16 Facts About Chris Hartcher

Christopher Peter Hartcher was born on 21 December 1946 and is an Australian politician.

Chris Hartcher was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1988 to 2015, representing the electorates of Gosford and Terrigal.

Chris Hartcher represented the Liberal Party for most of his career, serving as its deputy state leader from 2002 to 2003, and in the O'Farrell Ministry as minister for resources and energy, special minister of state and minister for the Central Coast.

Chris Hartcher received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney.

Chris Hartcher then worked as a personal injury and family law solicitor employed by his uncle.

Chris Hartcher was elected to represent Gosford for the Liberal Party at the 1988 NSW state election.

Chris Hartcher was appointed Government Whip in 1991 and served in that role until 1992.

On 3 July 1992, Chris Hartcher was appointed to the NSW Cabinet as Minister for the Environment and left the Cabinet with the defeat of the Fahey Government in March 1995.

Former premier Bob Carr was often Chris Hartcher's political "sparring partner", a relationship Carr referred to as "good natured fun".

At the 2003 election Chris Hartcher was challenged in the seat of Gosford by Labor candidate Deborah O'Neill and won by only 272 votes.

Chris Hartcher was again challenged by O'Neill but was elected Member for Terrigal on 24 March 2007.

In 2010, Chris Hartcher was endorsed as the Liberal Party's candidate for Terrigal ahead of the 2011 election.

Chris Hartcher was elected with a swing of 11.1 points, and won the seat with 74.1 per cent of the two-party vote.

Chris Hartcher's main opponent was Labor's Trevor Drake, who was a former Liberal Party Gosford City Councillor.

On 3 April 2011, Chris Hartcher was appointed by Premier Barry O'Farrell to the Cabinet as minister for resources and energy, special minister of state and minister for the Central Coast.

Chris Hartcher resigned from Cabinet on 4 December 2013 after the Independent Commission Against Corruption raided his office.