Melinda Pavey

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Melinda Pavey

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Melinda Pavey (cropped).jpg

| caption =

| office2 = Minister for Water, Property and Housing

| term_start2 = 2 April 2019

| term_end2 = 21 December 2021

| premier2 = Gladys Berejiklian
Dominic Perrottet

| predecessor2 = Niall Blair (as Minister for Regional Water)
Victor Dominello (as Minister for Finance, Services and Property)
Anthony Roberts (as Minister for Housing)

| successor2 = Kevin Anderson (as Minister for Lands and Water)
Anthony Roberts (as Minister for Homes)

| office3 = Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight

| term_start3 = 30 January 2017

| term_end3 = 2 April 2019

| premier3 = Gladys Berejiklian

| predecessor3 = Duncan Gay

| successor3 = Paul Toole (as Minister for Regional Roads and Transport)
Andrew Constance (as Minister for Roads and Transport)

| office4 = Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Oxley

| term_start4 = 28 March 2015

| term_end4 = 25 March 2023

| successor4 = Michael Kemp

| predecessor4 = Andrew Stoner

| office6 = Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council

| term_start6 = 3 September 2002

| term_end6 = 6 March 2015

| constituency6 =

| predecessor6 = Doug Moppett

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1969}}

| birth_place =

| birthname = Melinda Jane Shaw

| party = National

| spouse = Warren Pavey

| children = 2

| occupation = {{hlist|Reporter|Businessperson|Politician}}

| website = {{URL|https://melindapavey.com.au/|melindapavey.com.au}}

}}

Melinda Jane Pavey ({{nee|Shaw}}; born 1969), is a former Australian politician. Pavey had been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2015 to 2023, representing the seat of Oxley for The Nationals. She was previously a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 2002 and 2015.

Pavey had previously served as the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight from January 2017 until March 2019 in the first Berejiklian ministry government.{{cite news|agency=AAP|title=Refreshed NSW cabinet sworn in|url=http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2017/01/30/refreshed-nsw-cabinet-to-be-sworn-in.html|access-date=30 January 2017|work=Sky News|location=Australia|date=30 January 2017}} She was the Minister for Water, Property and Housing from 2019 to 2023 in the second Berejiklian ministry and the Perrottet ministry.{{Gazette NSW |title=Government Notices |issue=30 |page=1088-1090 |date=2 April 2019 |url=https://gazette.legislation.nsw.gov.au/so/download.w3p?id=Gazette_2019_2019-30.pdf |access-date=3 April 2019 |via= }}{{cite press release|url=https://www.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/news/premier-announces-new-cabinet/|title=Premier announces new Cabinet|publisher=Premier of New South Wales|date=31 March 2019|access-date=3 April 2019}}{{cite news |author=Han, Sophie |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/berejiklian-s-new-massive-cabinet-sworn-in-amid-peals-of-laughter-20190402-p519wj.html |title=Berejiklian's new massive cabinet sworn in amid peals of laughter |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=2 April 2019 |access-date=3 April 2019 }}

A former party staffer, the Coffs Harbour businesswoman became the party's youngest New South Wales member of parliament at the age of 33.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

She stood down at the 2023 New South Wales state election, and was succeeded by fellow National candidate Michael Kemp.

Career

Pavey initially worked as a radio journalist with 2UW in Sydney, but soon became involved in the National Party, and in 1988 took up a position as a media officer for Matt Singleton, the then-Minister for Administrative Services. Over the next decade, she worked for a number of MPs, including Deputy Premier Wal Murray (1990–1993), Minister for Consumer Affairs Wendy Machin (1993–1994) and National Party leader Ian Armstrong (1994–1997).{{cite NSW Parliament |id=16 |name=The Hon. Melinda Jane PAVEY, MLC |access-date=2 April 2019}}

Pavey entered politics in July 2002, when long-serving Legislative Council member Doug Moppett died suddenly. In the subsequent weeks, Pavey announced her intention to nominate for the resulting casual vacancy. At the time, the party was recovering from a significant defeat at the 2001 election, and the party was keen to look for younger and more appealing candidates.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}} Despite being nine months pregnant at the time, Pavey was ultimately successful in obtaining preselection, and was sworn in as an MLC in September 2002, three weeks after the birth of her daughter, Emily.

She has dedicated much of her time to advocating for the people of the Queanbeyan region, in her role as The Nationals duty member for the Labor-held Legislative Assembly electorate of Monaro. She has also served on the Parliamentary Committee on Children and Young People since 2003.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}

After the 2011 state election, Premier Barry O'Farrell announced that Pavey would not enter Cabinet; despite previously holding the role of Shadow spokesperson for Emergency Services.{{cite web |url=http://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/news/premier-of-nsw/premier-announces-first-cabinet.html |title=Premier Announces First Cabinet - Premier of NSW - News - the Liberal Party of Australia, NSW Division |access-date=2011-04-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410020219/http://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/news/premier-of-nsw/premier-announces-first-cabinet.html |archive-date=10 April 2011 }} Pavey was subsequently appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health. In December 2014, Pavey was preselected by the Nationals as the party's candidate for the lower house seat of Oxley at the 2015 state election.{{cite news|last1=Poole|first1=Fi|title=Melinda Pavey pre-selected for Oxley|url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/12/15/4148723.htm|access-date=2 March 2015|work=ABC News|date=15 December 2014}}

