Andrew Gee was appointed Australia’s Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education, and Minister Assisting the Trade and Investment Minister on 6 February 2020.
Andrew was born in Wagga Wagga and raised in Maitland, where his father was the local mayor. He studied Economics and Law at Sydney University where he met his wife Christina. They have four children.
Prior to entering politics, Andrew set up a business with his brothers in Hong Kong before practising as a barrister in Orange, NSW in the fields of civil litigation and family law.
Andrew’s foray in politics began in 2011, following his successful campaign (74.2% of the two-party preferred vote) to secure the NSW state seat of Orange for The Nationals. In 2015, he backed-up his 2011 result, winning 66% of the primary vote, an 8% increase, and 71.7% of the two-party preferred vote. This was one of the strongest results in the state.
Andrew resigned from the NSW Legislative Assembly in 2016 and was elected to the House of Representatives the same year, for the seat of Calare, NSW. He has since been re-elected in 2019, with a 1.5% increase in the two-party preferred vote. In January 2019, Andrew was appointed Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister.
During his time in politics, Andrew has successfully led a number of community campaigns, including 24 hour helicopter rescue services for the Central West; a new hospital for the town of Gulgong; a new medical school for Charles Stuart University; funding for a new road link between Orange and Mudgee; and increased access to radiotherapy services for country cancer patients – Andrew himself is a stage 3 melanoma survivor. Andrew continues to be a strong voice for the communities of his Central West electorate.