Anthony Roberts

The Honourable Anthony Roberts MP
Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 April 2015
Premier	Mike Baird
Preceded by	himself (as Minister for Resources and Energy)
Minister for Resources and Energy
In office 9 December 2013 – 2 April 2015
Premier	Barry O'Farrell Mike Baird
Preceded by	Chris Hartcher
Succeeded by	himself (as Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy)
Special Minister of State
In office 9 December 2013 – 2 April 2015
Premier	Barry O'Farrell Mike Baird
Preceded by	Chris Hartcher
Succeeded by	portfolio abolished
Minister for Fair Trading
In office 3 April 2011 – 9 December 2013
Premier	Barry O'Farrell
Preceded by	Virginia Judge
Succeeded by	Stuart Ayres
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Lane Cove
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 March 2003
Preceded by	Kerry Chikarovski
Personal details
Born	17 April 1970
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Website	Parliamentary webpage

Anthony John Roberts MP (born 19 April 1970^[1]), an Australian politician, is the New South Wales Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, since 2 April 2015 in the second Baird government.^[2][3] Roberts is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Lane Cove for the Liberal Party since 2003.^[1] He is the former Minister for Fair Trading in the O'Farrell government and the former Minister for Resources and Energy and the Special Minister of State, between 2013 and 2015 in the first Baird government.^[4]

Early life

Roberts was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview and the University of Technology, Sydney. He completed voluntary military service, achieving the rank of Captain in the Australian Army Reserve.^[1]

In 1998, Roberts was deployed as part of the Australian Reserves to Bougainville as part of Operation Bel Isi. This operation required Australian forces to monitor a ceasefire on the island following years of civil unrest.^[5]

Roberts was elected to Lane Cove Council and served as a Councillor between 1995 and 2003, including a term serving as Deputy Mayor and two terms as Mayor, between 1999 and 2000 and between 2001 and 2002.^[1]

Political advisor

Between 1992 and 1996, Roberts was employed as an advisor to the Hon Dr Brian Pezzutti MP,^[1] and between 1996 and 2003, Roberts was employed as an electorate officer to then Prime Minister, John Howard.^[1][6] In the book Jonestown: The Power and the Myth of Alan Jones, journalist Chris Masters claimed that Roberts was employed to act as a liaison between the office and Sydney radio broadcaster Alan Jones.^[7] Australian online political magazine Crikey.com gave Roberts the title, "Minister for Alan Jones".^[8][9]

New South Wales political career

Roberts left Howard's office when he was elected as the Member for Lane Cove in 2003, following the retirement of Kerry Chikarovski.^[1] Roberts was re-elected in 2007, increasing his margin from 3.2 per cent to 12.4 per cent.

Following the 2007 election, in May 2008 Roberts was appointed as Shadow Minister for Emergency Services and Juvenile Justice and in December 2008, was moved from these portfolios and was subsequently appointed Shadow Minister for the Arts, Citizenship and Volunteering.^[1]

On 24 April 2010, Roberts was unanimously endorsed by the Liberal Party to contest the 2011 state election. He was re-elected to Lane Cove with a swing of 13.4 points and won the seat with 77.3 per cent of the two-party vote.^[10] His main opponent was Mario Tsang, representing Labor. Subsequent to the election, on 3 April 2011, Roberts was appointed Minister for Fair Trading.^[1] Following the resignation of Chris Hartcher from cabinet 4 December 2013, Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts assumed his responsibilities as Minister for Resources and Energy and Special Minister of State. Stuart Ayres was also appointed to succeed Roberts in his Fair Trading portfolio.^[11] Following the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as Premier,^[12] and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle by Mike Baird, the new Liberal Leader,^[4] in April 2014 Roberts had no change to his existing responsibilities as a minister.^[13][1]

Orange Grove accusations

Roberts was previously a director of the public relations firm Flagship Communications.^[14] After Roberts was elected to Parliament in 2003, Flagship Communications acted on behalf of owners of the Orange Grove site.^[15] Former NSW Premier Bob Carr claimed in 2004 that, "there appeared to be a warm relationship between Gazcorp and Mr Roberts, evidenced by a stream of faxes and emails giving the Liberal MP questions to ask of the Labor Party about the factory outlet".^[16] On 14 September 2004, Roberts said in Parliament that he had ceased being a director of Flagship Communications prior to being elected to Parliament and had never received any payment from Flagship Communications.^[17]

See also

• O'Farrell ministry
• Baird ministry
• Parliament of New South Wales

References

1. "The Hon. Anthony John Roberts, MP". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
2. Hasham, Nicole (3 April 2015). "Premier Mike Baird's new NSW cabinet sworn in: Gladys Berejiklian and Gabrielle Upton first female Treasurer and Attorney-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
3. Coultan, Mark (1 April 2015). "Mike Baird reveals NSW cabinet". The Australian. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
4. Nicholls, Sean (22 April 2014). "Mike Baird's cabinet reshuffle a preparation for next election". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
5. http://www.anthonyrobertsmp.com.au/about/about_anthony/about_anthony.html
6. "To dream the unthinkable". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 September 2004.
7. Masters, Chris (2006). Jonestown: The Power and the Myth of Alan Jones (hardcover). Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-74175-156-7.
8. McClymont, Kate; McMahon, Neil; Ricketson, Matthew (23 October 2006). "Write again: Jones and his potent pen". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
9. Mitchell, Alex (12 May 2008). "Debnam resigns over NSW electricity privatisation". Crikey (Private Media Pty Limited). Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
10. Green, Antony (5 April 2011). "Lane Cove". NSW Votes 2011 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 11 April 2011.
11. Gerathy, Sarah (9 December 2013). "Anthony Roberts appointed NSW Resources, Energy and Special Minister for State". ABC News. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
12. "Barry O'Farrell quits as NSW Premier over memory fail". The Australian. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
13. "Mike Baird's NSW cabinet". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
14. "Inquiry into the Approval of the Designer Outlets Centre, Liverpool – Final Report" (pdf). General Purpose Standing Committee No. 4. Legislative Council of New South Wales. 10 September 2004. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
15. Mitchell, Alex (26 September 2004). "Lowys told to appear at inquiry". The Sun-Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 1 May 2011.
16. Davies, Anne (15 September 2004). "Orange Grove owner is PM's landlord". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
17. "Designer Outlets Centre, Liverpool, Closure (Personal Explanation)". Hansard – New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Parliament of New South Wales. 14 September 2004. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.

External links

• The Hon. Anthony John ROBERTS, MP – Parliament of New South Wales
• Anthony Roberts website