Treasurer Dominic Perrottet went from Pizza Hut worker to handling NSW’s cash
HE’S the fresh-faced pollie who’s experienced the unlikely rise from pizza boy to young gun treasurer commanding an $80 billion infrastructure budget that’s building the state - today he delivers what he has coined the “people’s Budget”.
NSW
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HE’S the fresh-faced pollie who’s experienced the unlikely rise from pizza boy to young gun treasurer now commanding an $80 billion infrastructure budget that’s building the state.
Dominic Francis Perrottet, 35, has been Treasurer and Minister for Industrial Relations since January 2017, when he nabbed the prestigious role after a Cabinet reshuffle in the wake of Mike Baird’s shock resignation.
It capped a rise to the top of Macquarie St that began seven years ago when the father of five was elected to represent the safe seat of Castle Hill.
Yesterday he revealed that his work ethic was forged in his teens scrubbing dishes at Pizza Hut.
“I started in the kitchen, which was a great start — I had a lot of experience with that growing up in a large family,” he said yesterday.
“But I moved on from that and was promoted to KFC — in fact, I won an award at KFC. That’s probably the highlight of my career outside of what’s going to happen tomorrow.”
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What’s to happen today has been a year in the making for Mr Perrottet — as soon as one Budget is handed down the government turns its attention to the next.
Last year’s Budget — Perrottet’s first as Treasurer — came after intense asset recycling left government coffers full and was lauded for delivering a $4.5 billion surplus while easing the cost of living.
Born in West Pennant Hills, as the third-eldest of 12 children, Mr Perrottet was educated in Dural and Castle Hill before studying commerce and law at Sydney University.
He held the seat of Castle Hill until 2015, when he switched to the blue-ribbon electorate of Hawkesbury.
During Mr Baird’s reign he served as finance minister for nearly two years but under Premier Gladys Berejiklian he was boosted to Treasurer.