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Peter Gutwein

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The Honourable
Peter Gutwein
Gutwein in 2020
46th Premier of Tasmania
In office
20 January 2020 – 8 April 2022
MonarchElizabeth II
GovernorKate Warner
Barbara Baker
DeputyJeremy Rockliff
Preceded byWill Hodgman
Succeeded byJeremy Rockliff
Treasurer of Tasmania
In office
31 March 2014 – 8 April 2022
PremierWill Hodgman
Himself
Preceded byLara Giddings
Succeeded byMichael Ferguson
Leader of the Liberal Party of Tasmania
In office
20 January 2020 – 8 April 2022
Preceded byWill Hodgman
Succeeded byJeremy Rockliff
Member of the Tasmanian Parliament
for Bass
In office
20 July 2002 (2002-07-20) – 8 April 2022 (2022-04-08)
Succeeded bySimon Wood
Personal details
Born (1964-12-21) 21 December 1964 (age 60)
England, United Kingdom[1]
Political partyLiberal (until 2023)
Alma materDeakin University
OccupationFinancial adviser
hotelier

Peter Carl Gutwein (/ɡʌtwən/) (born 21 December 1964) is a former Australian politician who was the 46th premier of Tasmania from 2020 to 2022. He was a Liberal Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 2002 to 2022, representing the electorate of Bass. He succeeded Will Hodgman as leader of the Liberal Party and Tasmanian Premier on 20 January 2020.[2]

Early life and career

[edit]

Gutwein was born in England in 1964, the oldest of six children born to a British mother and a father who had arrived in Britain from "post-war central Europe" in the mid-1950s. The family migrated to Australia in early 1969 as "Ten Pound Poms", traveling to Launceston, via Melbourne and Hobart. The three youngest children were born in Australia. His father worked as a baker, also stacking animal skins and selling firewood to earn extra money.[3]

Gutwein grew up in the village of Nunamara.[4] He became an Australian citizen at the age of 16.[3] His younger brother died at the age of 10 due to a congenital heart defect.[5] He was educated at Myrtle Park Primary School and Queechy High School in Launceston, and Deakin University in Melbourne.[4]

In a 2022 press conference as premier, Gutwein revealed that he was a victim of child sexual abuse by his teacher at the age of 16.[6]

Gutwein played senior Australian rules football for the East Launceston Football Club as a midfielder.[7] He also played a single season for the Swan Districts Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) in 1986, while studying at the Western Australian Institute of Technology.[8]

A financial adviser (Dip Fin Planning, Grad Cert Bus Admin) he was a senior manager in the insurance and financial planning sector working throughout Australia and in Europe including Ireland.[4]

Political career

[edit]

Gutwein began his career in politics in 1995, when he was introduced to the former federal MP for Bass, Warwick Smith, who convinced him to join the Liberal Party and manage Smith's successful re-election campaign at the 1996 federal election. Following the election of the Howard government, Gutwein worked for two years as a ministerial adviser to Senator Jocelyn Newman during her time as Minister for Social Security.[9]

In July 2002, Gutwein was elected as a member for Bass at the state election. In August 2002, he joined opposition leader Rene Hidding's shadow cabinet, holding the portfolios of shadow treasurer, employment, and economic development.[10] In December 2003, Gutwein became the first Tasmanian MP in five years to cross the floor when he voted for a bill proposed by the Tasmanian Greens to establish a commission of inquiry into child abuse, which saw Hidding strip him of his shadow portfolios.[11] In April 2004 he became shadow minister for education, and police and public safety.[10] When Will Hodgman led the Liberals to government at the 2014 state election, Gutwein was appointed as Treasurer of Tasmania, as well as Minister for Planning and Local Government. Until 2019, he held various other ministries including environment, parks and heritage; forestry; and state growth.[12]

In April 2017, Gutwein was referred to the Legislative Council for contempt of parliament, following his refusal to provide an unredacted version of a report, The Sale of the Tamar Valley Power Station, to the Public Accounts Committee.[13] According to the Tasmanian Parliamentary Library, as of 2017 Gutwein had been suspended from parliament more than any other member, with 16 suspensions.[14]

Gutwein has been described as a moderate Liberal.[15]

Premier of Tasmania

[edit]

On 14 January 2020, Hodgman announced his intention to resign as Liberal leader and premier. Along with Michael Ferguson, Gutwein was considered a front-runner for the leadership contest,[15] but was elected unopposed on 20 January, when Ferguson withdrew from the ballot. Gutwein was sworn in as the 46th Premier of Tasmania later that afternoon.[2]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Gutwein announced on 19 March 2020 that all "non-essential" travellers to the state, including returning residents, would be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine.[16]

In December 2020, Gutwein announced that he would vote in favour of legalising euthanasia in Tasmania, although he had previously voted against similar legislation on three occasions. He stated that "I believe in freedom of choice and that's why I support this bill", also citing the deaths of his father and sister to aggressive forms of cancer.[5]

In March 2021, Gutwein informed Speaker Sue Hickey that she would not be re-endorsed as a Liberal candidate. She subsequently resigned from the party, leaving the Liberals in a minority government.[17] Three days later, Gutwein called an early election for May 2021.[18] He led the Liberals to a third straight majority in the House of Assembly, the first time in the party's history. Ultimately the Liberals finished with 13 seats out of 25, unchanged from the 2018 election, with 50.3 percent of the vote.[19]

On 4 April 2022, Gutwein announced his resignation as premier and as a member of Tasmania’s parliament. His deputy Jeremy Rockliff succeeded him on 8 April 2022.[20][21]

After leaving office, Gutwein allowed his Liberal Party membership to lapse.[22]

Personal life

[edit]

Gutwein lives in the Tamar Valley with his wife and two children. He is a qualified black belt and assistant to the instructor in the martial art of taekwondo.[4] He has a pair of pet goats, named Alan and Teddy.[23]

In 2024, Gutwein completed a walk across Tasmania to raise funds for Tasmania's migrant community following a string of racially motivated attacks.

