Dan Tehan

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Dan Tehan

| honorific-suffix = MP

| image = Dan Tehan 2022 (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Tehan in 2022

| constituency_MP = Wannon

| parliament = Australian

| term_start = 21 August 2010

| term_end =

| predecessor = David Hawker

| successor =

| office1 = Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship

| term_start1 = 5 June 2022

| term_end1 =

| leader1 = Peter Dutton

| predecessor1 = Kristina Keneally

| successor1 =

| office2 = Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment

| term_start2 = 18 December 2020

| term_end2 = 23 May 2022

| primeminister2 = Scott Morrison

| predecessor2 = Simon Birmingham

| successor2 = Don Farrell

| office3 = Minister for Education

| term_start3 = 28 August 2018

| term_end3 = 18 December 2020

| primeminister3 = Scott Morrison

| predecessor3 = Simon Birmingham

| successor3 = Alan Tudge

| office4 = Minister for Social Services

| term_start4 = 20 December 2017

| term_end4 = 28 August 2018

| primeminister4 = Malcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison

| predecessor4 = Christian Porter

| successor4 = Paul Fletcher

| office5 = Minister for Defence Personnel

| term_start5 = 19 July 2016

| term_end5 = 20 December 2017

| primeminister5 = Malcolm Turnbull

| predecessor5 = Marise Payne {{small|(as Acting Minister for Defence Materiel and Science)}}

| successor5 = Michael McCormack

| office6 = Minister for Veterans' Affairs

| term_start6 = 18 February 2016

| term_end6 = 20 December 2017

| primeminister6 = Malcolm Turnbull

| predecessor6 = Stuart Robert

| successor6 = Michael McCormack

| office7 = Minister for Defence Materiel

| term_start7 = 18 February 2016

| term_end7 = 19 July 2016

| primeminister7 = Malcolm Turnbull

| predecessor7 = Marise Payne {{small|(as Acting Minister for Defence Materiel and Science)}}

| successor7 = Christopher Pyne {{small|as Minister for Defence Industry)}}

| birth_name = Daniel Thomas Tehan

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|1|27}}

| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Australian

| spouse = Sarah Tehan

| party = Liberal

| parents = Marie Tehan (mother)

| relations =

| children = 5

| residence =

| alma_mater = University of Melbourne

University of Kent

Monash University

| occupation = Politician

| profession =

| religion =

| signature =

| website = {{URL|https://www.dantehan.com.au/|Official website}}

| footnotes =

}}

Daniel Thomas Tehan ({{respell|'|TEE|an}}; born 27 January 1968) is an Australian politician currently serving as the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. He is a member of the Liberal Party and has been a member of the House of Representatives since the 2010 election, representing the Victorian seat of Wannon. He held ministerial office in the Coalition governments under Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, serving as Minister for Defence Materiel (2016), Defence Personnel (2016–2017), Veterans' Affairs (2016–2017), Social Services (2017–2018), Education (2018–2020), and Trade, Tourism and Investment (2020–2022). He was a public servant and political adviser before entering parliament.

Childhood and education

Tehan was born on 27 January 1968 in Melbourne,{{cite Au Parliament |name=Hon Dan Tehan MP |mpid=210911 |access-date=2021-11-07}} the third of six children born to Jim and Marie Tehan ({{nee|O'Brien}}).{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/former-minister-died-from-cjd-20041106-gdk23x.html|title=Former Minister died from CJD|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=6 November 2004|access-date=3 May 2020}} His mother was elected to the Parliament of Victoria in 1987 and served as a state government minister, while his father was a country vice-president of the Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division). Tehan grew up on the family's farming property near Mansfield, Victoria. His paternal grandfather Jim Tehan helped establish the National Farmers' Federation.{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.net.au/story/3737651/the-rise-of-dan-tehan-from-the-farm-to-the-frontbench/|title=The rise of Dan Tehan: From the farm to the frontbench|newspaper=The Standard|first=Jarrod|last=Woolley|date=20 February 2016|access-date=3 May 2020}} His mother and aunt both died of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.

Tehan attended a Catholic primary school and a public high school in country Victoria before completing his secondary education as a boarder at Xavier College, Melbourne.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/education/tehans-job-win-back-the-catholic-schools-vote/news-story/e45e9378bc8cc48bbc7696a51f51e1f5|title=Tehan's job: win back the Catholic schools vote|first=Ben|last=Packham|newspaper=The Weekend Australian|date=27 August 2018|access-date=3 May 2020}} He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) from the University of Melbourne, Master of Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University, and Master of International Relations from the University of Kent in England.

Early career

Tehan worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1995 to 1998 and then was a member of the diplomatic service from 1999 to 2001. He was posted to Mexico City and was also involved with Central America and Cuba. In 2002 he was seconded to the office of Trade Minister Mark Vaile, where he was involved in negotiations on the Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement in 2004.

