Andrew James Constance

Brief description

Full description

Andrew James Constance was born on 31 October 1973, the son of James and Sue Constance. He was educated at Canberra Grammar School and the University of Sydney. Constance was a former President of the Young Liberals Movement. (1)

Constance, a member of the Liberal Party, was elected as Member for the Electorate of Bega from 22 March 2003. He served as a Member of the Public Bodies Review Committee from 8 May 2003 to 2 March 2007. He was a Member of the Joint Select Committee on the Cross City Tunnel from 29 November 2005 to 19 May 2006 and again from 225 May 2006 to 23 August 2006 after the Committee was re-established after prorogation. He was a Member of the Standing Committee on Broadband in Rural and Regional Communities from 28 June 2007 to 4 March 2011, and later Member of the Standing Orders and Procedure Committee from 9 May 2019 to 4 June 2020. He was Leader of the House from 2 April 2019 to 8 May 2020. (2)

While in Opposition Constance served as Shadow Minister for Disability Services and Shadow Minister for Ageing from 20 November 2006 to 28 December 2008 and then as Shadow Minister for Ageing and Disability Services from 28 December 2008 to 28 March 2011. (3) He was also Shadow Party Secretary for Police from 2003 to 2006. (4)

Constance then served in various ministerial roles including: Minister for Ageing and Minister for Disability Services from 3 April 2011 to 2 August 2013; Minister for Finance and Services from 2 August 2013 to 17 April 2014; Treasurer from 23 April 2014 to 2 April 2015; Minister for Industrial Relations from 7 May 2014 to 2 April 2015; Minister for Transport and Infrastructure from 2 April 2015 to 23 January 2017 and again from 30 January 2017 to 2 April 2019; and, Minister for Transport and Roads from 2 April 2019 to 5 October 2021. (5)

Constance married Ainslie Gaye Thomas, the daughter of Paul and Jocelyn Thomas, on 25 September 2004. (6)

His personal interests included skiing, reading and politics. He was a member of the Rotary Club at Bega. (7)

Endnotes
1. Who's Who in Australia 2018, Melbourne, Information Australia, 2018, p.415 (q.v. Constance, The Hon. Andrew James).
2. NSW Parliament website, Members, Mr Andrew James Constance, MP https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/Pages/profiles/constance_andrew-james.aspx (accessed 15 October 2021).
3. See note 2.
4. See note 1.
5. See note 2.
6. See note 1.
7. See note 1.

Notes