestry from 25 October 2010 to 5 August 2013, and the House Standing Committee on Regional Australia over the same period.[1] 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 Human Rights from 14 March 2012 to 5 August 2013.[1] Tehan was re-elected in the 2013 federal election, which saw the Liberal-National Coalition form government under Tony Abbott.[1] 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.[1] These roles underscored his emphasis on national security, rural policy, and infrastructure scrutiny prior to his elevation to the ministry in early 2016.[1]
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