Duncan Gay
Encyclopedia
Duncan John Gay is an Australian parliamentarian and New South Wales Minister for Roads and Ports. He is also Leader of Government Business in the New South Wales Legislative Council
for the NSW Liberals
& Nationals Government.
near Goulburn and educated at Crookwell District Rural School. He completed his secondary schooling at Newington College
in Sydney
, studying accountancy and wool classing. He is married to Katie and they have two children.
Prior to his political career, Gay owned a small trucking company and managed his family’s grazing property at Crookwell, where his home base remains today.
in March 1988 and has been a member of the National Party
since 1974.
Throughout his 21 years in Parliament, Gay has served in various portfolios and positions:
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
for the NSW Liberals
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
& Nationals Government.
Early life
Gay was born and raised in Crookwell, New South WalesCrookwell, New South Wales
Crookwell is a small town located in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in the Upper Lachlan Shire. At the 2006 census, Crookwell had a population of 1,993 people. The town is at a relatively high altitude in Australian terms , and there are occasional snowfalls during the...
near Goulburn and educated at Crookwell District Rural School. He completed his secondary schooling at Newington College
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, studying accountancy and wool classing. He is married to Katie and they have two children.
Prior to his political career, Gay owned a small trucking company and managed his family’s grazing property at Crookwell, where his home base remains today.
Political background
Gay was first elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative CouncilNew South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
in March 1988 and has been a member of the National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
since 1974.
Throughout his 21 years in Parliament, Gay has served in various portfolios and positions:
- Minister for Roads & Ports
- Leader of The Nationals in the Legislative Council
- Leader of Government Business in the Legislative Council
- Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Council
- Deputy President of the Legislative Council
- Leader of the National Party & Deputy Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council
- Chairman of Joint Select Committee upon Police Administration
- Vice Chairman of Joint Committee on ICAC.
Ministerial career
Gay is currently Minister for Roads and Ports in the New South Wales Government.- Speed Zones Audit: Soon after entering Government, Mr Gay asked the RTA to work with NSW police and NRMANRMANRMA refers to either of two historically related Australian companies:*The National Roads and Motorists' Association, known as NRMA Motoring and Services, is a member-owned mutual organisation offering , motoring advice and other services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital...
to audit speed zones on NSW roads. In a press conference on 21 June 2011, Gay said, “People spend too much time looking at the side of the road, rather than watching the car ahead. Safety is frankly put at risk because of the huge number of speed changes on highways.” - Cycleways: Minister Gay received a significant number of inquiries regarding cycleways and bike lanes on NSW roads. He adopted a position of reform, stating that he “supports cycling as a viable, active transport mode, but [that] cycle lanes have to be part of an integrated strategy.” He went on to identify failings of the LaborAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government, stating “The former Government repeatedly failed to integrate transport services in this State, and the resulting cycleways are poorly planned and implemented.” The City of SydneyCity of SydneyThe City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
Council disagreed with Gay's claims saying that it chose safe routes for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, favouring those already used by bike riders which had proven connectivity and dismissed Mr Gay's claim that it had not consulted the public sufficiently. - Speed and Safety Camera Audit: As part of the O’Farrell GovernmentO'Farrell MinistryThe O'Farrell ministry is the 93rd ministry of the Government of New South Wales, and is led by the 43rd Premier Barry O'Farrell.The Liberal–National coalition ministry was formed following the defeat of the Keneally Labor government at the 2011 election...
’s 100-Day Strategy, Gay requested the Auditor-General to undertake an audit of the Speed and Safety Cameras around NSW. In response to community outcry, Mr Gay stated he believes “under the former state Labor government, some of these cameras had become cash cows and were simply there to generate revenue, instead of being used to improve road safety.” - Integrated Transport Authority: Fulfilling an election promise, on 20 April 2011 Minister Gay, with Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian ordered the creation of the Integrated Transport Authority within 12 weeks of the announcement. He said the changes will boost frontline staff and customer service delivery, indicating that he envisages the RTA coming out of the process as a very different organisation.
- Live Travel Time Technology: Responding to “significant community demand,” Minister Gay announced that he had ordered the RTA to work with private motorway operators and get live travel time technology implemented on all major Sydney motorways. Responding in Question Time, the Minister noted the importance of this technology, stating that “Unlike the inaction of the former Labor Government, this Government is committed to improving road services for commuters, … ensuring that motorists' journeys are as hassle free as possible.” He also announced that “Live travel time technology [has been fast-tracked and] will be up and running on the M7 by the end of September [2011], three months ahead of schedule. The technology will also be available on the M4 by the end of December [2011].”