Who is Dominic Perrottet?
Early last week, few would have suspected that the NSW government was anything but stable. Gladys Berejiklian had become a steady and familiar figure, leading her constituents through a lockdown lasting over 100 days. Almost overnight, the state has a new premier, a new deputy and, potentially, a new roadmap out of lockdown.
Dominic Perrottet was sworn in as the 46th premier of NSW yesterday afternoon, after he beat out Planning Minister, Rob Stokes, with 39 votes to 5. The election followed the surprise resignation of Gladys Berejiklian on Friday, who stepped down in light of the ongoing corruption investigation against her.
Perrottet has quickly climbed the ranks since his election into state parliament in 2011, and is now the youngest NSW premier in history. Now one of the most powerful people in the country, many are questioning how the 39-year-old conservative will go about getting the state out of lockdown.
Demonstrating a strong focus on economic crisis management, Perrottet opposed extending the lockdown in July. There were also allegations that he suggested Chief Health Officer, Kerry Chant, should take a pay cut after she proposed stricter COVID controls last year. The premier has since suggested he won’t rule out changing the roadmap out of COVID-19.
Gregory Melleuish, Professor of history and politics at the University of Wollongong, joined the Wednesday Daily to tell us more about our new premier.
