Matt Kean (politician)

Kean grew up in the Wahroonga area and was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview before attaining a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney. He later completed a graduate diploma at the Institute of Chartered Accountants. While at university, he was elected to the UTS Student Representative Council and as the SRC Executive Member for the Haymarket Campus. Kean has been a member of the Liberal Party since 2001, and in 2008, he was elected vice-president of the NSW Young Liberals.[4] During the 2003 State election campaign, Kean worked as an adviser for the Leader of the Opposition, John Brogden. He subsequently worked for the Hon. Catherine Cusack MLC as an adviser while she was shadow minister for Juvenile Justice and Women.

Prior to entering Parliament, Kean was a manager at Pricewaterhouse Coopers.[6][7][8]

He is also an avid cricketer, and long-time member of the Berowra Cricket Club.

Following announcement of the retirement of the sitting member, Judy Hopwood, Kean contested pre-selection for the safe Liberal seat against Hornsby Mayor, Nick Berman, and Hornsby Councillor, Steve Russell.[9] Kean won endorsement[10] and Berman announced his decision to resign from the Liberal Party and run against Kean as an independent candidate at the 2011 State election.[11][12] At the election, Kean was elected; however, the party suffered a swing of 3.5 points.[4] Kean won the seat with 62.1 per cent of the two-party vote,[13] with Berman being his main rival.

Matt Kean used his inaugural speech to call on the government to spend as much money on suicide prevention campaigns as it does on road safety campaigns.[14][15] His call for the $10 million campaign received support from Professor Ian Hickey and the Minister for Mental Health Kevin Humphries.[16] He has hosted an annual Youth Forum in conjunction with Black Dog institute that aimed at educating students and teachers about issues relating to mental health;[17] and has successfully campaigned for the construction of a new mental health inpatient facility in Hornsby.[18][19]

Following the resignation of Mike Baird as Premier,[20] Gladys Berejiklian was elected as Liberal leader and sworn in as Premier.[21][22][23] The Berejiklian ministry was subsequently formed, with Kean sworn in as the Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, with effect from 30 January 2017.[5] Following the 2019 state election, Kean was appointed as the Minister for Energy and Environment in the second Berejiklian ministry, with effect from 2 April 2019.[24]

• First Berejiklian ministry
• Second Berejiklian ministry