When Vaile became deputy prime minister in 2005 Tehan remained with him as a senior adviser. He later served as chief of staff to Fran Bailey, the Minister for Small Business and Tourism. After the defeat of the Howard government, he served as director of trade policy and international affairs with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2007–2008) and deputy state director of the Liberal Party in Victoria (2008–2009).

Politics

File:Dan Tehan speaks with outside supporters (22298134110).jpg

Tehan was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2010 federal election, succeeding David Hawker in the Division of Wannon. He was encouraged to run for Liberal preselection by Denis Napthine, a family friend, and beat nine other candidates in the ballot despite his lack of prior connections with the area. He and his family moved to Hamilton in order to live in the electorate.{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.net.au/story/787328/the-best-and-worst-of-2010-politics/|title=The best and worst of 2010 politics|newspaper=The Standard|first=Alex|last=Sinnott|date=24 December 2010|access-date=3 May 2020}}

In February 2015, Tehan publicly supported Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the lead-up to a motion to spill the leadership of the Liberal Party.{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.net.au/story/2867190/wannon-mp-dan-tehan-reiterates-support-for-tony-abbott-ahead-of-leadership-spill/|title=Wannon MP Dan Tehan back Prime Minister ahead of Liberal leadership spill|first=Jarrod|last=Woolley|newspaper=The Standard|date=6 February 2015|access-date=11 April 2021}} He reportedly also supported Abbott in the September 2015 leadership spill which saw him replaced by Malcolm Turnbull.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/malcolm-turnbull-treachery-defeated-abbott-claim-loyalists/news-story/375e0c46b81f5a072c08bb6b9a4c8987|title=Malcolm Turnbull: treachery defeated Abbott, claim loyalists|first=Sarah|last=Martin|newspaper=The Australian|date=16 September 2015|access-date=11 April 2021}}

=Turnbull government=

On 13 February 2016 it was announced that Tehan would be appointed the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Minister for Defence Materiel, and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC following a rearrangement in the First Turnbull Ministry.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/cabinet-reshuffle-malcolm-turnbull-announces-new-frontbench-as-mal-brough-resigns-20160213-gmta7z.html |title=Cabinet reshuffle: Malcolm Turnbull announces new frontbench as Mal Brough resigns |work=The Age |date=13 February 2016 |access-date=13 February 2016 |author=Massola, James}}

With the reelection of the Turnbull government after the 2016 election, Tehan kept his Veterans' Affairs and Centenary of ANZAC portfolios and moved from Defence Materiel to Defence Personnel in the Second Turnbull Ministry.{{cite news|first=Stephanie|last=Anderson|title=Election 2016: Malcolm Turnbull unveils ministry with Christopher Pyne, Greg Hunt on the move|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-18/malcolm-turnbull-unveils-new-look-ministry/7638492|newspaper=ABC News|date=20 July 2016|access-date=22 July 2016}} Despite his earlier support of Tony Abbott, in June 2017 he publicly criticised him for his perceived lack of support for the Turnbull government.{{cite news|url=https://www.afr.com/politics/liberal-conservatives-hit-back-at-tony-abbott-20170630-gx21as|title=Liberal conservatives hit back at Tony Abbott|newspaper=Australian Financial Review|date=30 June 2017|access-date=6 June 2021|first=Andrew|last=Tillett}} In the fourth rearrangement of the same Turnbull ministry, on 20 December 2017 Tehan was promoted to the Minister for Social Services and served as a member of the Cabinet.{{cite web |url=https://www.pm.gov.au/media/ministerial-arrangements-2 |title=Ministerial arrangements |work=Prime Minister's Office |last=Turnbull |first=Malcolm |author-link=Malcolm Turnbull |date=19 December 2017 |access-date=19 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313005337/https://www.pm.gov.au/media/ministerial-arrangements-2 |archive-date=13 March 2018 |url-status=dead }}

=Morrison government=

File:20220329-OSEC-TEW-2162 (51971038623).jpg]]

During the August 2018 Liberal leadership spills, Tehan announced that he would not vote to depose a sitting prime minister.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/22/dutton-backers-launch-late-night-attack-on-turnbull-hoping-to-trigger-second-spill|title=Dutton backers launch late-night attack on Turnbull, hoping to trigger second spill|publisher=Guardian Australia|access-date=11 April 2021|first=Katharine|last=Murphy}} When Turnbull withdrew from the second vote, he supported Scott Morrison.{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/how-the-party-members-voted-in-the-liberal-leadership-contest-20180824-p4zzoc.html|title=How the party members voted in the Liberal leadership contest|newspaper=The Age|date=24 August 2018|access-date=11 April 2021}} Tehan was subsequently appointed Minister for Education in the first Morrison Ministry.{{Cite web|last=Bagshaw|first=Eryk|date=2018-08-26|title=Prime Minister Scott Morrison reveals new cabinet|url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/prime-minister-scott-morrison-reveals-new-cabinet-20180826-p4zzve.html|access-date=2018-08-26|website=The Age|language=en}}

