Preceded by Alex McTaggart Premier Mike Baird Spouse Sophie Stokes Majority 25.4 points (2015) Preceded by Robyn Parker Education Macquarie University | Premier Mike Baird Name Rob Stokes Succeeded by Mark Speakman Preceded by Pru Goward Role Legislator | |
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Party Liberal Party of Australia | ||
Rob stokes live at net prophet 2014
Robert Gordon Stokes (born 17 January 1974), an Australian politician, is the New South Wales Minister for Education since January 2017 in the Berejiklian government. He is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Pittwater for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2007.
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Stokes has previously served as the Minister for the Environment, the Minister for Heritage, the Assistant Minister for Planning, and the Minister for the Central Coast during 2014 and 2015 in the first Baird government; and the Minister for Planning since April 2015 in the second Baird government.
Early life
Stokes grew up in Mona Vale. He attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore School) and obtained his Higher School Certificate in 1991. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws, a Master of Laws and a PhD at Macquarie University; a Diploma of Biblical Studies, and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
Early career
Stokes was an associate with the law firm David Begg & Associates in Martin Place, Sydney. He also worked in a number of other legal firms including one at Mona Vale. He subsequently became a lecturer in the Division of Law at Macquarie University. He became a member of the Young Lawyers Association of New South Wales and was a member of both the Environmental Law and CLE Committees. He became a Presidential Nominee in 2004 and was elected to Executive Council at the 2004 Annual Assembly.
Political career
Stokes was a policy advisor to Liberal Opposition Leader John Brogden, the Member for Pittwater. When Brogden resigned in controversial circumstances, the 2005 by-election was won by independent candidate Alex McTaggart in what many described as a shock result. Less than two years later, Stokes regained the seat for the Liberals at the 2007 general election. He was elected with a swing of 26.9 per cent, and won the seat with 59.4 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis.
After the election, Stokes established his electorate office in Mona Vale. Stokes paid tribute to John Brogden in his inaugural speech to the NSW Parliament on 31 May 2007.
At the 2011 general election, Stokes was re-elected with a swing of 21.7 points, gaining 84.5 per cent of the two-party vote. Stokes' main competitor was the Greens Jonathan King. Following the election, Stokes was appointed as NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy in the O'Farrell government.
Due to the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as Premier, and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle by Mike Baird, the new Liberal Leader, Stokes was appointed as Minister for the Environment, Minister for Heritage, and Assistant Minister for Planning and appointed as a member of cabinet. Two weeks later, following the resignation of Mike Gallacher, Stokes was appointed as Minister for the Central Coast. Following the 2015 state election, Stokes was sworn in as the Minister for Planning on 2 April 2015 in the second Baird government. Following the resignation of Mike Baird as Premier, Gladys Berejiklian was elected as Liberal leader and sworn in as Premier. The Berejiklian ministry was subsequently formed with Stokes sworn in as the Minister for Education with effect from 30 January 2017.