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Paul Fletcher (politician)

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The Honourable
Paul Fletcher
MP
Official portrait, 2013
Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 June 2022
DeputyKevin Hogan
LeaderPeter Dutton
Preceded byTony Burke
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
In office
29 May 2019 – 23 May 2022
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byMitch Fifield
Succeeded byMichelle Rowland (Communications) Tony Burke (Arts) Jenny McAllister (Cities)
Minister for Families and Social Services
In office
28 August 2018 – 29 May 2019
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byDan Tehan
Succeeded byAnne Ruston
Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities
In office
19 July 2016 – 27 August 2018
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison
Preceded byJamie Briggs
Succeeded byAlan Tudge
Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects
In office
21 September 2015 – 16 July 2017
27 October 2017 – 20 December 2017
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Preceded byFiona Nash
Succeeded byJohn McVeigh
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Bradfield
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 December 2009
Preceded byBrendan Nelson
Personal details
Born
Paul William Fletcher

(1965-01-16) 16 January 1965 (age 59)
Devizes, Wiltshire, England
Citizenship
Political partyLiberal Party of Australia
SpouseManuela Zappacosta
Children2
Residence(s)Roseville, Sydney
Alma mater
Websitewww.paulfletcher.com.au

Paul William Fletcher (born 16 January 1965) is an Australian politician. He is a member of the Liberal Party and has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2009, representing the New South Wales seat (aka division) of Bradfield. He held ministerial office in the Turnbull and Morrison governments from 2015 to 2022.

Fletcher was management consultant, lawyer and corporate executive before entering politics. He was first elected to parliament at the 2009 Bradfield by-election.[2] He served as a parliamentary secretary in the Abbott government from 2013 to 2015, before being promoted to the ministry by Malcolm Turnbull. Fletcher subsequently served as Minister for Major Projects, Territories, and Local Government (2015–2016), Urban Infrastructure and Cities (2016–2018), Families and Social Services (2018–2019), and Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts (2019–2022). He was appointed to cabinet in 2018 by Scott Morrison. After the Coalition's defeat at the 2022 election he was named Manager of Opposition Business in the House.

Early life

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Fletcher was born in Devizes, Wiltshire, England,[3] the son of Clive and Mary Fletcher.[4] His father was a professor of computational engineering.[3] He arrived in Australia with his family at the age of two, and held British citizenship until 2009 when he renounced it to stand for parliament.[5][6]

Fletcher grew up in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, where he was the dux of Sydney Grammar School in 1982. He subsequently attended the University of Sydney, graduating with first-class honours in economics and laws. At university he co-wrote two plays, titled The Fax of Life and Annually Fixated.[3] In 1993, Fletcher was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to go to Columbia University's Graduate School of Business in New York City,[7] where he completed a Master of Business Administration degree.[8]

Fletcher was one of seven Liberal MPs in the 46th Parliament of Australia who obtained degrees at an Oxbridge or Ivy League university, the others being Alan Tudge, Angus Taylor, Andrew Laming, Dave Sharma, Greg Hunt and Josh Frydenberg.[9]

Professional career

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In his early career, Fletcher worked as a management consultant, a corporate lawyer for Mallesons Stephen Jaques, and a corporate strategist for TNT Limited. From 1996 to 2000, he worked as chief of staff to Minister for Communications Richard Alston, a Liberal Party politician. Fletcher joined Optus in 2000 and worked as director of corporate and regulatory affairs until 2008. He was a staunch opponent of Telstra, accusing the latter company of being a monopoly.[3]

After leaving Optus, Fletcher founded Fletchergroup Advisers, a strategy consultancy focusing on the communications industry.[10] He also wrote a book entitled Wired Brown Land? Telstra's Battle for Broadband that was published in 2009, discussing Telstra's bid to operate the Australian Government's proposed National Broadband Network.[11]

Political career

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Fletcher joined the Young Liberals at the age of 16.[3] In 2009, he won preselection from a field of 17 people to be the Liberal Party candidate at the 2009 Bradfield by-election, following the retirement of former Liberal leader Brendan Nelson. Bradfield, a seat located in the North Shore of Sydney, has been held continuously by the Liberal Party since its creation in 1949, and is one of the safest Liberal Party seats in Parliament. He was required to renounce his dual British citizenship before entering Parliament, as required by Section 44 of the Constitution of Australia.[1] Fletcher had previously unsuccessfully sought Liberal Party pre-selection in the Division of Cook in 2007.[12]

Under the Abbott government, Fletcher was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications. In September 2015 Fletcher was appointed as the Minister for Major Projects, Territories, and Local Government in the Turnbull government.[13] Fletcher has served as the Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities since July 2016.

Fletcher is a member of the Moderate/Modern Liberal faction of the Liberal Party.[14][15]

In June 2022 he was appointed Manager of Opposition Business in the House.[16] He also serves as Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy, as well as Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts.

Personal life

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Fletcher is married to jeweller Manuela Zappacosta and they have one son, and they live with her son from a previous marriage.[5][17]

References

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  1. ^ a b Cranston, Belinda (27 September 2009). "UK executive pre-selected for Bradfield". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  2. ^ "NSW Division – Bradfield". Virtual Tally Room. Australian Electoral Commission. 15 December 2009. Archived from the original on 8 December 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e Hunter, Fergus; Samios, Zoe (2 March 2020). "A nerd in charge: the lapsed playwright shaping Australia's online future". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Paul Fletcher delivers his Maiden Speech". Paul Fletcher MP. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b Salusinszky, Imre (28 September 2009). "Ex-Optus exec enters politics". The Australian.
  6. ^ "Paul Fletcher Citizenship Renunciation" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  7. ^ "About Paul Fletcher". Paul Fletcher MP. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Australian Chamber of Commerce and IndustryThe Hon Paul Fletcher MP - Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry". www.australianchamber.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Pathways to Parliament". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  10. ^ Network Insight Institute (2009). Paul Fletcher Archived 28 June 2005 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  11. ^ Fletcher, Paul (2009). Wired brown land : Telstra's battle for broadband. UNSW Press. ISBN 978-1-74223-003-0. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  12. ^ "NSW Liberals reject Cook candidate Towke". Brisbane Times. 3 August 2007. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  13. ^ "Turnbull cabinet reshuffle: who's going where". ABC News. Australia. 20 September 2015. Archived from the original on 20 September 2015.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ "Fletcher welcomes Shadow Cabinet appointment". Paul Fletcher MP.
  17. ^ "Fletcher an outstanding choice for Bradfield: Nelson". ABC News. 27 September 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
[edit]
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Bradfield
2009–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded byas Minister for Urban Infrastructure Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities
2016–present 		Incumbent
Preceded byas Minister for Regional Development Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects
2017 		Succeeded byas Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government
New ministerial post Minister for Major Projects,
Territories, and Local Government
2015–2016 		Succeeded byas Minister for Territories and Local Government
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