References

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  1. ^ "Peter Carl Gutwein". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Peter Gutwein elected unopposed to replace Hodgman as Tasmanian premier". ABC News. 20 January 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b Cootes, Isabel (22 March 2020). "Peter Gutwein, from migrant to Tasmania's Premier". The Examiner. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Peter Gutwein". Premier of Tasmania. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b Baker, Emily; Humphries, Alexandra (3 December 2020). "Tasmania's Premier Peter Gutwein voices support for voluntary assisted dying to become law". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2022. As some are aware, I lost a 10-year-old brother when I was a young man, just shy of my 21st birthday. "He died running in a 100m race at a sportsground in Launceston from a heart defect — a floppy heart valve — in front of my parents, who were there to cheer him on.
  6. ^ Dunlevie, James; Miller, Daniel (11 March 2022). "Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein reveals he is a victim of child sexual abuse". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  7. ^ Stubbs, Brett (13 August 2021). "'Disrepect': AFL games to be expelled from Tasmania unless the state is given a team". The Mercury. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  8. ^ Young, Steve (16 March 2021). "Peter Gutwein - A premier player for the Swans". Swan Districts Football Club. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2021 – via Facebook.
  9. ^ Gutwein, Peter (26 September 2002). "Inaugural speech: Peter GUTWEIN MP". Hansard. House of Assembly | Parliament of Tasmania. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020. Mr Speaker, I am humbled by the privilege that the electors of Bass have bestowed upon me by electing me to this place. It was seven years ago that I began my association with the Liberal Party. My good friend, Richard Trethewie, introduced me to Warwick Smith and together they spoke to me about Menzies and the Liberal philosophy about the rights and freedoms of the individual and the need to encourage initiative, responsibility and independence. After the recession of the early 1990s and Australia's growing indebtedness to the rest of the world, they knew that I, like many other Australians, was concerned about this country's future. They suggested that I should play my part in working for a better Australia, rather than being one of the many who complained but offered no real alternatives. That comment struck a chord in me and initially I managed Warwick's campaign to a successful conclusion at the 1996 poll. I then took on the opportunity to work as an adviser to Senator Newman in her capacity as a cabinet minister and Minister for Social Security.
  10. ^ a b "Peter Gutwein MHA". Parliament @ Work. Department of Education (Tasmania). 30 September 2006. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Liberal MP pays the price for crossing the floor". ABC News. Australia. 4 December 2003. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  12. ^ "Ministers - House of Assembly - 2014 to date". The Parliament of Tasmania from 1856. Tasmanian Parliamentary Library. Hon. Peter Gutwein MP. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  13. ^ Aird, Harriet (11 April 2017). "Tasmania energy saga: Upper House set to decide on Gutwein 'contempt'". ABC News. Australia. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Tasmanian Parliamentary History – FAQ". Tasmanian Parliamentary Library. Archived from the original on 21 November 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  15. ^ a b Baker, Emily (18 January 2020). "Who are Tasmanian premiership candidates Peter Gutwein and Michael Ferguson?". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2021. Mr Gutwein is a moderate Liberal and Mr Ferguson a conservative. Both have been in politics for more than 15 years and both are from the north.
  16. ^ "Tasmania to enforce 'toughest border measures in the country' amid coronavirus pandemic". ABC News. 19 March 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  17. ^ Lohberger, Loretta (22 March 2021). "Speaker Sue Hickey 'sacked' from Tasmanian Liberal Party". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024.
  18. ^ Langenberg, Adam (26 March 2021). "Peter Gutwein calls Tasmanian state election for May 1". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. The next day [20 March 2021] Mr Gutwein said he'd call an election when Tasmania needed one, fuelling speculation of an early election, and then followed up that weekend by informing Speaker Sue Hickey she would not be preselected for the seat of Clark. Ms Hickey promptly quit the party after being notified of the decision, plunging the Liberal Party into minority government and providing it with a fitting excuse for an early ballot.
  19. ^ Humphries, Alexandra (12 May 2021). "Tasmanian Liberals have won majority government, ABC's Antony Green says". ABC News. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Peter Gutwein quits politics leaving Tasmanian Liberals to pick new Premier". ABC News. 4 April 2022. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Jeremy Rockliff becomes Tasmania's 47th premier after being elected as state Liberal leader". Australian Associated Press. 8 April 2022. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2022 – via The Guardian. Rockliff replaces Peter Gutwein, who on Monday announced his resignation after 20 years in politics and two years in the top job.
  22. ^ Beavis, Laura (6 April 2023). "Former Tasmanian premier's frank advice to Liberal Party on Voice opposition". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Mr Gutwein also revealed that he's no longer a member of the Liberal party, not having renewed his membership after he left office, although that was unconnected to the Voice to Parliament matters.
  23. ^ Bailey, Sue (7 June 2020). "Peter Gutwein also enjoyed being home and catching up on chores". The Examiner. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
Political offices
Preceded by Treasurer of Tasmania
2014–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Premier of Tasmania
2020–2022 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Liberal Party in Tasmania
2020–2022 		Succeeded by
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