John Graham (Australian politician)

Australian politician

The Honourable

John Graham

MLC

John Graham in 2023

Minister for Transport

Incumbent

Assumed office
6 February 2025
Premier| Chris Minns
Preceded by| Jo Haylen
Minister for the Arts, Music and the Night-time Economy

Incumbent

Assumed office
28 March 2023
Premier| Chris Minns
Preceded by| Ben Franklin
Minister for Roads
In office
28 March 2023 – 17 March 2025
Premier| Chris Minns
Preceded by| Natalie Ward
Succeeded by| Jenny Aitchison
Minister for Jobs and Tourism
In office
5 April 2023 – 17 March 2025
Premier| Chris Minns
Preceded by| Ben Franklin
Succeeded by| Steve Kamper
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council

Incumbent

Assumed office
28 March 2023
Premier| Chris Minns
Leader| Penny Sharpe
Preceded by| Sarah Mitchell
Special Minister of State

Incumbent

Assumed office
28 March 2023
Premier| Chris Minns
Preceded by| Don Harwin
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council
In office
8 June 2021 – 28 March 2023
Leader| Penny Sharpe
Succeeded by| Sarah Mitchell
Member of New South Wales Legislative Council

Incumbent

Assumed office
12 October 2016
Preceded by| Sophie Cotsis
Personal details
Political party| Labor Party
Spouse| Jenny McAllister
Children| Two
Residence| Alexandria[1]
Website| www.johngraham.net.au

John Edward Graham is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since October 2016 and has been Special Minister of State and Minister for Roads, the Arts, Music, the Night-time Economy, Jobs and Tourism since 2023. He has also been the Minister for Transport since 6 February 2025.[2]

## Career

[edit]

### 1991–2017: Early political career and party involvement

[edit]

Graham joined the Labor Party in 1991. He worked in the higher education sector and for the Finance Sector Union. He also worked as an adviser to NSW and Queensland state governments, including as the Deputy Chief of Staff to then-NSW Premier Nathan Rees in 2009. He is a founder of Labor Loves Live Music.[3]

Graham became assistant general secretary of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party in the early 2010s, serving for six years.[4]

Graham was considered for preselection for the Canterbury state by-election, and was confident he had the support of the rank-and-file members.[5] However, Sophie Cotsis was preselected after NSW Labor leader Luke Foley intervened over concerns that Graham lived in Redfern (in the electorate of Newtown) and Foley wanted the candidate to be a woman.[6] Graham was appointed to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of Cotsis to contest the by-election.

### 2018–2024: Shadow Ministry roles and Legislative Council leadership

[edit]

After Michael Daley replaced Foley as Leader in 2018, Graham was appointed to the shadow ministry in the role of Shadow Minister for Forestry, Gaming and Racing, Night Time Economy and Music, Tourism and Major Events.

After the 2019 election, Jodi McKay replaced Daley as Leader. Graham was appointed as Shadow Minister for Roads, Night Time Economy and Music in her frontbench. He retained these positions in the Shadow Ministry of Chris Minns when that was constituted in 2021.[4] He was also appointed as deputy leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council[7] and Shadow Special Minister of State at this time.[4]

Following the resignation of Walt Secord from the frontbench in 2022, Graham added the portfolios of Arts and the North Coast to his existing Shadow Ministries.[4]

### 2025: Minister for Transport

[edit]

In February 2025, Graham was appointed as NSW Transport Minister following Transport Minister Jo Haylen's resignation.[8]

In March 2025, Graham moved into the transport portfolio full-time, his roads portfolio moved to Jenny Aitchison, and the jobs and tourism portfolio went to Steve Kamper.[9]

## Personal life

[edit]

Graham is married to federal senator Jenny McAllister.[5] They have two children. He is a member of NSW Labor's left faction.[10]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Candidates - Legislative Council Group D: LABOR". Elections NSW. New South Wales Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
2. ^ "Thursday, 6 February 2025". Governor of New South Wales. Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
3. ^ "About". John Graham MLC. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
4. ^ a b c d "The Hon. John GRAHAM, MLC". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
5. ^ a b Aston, Joe (23 February 2016). "John Graham to replace Linda Burney in NSW Parliament". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
6. ^ Nicholls, Sean (11 March 2016). "The NSW Coalition's women problem". The Age. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
7. ^ "Prue Car elected deputy NSW Labor leader". 7News. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
8. ^ Maddison, Max (5 February 2025). "Jo Haylen resigns: John Graham touted as new transport minister". The Sydney Morning Herald.
9. ^ The Premier; Minns, Chris (17 March 2025). "Changes to the Minns Government Ministry". nsw.gov.au (Press release). Premier's Department. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
10. ^ Graham, John (15 April 2015). "Fighting For A Better World". Challenge Magazine. NSW Labor Left. Retrieved 19 October 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Facebook Page
* Twitter Account

Political offices

Preceded by

Penny Sharpe

|  Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council
2021–2023  | Succeeded by

Sarah Mitchell

Preceded by

Sarah Mitchell

|  Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
2023–present  | Incumbent
Preceded by

Ben Franklin

|  Minister for the Arts, Music and the Night-time Economy
2023–present
Preceded by

Don Harwin (2021)

|  Special Minister of State
2023–present
Preceded by

Natalie Ward

|  Minister for Roads
2023–2025  | Succeeded by

Jenny Aitchison

* v
* t
* e

Current members of the Cabinet of New South Wales

* Aitchison
* Car (Deputy Premier)
* Catley
* Chanthivong
* Cotsis
* Daley
* Dib
* Graham
* Harris
* Harrison
* Hoenig
* Houssos
* Jackson
* Kamper
* Minns (Premier)
* Mookhey
* Moriarty
* Park
* Scully
* Sharpe
* Washington
* Whan

* v
* t
* e

Current members of the New South Wales Legislative Council

Labor (15)|

* Mark Buttigieg
* Anthony D'Adam
* Greg Donnelly
* John Graham
* Courtney Houssos
* Rose Jackson
* Sarah Kaine
* Stephen Lawrence
* Daniel Mookhey
* Tara Moriarty
* Cameron Murphy
* Bob Nanva
* Peter Primrose
* Penny Sharpe
* Emily Suvaal

Coalition (14)|

| Liberal (9)|

* Susan Carter
* Scott Farlow
* Aileen MacDonald
* Natasha Maclaren-Jones
* Rachel Merton
* Jacqui Munro
* Chris Rath
* Damien Tudehope
* Natalie Ward

|

Nationals (5)|

* Scott Barrett
* Wes Fang
* Ben Franklin
* Sarah Mitchell
* Nichole Overall

Greens (4)|

* Abigail Boyd
* Amanda Cohn
* Cate Faehrmann
* Sue Higginson

SFF (2)|

* Mark Banasiak
* Robert Borsak

Other (7)|

* Jeremy Buckingham (LCP)
* Emma Hurst (AJP)
* Mark Latham (IND)
* Taylor Martin (IND)
* Tania Mihailuk (IND)
* Rod Roberts (IND)
* John Ruddick (LBT)

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