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The HonourableSarah MitchellMLC
Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning
In office 2 April 2019 – 28 March 2023
Premier	Gladys Berejiklian Dominic Perrottet
Preceded by	Rob Stokes (as the Minister for Education) herself (as the Minister for Early Childhood Education)
Succeeded by	Prue Car
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 March 2011
Minister for Early Childhood Education
In office 30 January 2017 – 23 March 2019
Premier	Gladys Berejiklian
Preceded by	Leslie Williams
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
In office 30 January 2017 – 23 March 2019
Premier	Gladys Berejiklian
Preceded by	Leslie Williams
Succeeded by	Don Harwin (as the Minister for Public Services and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs and the Arts)
Assistant Minister for Education
In office 30 January 2017 – 26 March 2019
Premier	Gladys Berejiklian
Preceded by	Leslie Williams
Succeeded by	portfolio abolished
Personal details
Born	Sarah Ann Johnston (1982-05-10) 10 May 1982 (age 42) Gunnedah, New South Wales
Political party	The Nationals
Spouse	Anthony Mitchell
Alma mater	University of New South Wales

Sarah Ann Mitchell (née Johnston; born 10 May 1982), an Australian politician, is the former Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning in the second Berejiklian ministry and in the Perrottet ministry. She has been a Nationals member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since March 2011.

Mitchell previously served as the Minister for Early Childhood Education, the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the Assistant Minister for Education from January 2017 until March 2019 in the first Berejiklian ministry.

Background and early career

Mitchell was born in Gunnedah, and moved to Grafton as a child. She moved back to Gunnedah while in high school, completing her Higher School Certificate at Gunnedah High School in 1999. She moved to Sydney in 2001, and studied politics and international relations at the University of New South Wales, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in 2016. Mitchell later moved back to Gunnedah, where she worked as an electorate officer for former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson. She continued working for Mark Coulton, Anderson's successor as local MP, upon Anderson's 2007 retirement.

Political career

She was later elected president of the federal Young Nationals and chairman of the state Young Nationals, positions which she held until her election to parliament. She was preselected for the eleventh position on the Coalition Legislative Council ticket for the 2011 state election in April 2010; while normally unwinnable, the near-record size of the Coalition's victory saw her emerge victorious for the last seat in an extremely close race with right-wing independent Pauline Hanson. She married Anthony Mitchell in April 2011, and took her husband's name; she had been elected two weeks before under her maiden name of Johnston.

She has served on several standing and select committees, and currently sits on the General Purpose Standing Committee No. 3. During her first years in Parliament, Sarah chaired the General Purpose Standing Committee No. 4, which undertook an inquiry into medicinal cannabis, resulting in a report unanimously in favour of the provision of medicinal cannabis for the terminally ill.

Mitchell was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Regional and Rural Health and Western NSW on 24 April 2015. Following the resignation of Mike Baird as Premier, Gladys Berejiklian was elected as Liberal leader and sworn in as Premier. The first Berejiklian ministry was subsequently formed with Mitchell sworn in as the Minister for Early Childhood Education, the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and the Assistant Minister for Education with effect from 30 January 2017. Following the 2019 state election Mitchell was appointed as the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning in the second Berejiklian ministry, with effect from 2 April 2019. She also became the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.

See also

• First Berejiklian ministry
• Second Berejiklian ministry
• Perrottet ministry

References

1. "Government Notices (30)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 2 April 2019. p. 1088-1090. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
2. "Premier announces new Cabinet" (Press release). Premier of New South Wales. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
3. Han, Sophie (2 April 2019). "Berejiklian's new massive cabinet sworn in amid peals of laughter". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
4. ^ "Refreshed NSW cabinet sworn in". Sky News. Australia. AAP. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
5. Our Senior Office-Bearers: Sarah Mitchell MLC The Nationals NSW. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
6. The Nationals Team: Sarah Johnston NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
7. "Young Nats chair on preselection ticket". Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
8. Declaration of Poll NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
9. Coulton sends his congratulations to Upper House-elect Sarah Johnston Mark Coulton MP. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
10. "The Hon. Sarah MITCHELL, MLC". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
11. Jacques, Owen (19 January 2017). "Baird resigns: NSW Premier to quit top job and Parliament". The Satellite. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
12. "Swearing-In of The Honourable Gladys Berejiklian MP, the 45th Premier of New South Wales, and The Honourable John Barilaro MP, Deputy Premier". Vice Regal Program. Governor of New South Wales. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
13. "Ministers". www.parliament.nsw.gov.au. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
14. Clennell, Andrew (26 January 2017). "Premier Gladys Berejiklian plans major reshuffle for cabinet". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
15. Sas, Nick (31 March 2019). "Gladys Berejiklian says Liberal Party has no women problem as re-elected NSW Premier shuffles Cabinet". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 3 April 2019.

• 1982 births
• National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales
• Living people
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council
• 21st-century Australian politicians
• Women members of the New South Wales Legislative Council
• 21st-century Australian women politicians
• University of New South Wales alumni