Tehan commissioned two reviews into academic freedom following a series of controversies.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/glyn-davis-and-dan-tehan-in-university-freespeech-clash/news-story/eed118fb8488aab4a9753a11fdb6afdb|title=Glyn Davis and Dan Tehan in university free-speech clash

|newspaper=The Australian|first=Richard|last=Ferguson|date=23 February 2021|access-date=6 June 2021}} The first, led by Robert French, recommended the adoption of a freedom-of-speech code, with universities agreeing to implement this by the end of 2020. The second, led by Sally Walker, examined university responses to the French code.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/education-minister-dan-tehan-launches-review-into-universities-implemention-of-free-speech-code/news-story/a6ad819a19bbdf7515bcd9687594a17d|title=Education Minister Dan Tehan launches review into universities' {{sic|nolink=y|reason=error in source|implemention}} of free speech code|newspaper=The Australian|date=7 August 2020|access-date=6 June 2021}}

In 2020, Tehan announced a policy whereby university course fees would be altered to encourage "job-ready graduates", with fees to be increased for arts, commerce and law but reduced for STEM subjects.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/19/australian-university-fees-arts-stem-science-maths-nursing-teaching-humanities|title=Australian university fees to double for some arts courses, but fall for Stem subjects|first=Paul|last=Karp|publisher=Guardian Australia|date=19 June 2020|access-date=6 June 2021}} He later proposed that students failing more than half of their courses be denied access to government loans.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/13/university-students-who-fail-half-their-first-year-courses-could-lose-federal-funding|publisher=Guardian Australia|date=13 August 2020|access-date=6 June 2021|title=University students who fail half their first-year courses could lose federal funding }}

Tehan was moved to the trade portfolio in a December 2020 cabinet reshuffle, prompted by the retirement of Mathias Cormann.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-18|title=Dan Tehan named new trade minister while aged care 'elevated' to cabinet in reshuffle|url=http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/18/dan-tehan-named-new-trade-minister-while-aged-care-elevated-to-cabinet-in-reshuffle|access-date=2020-12-18|website=the Guardian|language=en}} He took over negotiations for the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement from his predecessor Simon Birmingham.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/attack-on-dan-tehan-was-part-of-plot-to-take-credit-for-long-expected-breakthrough-20210421-p57lb1.html|title=Attack on Dan Tehan was part of plot to take credit for long-expected trade deal breakthrough|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 April 2021|access-date=6 June 2021}}

=Opposition=

Following the Coalition's defeat at the 2022 federal election, Tehan was given the immigration and citizenship portfolio in Peter Dutton's shadow cabinet.

Political positions

Tehan is a member of the Centrist faction of the Liberal Party,{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 April 2023 |access-date=4 December 2023}} after previously being aligned with centre-right faction during the Morrison government years.{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=20 March 2021 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=1 February 2022}}

Tehan opposed the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia, but in June 2016 announced he would vote in parliament in accordance with the results of a nationwide plebiscite.{{cite news|url=https://www.mailtimes.com.au/story/4000725/tehan-to-follow-national-vote-on-gay-marriage/|title=Member for Wannon Dan Tehan would look to any national plebiscite result for vote on legalising gay marriage|first=Rex|last=Martinich|newspaper=The Wimmera Mail-Times|date=29 June 2016|access-date=6 June 2021}} He ultimately voted in favour of the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017 which legalised same-sex marriage.{{cite news|url=https://www.stawelltimes.com.au/story/5109857/mallee-and-wannon-mps-help-pass-gay-marriage-law-photos-videos/|title=Wannon MP Dan Tehan and Mallee MP Andrew Broad vote for same-sex marriage amid battle over religious freedom|date=8 December 2017|access-date=12 February 2024|newspaper=Stawell Times|first=Rex|last=Martinich}}

In 2018 he delivered the St Thomas More Lecture in Canberra and spoke of a "creeping encroachment from the state on religious belief", suggesting the introduction of a national religious discrimination act.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/dan-tehan-in-fresh-push-for-freedom-of-religion/news-story/ba04735b7ebd2657ed5e0399eb7429fb|title=Dan Tehan in fresh push for freedom of religion|newspaper=The Australian|date=7 July 2018|access-date=6 June 2021|first=Joe|last=Kelly}}

Personal life

Tehan has three children and is twice divorced.{{cite news|url=https://www.npc.org.au/speaker/2016/372-the-hon-dan-tehan-mp/|title=The Hon Dan Tehan MP|publisher=National Press Club of Australia|access-date=6 June 2021|year=2016}}

Tehan supports the Richmond Tigers in the Australian Football League.{{cite web | url=https://www.govconnex.com/insights/each-afl-teams-biggest-political-fan | title=Each AFL Teams Biggest Political Fan }}