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Tanya Davies is an Australian politician who has served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the Liberal Party since 2011. She is a member of the conservative faction of the Liberal Party.

Davies was the New South Wales Minister for Mental Health, the Minister for Women and the Minister for Ageing from January 2017 until March 2019 in the first Berejiklian government.

Early years and background

Davies was born and raised in Newcastle and moved to Sydney aged 17, initially living with her grandparents at Regents Park for her university studies where she graduated with a degree in physiotherapy from the University of Sydney. Davies worked as a physiotherapist in the public health system before working in higher education institutions such as the University of Western Sydney and TAFE. Elected to Penrith City Council in 2008, Davies served on Council until 2012. Davies' husband, Mark Davies, also served on Penrith City Council and in 2012 was elected mayor of the City of Penrith. Davies has two children: the elder Laura and the younger Harry.

Political career

In 2011 Davies contested the then Labor seat of Mulgoa in Sydney's western suburbs. She was elected with a swing of 23.2 points, winning the seat with 62 per cent of the two-party. Davies' Labor opponent was Prue Car, now Deputy Premier of NSW. Diane Beamer, who was the sitting Labor member, had retired from politics after holding the seat and its predecessor, Badgerys Creek, for 16 years.

In 2017 Davies was appointed the Minister for Mental Health, the Minister for Women and the Minister for Ageing in the Berejiklian government. In June 2018, Davies voted against a bill that would create 150-metre (490 ft) "safe access zones" outside abortion clinics. She is an opponent of legal abortion and was one of two Liberal Party members who threatened to leave the government if amendments were not made on a 2019 bill to decriminalise abortion.

Davies was re-elected at the 2019 state election, but was not reappointed to the Second Berejiklian ministry.

The 2020 redistribution undertaken for the 2023 New South Wales state election was finalised in 2021, where the district of Mulgoa was effectively renamed Badgerys Creek. While the Perrottet government was defeated at the election, Davies was comfortably elected to the new district.

Opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates

In January 2022 she spoke at a ‘Prayer and pushback’ forum moderated by a former Hillsong Church pastor and featuring anti-vax speakers, where, contrary to policies of state and federal government, she spoke against COVID-19 vaccinations for children.

Davies spoke again at an ‘anti-vaccination rally’ in March 2022, where among other things she criticised the Perrottet government’s handling of vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions.

Mark Davies

Husband and Penrith City Councillor Mark Davies has nominated for preselection as the Liberal Party candidate for Lindsay. This sets up another showdown between the current Liberal MP, Melissa McIntosh and Mr Davies after previously having challenged Ms McIntosh for the nomination for the May 2022 Federal Election.

See also

• First Berejiklian ministry

References

1. "Mrs Tanya Davies, MP". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
2. "Why Saturday's NSW Liberal Party State Council meeting will be 'most contentious' in 20 years". Amp.abc.net.au. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
3. "Refreshed NSW cabinet sworn in". Australia: Sky News. AAP. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
4. Sas, Nick (31 March 2019). "Gladys Berejiklian says Liberal Party has no women problem as re-elected NSW Premier shuffles Cabinet". Australia: ABC News. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
5. Stavrou, Nikolaos (28 March 2011). "Liberal Tanya Davies overwhelmed by Mulgoa win". Penrith Press. Archived from the original on 3 July 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
6. "Tanya Davies". 2011 Candidates. Liberal Party. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
7. "Councillor Tanya Davies". Councillors. Penrith City Council. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
8. Schiller, Emma (25 September 2012). "Mark Davies the new Penrith mayor". Penrith Press. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
9. Stavrou, Nikolaos (26 March 2011). "Liberals conquer Penrith and Nepean regions". Penrith Press. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
10. Green, Antony (5 April 2011). "Mulgoa". NSW Votes 2011. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
11. "Subscription". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
12. Visentin, Lisa (8 June 2018). "Abortion clinic 'safe access zones' become law in NSW". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
13. "MPs' threat over abortion bill could push NSW Liberals into minority government". Amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
14. "Names and boundaries of electoral districts". Elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
15. "Badgerys Creek - NSW Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
16. Atfield, Cameron (21 January 2022). "Christensen tells anti-vax event he wants to 'prod the powerful'". The Age. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
17. "NSW Liberal MP criticised after speaking at anti-vaccination rally". TheGuardian.com. 22 March 2022.
18. Karp, Paul; Rose, Tamsin (18 July 2023). "Alex Hawke and Sussan Ley among Liberal MPs facing preselection challenges". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
19. Martin, Sarah (24 May 2021). "Scott Morrison facing preselection headache with sitting Liberal MPs in the firing line". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 July 2023.

• Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales
• Living people
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
• University of Sydney alumni
• 21st-century Australian politicians
• Women members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
• 21st-century Australian women politicians
• Women's ministers of Australia