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Dan Tehan

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The Honourable
Dan Tehan
MP
Tehan in 2022
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
In office
18 December 2020 – 23 May 2022
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded bySimon Birmingham
Succeeded byDon Farrell
Minister for Education
In office
28 August 2018 – 18 December 2020
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded bySimon Birmingham
Succeeded byAlan Tudge
Minister for Social Services
In office
20 December 2017 – 28 August 2018
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison
Preceded byChristian Porter
Succeeded byPaul Fletcher
Minister for Defence Personnel
In office
19 July 2016 – 20 December 2017
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Preceded byMarise Payne (as Acting Minister for Defence Materiel and Science)
Succeeded byMichael McCormack
Minister for Veterans' Affairs
In office
18 February 2016 – 20 December 2017
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Preceded byStuart Robert
Succeeded byMichael McCormack
Minister for Defence Materiel
In office
18 February 2016 – 19 July 2016
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Preceded byMarise Payne (as Acting Minister for Defence Materiel and Science)
Succeeded byChristopher Pyne as Minister for Defence Industry)
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Wannon
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 August 2010
Preceded byDavid Hawker
Personal details
Born
Daniel Thomas Tehan

(1968-01-27) 27 January 1968 (age 56)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLiberal
SpouseSarah Tehan
Children5
ParentMarie Tehan (mother)
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
OccupationPolitician
WebsiteOfficial website

Daniel Thomas Tehan (TEE-an; born 27 January 1968) is an Australian politician. He is a member of the Liberal Party and has been a member of the House of Representatives since the 2010 election, representing the Victorian seat of Wannon. He held ministerial office in the Coalition governments under Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, serving as Minister for Defence Materiel (2016), Defence Personnel (2016–2017), Veterans' Affairs (2016–2017), Social Services (2017–2018), Education (2018–2020), and Trade, Tourism and Investment. He was a public servant and political adviser before entering parliament.

Childhood and education

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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. 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

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.[5]

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.[6] He reportedly also supported Abbott in the September 2015 leadership spill which saw him replaced by Malcolm Turnbull.[7]

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.[8]

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.[9] Despite his earlier support of Tony Abbott, in June 2017 he publicly criticised him for his perceived lack of support for the Turnbull government.[10] 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.[11]

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.[12] When Turnbull withdrew from the second vote, he supported Scott Morrison.[13] Tehan was subsequently appointed Minister for Education in the first Morrison Ministry.[14]

Tehan commissioned two reviews into academic freedom following a series of controversies.[15] 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.[16]

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.[17] He later proposed that students failing more than half of their courses be denied access to government loans.[18]

Tehan was moved to the trade portfolio in a December 2020 cabinet reshuffle, prompted by the retirement of Mathias Cormann.[19] He took over negotiations for the proposed Australia–UK free trade agreement from his predecessor Simon Birmingham.[20]

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 Centrist faction of the Liberal Party,[21] after previously being aligned with centre-right faction during the Morrison government years.[22]

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.[23] He ultimately voted in favour of the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017 which legalised same-sex marriage.[24] 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.[25]

Personal life

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Tehan has three children and is divorced.[26]

Tehan supports the Richmond Tigers in the Australian Football League.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Hon Dan Tehan MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Former Minister died from CJD". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 November 2004. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Packham, Ben (27 August 2018). "Tehan's job: win back the Catholic schools vote". The Weekend Australian. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  5. ^ Sinnott, Alex (24 December 2010). "The best and worst of 2010 politics". The Standard. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  6. ^ Woolley, Jarrod (6 February 2015). "Wannon MP Dan Tehan back Prime Minister ahead of Liberal leadership spill". The Standard. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  7. ^ Martin, Sarah (16 September 2015). "Malcolm Turnbull: treachery defeated Abbott, claim loyalists". The Australian. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  8. ^ Massola, James (13 February 2016). "Cabinet reshuffle: Malcolm Turnbull announces new frontbench as Mal Brough resigns". The Age. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Tillett, Andrew (30 June 2017). "Liberal conservatives hit back at Tony Abbott". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  11. ^ Turnbull, Malcolm (19 December 2017). "Ministerial arrangements". Prime Minister's Office. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  12. ^ Murphy, Katharine. "Dutton backers launch late-night attack on Turnbull, hoping to trigger second spill". Guardian Australia. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  13. ^ "How the party members voted in the Liberal leadership contest". The Age. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  14. ^ Bagshaw, Eryk (26 August 2018). "Prime Minister Scott Morrison reveals new cabinet". The Age. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  15. ^ Ferguson, Richard (23 February 2021). "Glyn Davis and Dan Tehan in university free-speech clash". The Australian. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Education Minister Dan Tehan launches review into universities' implemention [sic] of free speech code". The Australian. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ "University students who fail half their first-year courses could lose federal funding". Guardian Australia. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Dan Tehan named new trade minister while aged care 'elevated' to cabinet in reshuffle". the Guardian. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  20. ^ "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.
  21. ^ Massola, James (8 April 2023). "How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ 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.
  25. ^ Kelly, Joe (7 July 2018). "Dan Tehan in fresh push for freedom of religion". The Australian. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  26. ^ "The Hon Dan Tehan MP". National Press Club of Australia. 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  27. ^ "Each AFL Teams Biggest Political Fan".
[edit]
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Wannon
2010–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
2020–2022 		Succeeded by
Minister for Education
2018–2020 		Succeeded byas Minister for Education and Youth
Preceded by Minister for Social Services
2017-2018 		Succeeded by
Vacant
Title last held by
Marise Payne
as Acting Minister for Defence Materiel and Science 		Minister for Defence Personnel
2016–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Veterans' Affairs
2016–2017
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
2016–2017
Preceded byas Acting Minister for Defence Materiel and Science Minister for Defence Materiel
2016 		Succeeded byas Minister for Defence Industry
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