Summary
Courtney Houssos is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since the 2015 state election.[3] She is currently Minister for Finance, Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement and Natural Resources in the Minns government.
Courtney Houssos | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Finance | |
| Assumed office 5 April 2023 | |
| Premier | Chris Minns |
| Preceded by | Dominic Perrottet |
| Minister for Natural Resources | |
| Assumed office 5 April 2023 | |
| Premier | Chris Minns |
| Preceded by | Kevin Anderson (as Minister for Lands and Water) |
| Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement | |
| Assumed office 28 September 2023 | |
| Premier | Chris Minns |
| Preceded by | new portfolio |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council | |
| Assumed office 28 March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Amanda Fazio |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Courtney Roche 1981 or 1982 (age 41–42)[1] Forster, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Labor Party |
| Spouse | George Houssos |
| Children | One daughter and one son |
| Residence | Earlwood[2] |
| Education | Forster High School |
| Alma mater | University of New South Wales |
Houssos was born Courtney Roche in Forster, New South Wales. She was educated at Forster High School. She later studied for a Bachelor of Arts in international relations at the University of New South Wales, where she met her future husband, George Houssos. At university, she entered student politics as a member of the student representative council protesting against university fee reform, and continued in politics as the first female Labor Party organiser for country New South Wales.[4][1]
In 2014, the New South Wales Labor Party removed Amanda Fazio from the party's upper house ticket at the 2015 state election, and Houssos was preselected to replace her.[5] She was elected as the youngest Labor member of the Legislative Council.[4] In 2021, she was appointed as Shadow Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation in the NSW Minns Shadow Cabinet.[6]
In June 2023, The Daily Telegraph raised concerns over claims of a conflict of interest for Minister Houssos involving her husband, George Houssos, who is employed as a lobbyist for the insurance industry. Houssos and Premier Chris Minns denied that there was a conflict of interest.[7] She was appointed as Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement in September 2023.
References edit
- ^ a b Courtney Houssos (12 May 2015). "Inaugural speech" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). NSW: Legislative Council. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ "Candidates - Legislative Council Group D: LABOR". Elections NSW. New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- ^ "The Hon. Courtney Houssos, MLC". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ a b "Maiden speech reflects on growing up in Forster". Great Lakes Advocate. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
- ^ "Dumped Amanda Fazio lashes Sussex Street for 'appalling behaviour'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
- ^ "NSW Shadow Ministry". Parliament of NSW. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fnews%2Fnsw%2Fnsw-minister-for-insurance-regulator-married-to-insurance-industry-peak-body%2Fnews-story%2Fd64c0ebb9614b6fd76cc7cee5c62b8be&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=HIGH-Segment-1-SCORE