Following the resignation of Mike Baird as Premier,{{cite web|url=http://m.thesatellite.com.au/news/baird-resigns-nsw-premier-quit-top-job-and-parliam/3133375/|first=Owen|last=Jacques|title=Baird resigns: NSW Premier to quit top job and Parliament|work=The Satellite|date=19 January 2017|access-date=18 January 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002956/http://m.thesatellite.com.au/news/baird-resigns-nsw-premier-quit-top-job-and-parliam/3133375/|archive-date=2 February 2017|df=dmy-all}} Gladys Berejiklian was elected as Liberal leader and sworn in as Premier.{{cite web|title=Swearing-In of The Honourable Gladys Berejiklian MP, the 45th Premier of New South Wales, and The Honourable John Barilaro MP, Deputy Premier|url=https://www.governor.nsw.gov.au/governor/vice-regal-program/monday-23-january-2017/|website=Vice Regal Program|publisher=Governor of New South Wales|access-date=27 January 2017|date=23 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202042336/https://www.governor.nsw.gov.au/governor/vice-regal-program/monday-23-january-2017/|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Ministers|url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/pages/ministers.aspx|website=www.parliament.nsw.gov.au|publisher=Parliament of New South Wales|access-date=27 January 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Clennell|first1=Andrew|title=Premier Gladys Berejiklian plans major reshuffle for cabinet|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/premier-gladys-berejiklian-plans-major-reshuffle-for-cabinet/news-story/1bb77d4e287dc82004f80186e40d18f0|access-date=27 January 2017|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=26 January 2017}} The Berejiklian ministry was subsequently formed with Pavey sworn in as the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight with effect from 30 January 2017. Following the 2019 state election Pavey was appointed as the Minister for Water, Property and Housing in the second Berejiklian ministry with effect from 2 April 2019.{{cite news |author=Sas, Nick |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-31/cabinet-reshuffle-after-nsw-election-from-berejiklian/10956776 |title=Gladys Berejiklian says Liberal Party has no women problem as re-elected NSW Premier shuffles Cabinet |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=31 March 2019 |access-date=3 April 2019 }}

=National Party Leadership=

{{See|2021 National Party of Australia – NSW leadership election{{!}}2021 New South Wales National Party leadership election}}

Following the resignation of National Party leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro,{{cite news |last2=Rabe |first2=Tom |first1=Lucy |last1=Cormack|date=4 October 2021 |title=John Barilaro to resign as NSW Deputy Premier |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/john-barilaro-to-resign-as-nsw-deputy-premier-20211004-p58wxd.html |work=Sydney Morning Herald |quote= |access-date=}} Mrs. Pavey announced that she would run in the leadership contest, to be contested on 6 October 2021.{{cite news |last=Hevesi |first=Bryant |date=4 October 2021 |title=Melinda Pavey launches bid to become next leader of NSW Nationals after John Barilaro's resignation |url=https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/melinda-pavey-launches-bid-to-become-next-leader-of-nsw-nationals-after-john-barilaros-resignation/news-story/444a8dd6b24a7c1652bb54a45f141181 |work=skynews.com.au |quote= |access-date=}} She received the endorsement of popular talkback radio broadcaster and a Channel Nine commentator, Ray Hadley.{{cite web |url=https://www.2gb.com/why-ray-hadley-is-supporting-melinda-pavey-for-nationals-leadership/ |title=Why Ray Hadley is supporting Melinda Pavey for Nationals leadership |last= |first= |date=5 October 2021 |website= |publisher=2GB Radio |access-date= |quote=}} If elected Leader, she would have been the first female leader of the party, and the first female conservative Deputy Premier of New South Wales (the first female deputy premier being Carmel Tebbutt, 2008–2011).{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Alexandra |last2=Cormack |first2=Lucy |last3=Rabe |first3=Tom |date=5 October 2021 |title=Perrottet 'no extremist', says Barilaro as other MPs disagree |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/perrottet-no-extremist-says-barilaro-as-other-mps-disagree-20211004-p58x4e.html |work=Sydney Morning Herald |quote=Water Minister Melinda Pavey announced her intention to become the first female leader of the party, saying people across NSW were “begging” her to make a bid. |access-date=}}

On 6 October 2021, Pavey was defeated in the leadership election, 15–3, against former Deputy Leader Paul Toole. Bronnie Taylor was elected unopposed as his deputy.{{cite news |last=Tatham |first=Harriet |date= October 2021 |title=Paul Toole wins NSW Nationals leadership vote, becomes new Deputy Premier |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-06/paul-toole-nsw-deputy-premier-after-winning-nationals-ballot/100516762 |work=ABC News |quote= |access-date=}}{{cite news |last1=Cormack |first1=Lucy |last2=Rabe |first2=Tom |date=6 October 2021 |title=Paul Toole to become new deputy premier and leader of the NSW Nationals |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/paul-toole-to-become-new-deputy-premier-and-leader-of-the-nsw-nationals-20211006-p58xm1.html |work=Sydney Morning Herald |quote= |access-date=}}

In a cabinet reshuffle in December 2021, Pavey was dropped from the Perrottet ministry.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-18/ministers-shelley-hancock-don-harwin-resign-nsw-cabinet/100711364|title=Third NSW minister reveals they will not be considered in expected reshuffle|work=ABC News|date=18 December 2021|access-date=20 December 2021}}