14 Facts About Andrew Humpherson

Andrew Humpherson has since pursued a career in public affairs overseeing the Government and Public Affairs Division of Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and as Chief of Staff to the Energy and Resources Minister, Chris Hartcher from 2011 to 2014.

Andrew Humpherson is currently a Director of Barton Deakin, a Liberal-aligned lobbying firm founded by his former parliamentary colleague, Peter Collins.

Andrew Humpherson's family moved to Australia in 1970 and he was educated at Davidson High School where he became a member of the Student Representative Council and the Warringah Youth Council.

Andrew Humpherson attended the University of New South Wales where he graduated with honours in the degree of Bachelor of Engineering.

Andrew Humpherson was elected into the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the seat of Davidson, at a May 1992 by-election brought on by the resignation of former Education Minister and Liberal-turned-independent member Terry Metherell, who resigned to take up a public service appointment offered by the Greiner government.

However Davidson returned to the Liberals, with Andrew Humpherson easily winning the by-election ahead of 14 other candidates, despite a 16.1 per cent swing against the Liberal Party.

Andrew Humpherson held various shadow portfolios including Housing and Corrective Services, Planning and Environment, Justice, Community Services and Emergency Services.

Andrew Humpherson was narrowly defeated in a preselection battle before the 2007 election in favour of insurance executive, Jonathan O'Dea.

Andrew Humpherson had cross-factional backing among many delegates, but attracted controversy in local branches after reportedly suggesting party members to quit branches under O'Dea's control, thereby reducing their voting power, a practice known as 'branch stripping'.

In March 2007, Andrew Humpherson was appointed to the newly created position of general manager of Government and Public Affairs at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and was a member of the management committee.

Andrew Humpherson left ANSTO in late 2010 to establish his own government relations consultancy, Waratah Advisory, in anticipation of an expected Liberal win at the March 2011 NSW election and accepted a position as Chief of Staff to the newly appointed Resources and Energy Minister, Chris Hartcher.

In May 2012, Andrew Humpherson was accused by members of the state parliamentary opposition for continuing to be listed as the main contact for Waratah Advisory, with calls for his resignation.

Andrew Humpherson nevertheless continued in this role until the resignation of Hartcher following a raid by corruption authorities in December 2013.

Andrew Humpherson gained further attention when he took up a consulting role with the NSW Minerals Council two months after Hartcher's resignation, an action against a 2010 recommendation of the Independent Commission Against Corruption that former staff of ministers and parliamentary secretaries be banned for a year from lobbying activity "relating to any matter that they had official dealings within their last 12 months in office".