The Hon. Steve Whan, MP Minister for Emergency Services Minister for Small Business Minister for Rural Affairs Member for Monaro

Biography

Steve Whan lives in the regional city of Queanbeyan in South East NSW, and is married to Cherie with two teenage children. For many years he has been a very active member of the local school, sporting and volunteering communities, and likes keeping fit and spending time with his family.

Steve has an arts degree in Social Sciences majoring in economics and politics from the University of Canberra, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Management from the University of Western Sydney.

Before becoming an MP Steve worked for the Australian Sports Commission, and for various Federal Ministers and MP’s in Advisory and Research Assistant roles. In his earlier years Steve worked in a variety of casual and temporary employment including labouring while studying at university, and trolley pushing for Woolworths as a teenager.

Steve was elected to Parliament in the regional seat of Monaro in 2003, an area characterised by its agricultural and tourism-based industries. He has been a member of the Standing Committee on Broadband in Rural and Regional Communities, and Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee. He has also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Primary Industries, Rural Affairs, Regional Development, and Assisting the Minister for Planning.

Steve has a keen interest in representing the needs of non-metropolitan areas of the state in particular, and was a key member of the Rural and Regional Taskforce, which reported directly to the Premier on the challenges currently facing country NSW.