Andrew Constance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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_(cropped).png) Constance at the Tallawong train yard in September 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of theNew South Wales Parliament forBega | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 22 March 2003 – 30 December 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Russell Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michael Holland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Andrew James Constance (1973-10-31)31 October 1973 (age 51) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Liberal Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Andrew James Constance (born 31 October 1973) is an Australian politician who representedBega for theLiberal Party in theNew South Wales Legislative Assembly between2003 and December 2021.[1]
Constance served as theNew South WalesMinister for Transport and Roads in thesecond Berejiklian ministry from April 2019 until October 2021.[2][3][4] Previously, he served as theMinister for Transport and Infrastructure from 2 April 2015 until 23 March 2019 in thesecond Baird andfirst Berejiklian governments;[5][6][7] as theTreasurer of New South Wales and theMinister for Industrial Relations between 2014 and 2015 in thefirst Baird government;[8][9] as the Minister for Ageing and Disability Services between 2011 and 2013; and as theMinister for Finance and Services, between 2013 and 2014, in theO'Farrell government.
At the time Constance was elected in 2003, he was aged 29 years, and he became the youngest member of the Parliament. Constance previously worked as a corporate affairs consultant representing large industry associations and multinationals in the Asia-Pacific region.[10] A former president of theYoung Liberals, his family connections in the Bega area stem back to the 1860s when his great-great-grandfather, James Constance, drove a team of bullocks through the Bega Valley.[11]
Constance was appointed Minister for Ageing and Disability Services in 2011 and championed the person-centred reforms which were necessary steps towards theNational Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Under Constance's stewardship, NSW became the first Australian state or territory to agree to the full funding of the scheme with the Commonwealth.
Constance was promoted to Minister for Finance and Services in 2013 after the sacking ofGreg Pearce, with the portfolio of Ageing and Disability Services transferred toJohn Ajaka.[12][13]
Due to the resignation ofBarry O'Farrell as premier,[14] and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle byMike Baird, the former Treasurer and new Liberal Leader,[8] in April 2014 Constance was appointed as Treasurer;[1][15][16] and his responsibilities expanded to include Industrial Relations less than one month later.[9] Constance handed down his first Budget on 17 June 2014.
Following the2015 state election, Constance was appointed Minister for Transport and Infrastructure.[5][6] During Constance's tenure as minister, NSW was the first Australian state to legaliseridesharing companies includingUber.[17] Constance was also responsible for theSydney Metro. He continued to be the Minister for Transport afterGladys Berejiklian became premier in 2017. Following the2019 state election, Constance was sworn in as the Minister for Transport and Roads in the second Berejiklian ministry, with effect from 2 April 2019.[18] In this role Constance brought in mobile phone detection cameras which have generated a large amount of fine revenue for the state government.[19][20]
On 10 March 2020, Constance announced his resignation from politics and will not contest the nextstate election, citing that recovery from thebushfires will take priority before announcing an effective date.[21]
Constance supported the legalisation ofvoluntary assisted dying in New South Wales.[22]
Constance also supported the amendment to the NSWCrimes Act 1900 todecriminalise abortion.[23]
During the debate regarding the decriminalisation of abortion in 2019 Constance banned an advertisement on aNewcastle bus.[24] Constance is strongly of the opinion that abortion rights must be safeguarded since being legalised, writing in an opinion piece forThe Sydney Morning Herald about why he thinks the right to an abortion should be held in high regard.[25]
On 5 May 2020, he announced that he would resign from the NSW Cabinet and seekLiberal Partypreselection for the2020 Eden-Monaro by-election.[26] However, within 24 hours he reversed what he called "a hasty decision".[27][28] A contributing factor behind Constance's reconsideration was an abusive text message which he received from then-Deputy Premier of New South Wales,John Barilaro, while Constance was deliberating running for the by-election; Barilaro's message convinced Constance that "politics was stuffed", and he decided not to run.[29] On 8 May, Constance was removed from his role as Leader of the House of theNew South Wales Legislative Assembly "as punishment for his spectacular change of heart over quitting state politics".[30]
On 3 October 2021, he announced his intention to quit his state seat to seek Liberal Party preselection for the federal seat ofGilmore at the2022 federal election[31][32] He announced he would resign on 26 November 2021, triggering aby-election for the seat of Bega.[33] However, he did not officially resign until 30 December 2021.[34] Constance was preselected as the Liberal candidate forGilmore on 17 January 2022. At the subsequent election, Constance was narrowly defeated by incumbent MPFiona Phillips of the Australian Labor Party.[35]
After the death of SenatorJim Molan in January 2023, Constance intended to run for the preselection to fill the Senate casual vacancy caused by Molan's death. Constance made a deal with sections of the Right faction whereby he, if elected, would resign after 18 months to run as the party's candidate for the seat of Gilmore at thenext federal election for a second time. However, senior party sources found that many were unhappy with the idea of another resignation. He was endorsed by Berejiklian, SenatorMarise Payne and her partner, former state Cabinet ministerStuart Ayres (who was the state member forPenrith until2023 and a former state deputy leader).[36] He was ultimately defeated in the final vote toMaria Kovacic, with 243 votes compared to Kovacic's 287[37]
On 2 March 2024, it was announced that Constance had won preselection for the seat ofGilmore to recontest the seat. He won the preselection 80-69 beating Paul Ell, a member of theShoalhaven Council.[38]
On Monday 24 February 2025, Constance stated that the Liberal Party would seek to move away from theParis climate agreement if elected. During the2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires Constance believed climate change was a factor in causing the "fire tsunami". Shadow Minister for Climate Change and EnergyTed O'Brien stated that theCoalition has no plans to wind back Australia's international climate commitments and is committed to reaching net zero.[39]
| Faction | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Andrew Constance | 80 | 53.69 | ||
| Liberal (unaligned) | Paul Ell | 69 | 46.30 | ||
| Total votes | 149 | 100.00 | |||
| Faction | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Maria Kovacic | 266 | 52.26 | ||
| Moderate | Andrew Constance | 243 | 47.74 | ||
| Total votes | 509 | 100.00 | |||
| Faction | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Andrew Constance | Unopposed | |||
In the second reading speech the Hon Andrew Constance, MP, Minister for Transport and Roads said,
Mr Constance, who supported the bill in the lower house, said MPs should "park the politics, focus on the issues".
"Ooh has fallen into line with NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance who banned our ads from Newcastle buses after a Facebook complaint.
| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member for Bega 2003–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister for Disability Services 2011–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Minister for Ageing 2011–2013 | ||
| Preceded by | Minister for Finance andServices 2013–2014 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Industrial Relations 2014–2015 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Treasurer of New South Wales 2014–2015 | |
| Minister for Infrastructure 2015–2019 | Portfolio abolished | |
| Preceded by | Minister for Transport 2015–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded byas Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight | Minister for Roads 2019–2021 | |
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