14 Facts About Stephen Wade

Stephen Wade was a member of the South Australian Legislative Council serving between May 2006 and January 2023, representing the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia.

Stephen Wade was born in Victoria, he moved to Adelaide with his family in 1974.

Stephen Wade attended Pembroke School, before studying a Bachelor of Law and Economics at the University of Adelaide.

Stephen Wade worked as a Parliamentary Advisor at a state and federal level, including to former Minister for Health Dr Michael Armitage.

Stephen Wade then worked in Corporate Governance and served on a number of boards, including as Chair of the Julia Farr Services Inc, and was a fellow of the Australian Institute of Corporate Affairs.

Stephen Wade nominated for the Liberal Party's Legislative Council ticket for the 2006 state election with the support of the party's moderate faction.

Stephen Wade received a second chance soon after the election when the Liberal Party opened nominations for a casual vacancy that had occurred prior to the election when former shadow minister Angus Redford resigned in order to make an unsuccessful bid to shift to the House of Assembly to contest the electoral district of Bright after Wayne Matthew resigned prior to the 2006 election.

Stephen Wade emerged as the leading moderate contender for the position, challenging conservative Tim Keynes, who had occupied the fourth position on the ticket at the election and Joe Scalzi, a defeated Member of the House of Assembly.

On 18 April 2007, within a year of the election, Stephen Wade was appointed to the Shadow Ministry.

Stephen Wade was elected from second position on the Liberal ticket at the 2010 state election.

At the 2018 Election, Stephen Wade was elected 2nd on the Liberal Party's ticket and became the first Minister for the newly created Health and Wellbeing Portfolio.

In March 2020, with the declaration of a major emergency, Stephen Wade became a central figure in South Australia's response to COVID-19.

Stephen Wade currently sits on the Budget and Finance Committee, COVID-19 oversight committee and the Health Services Committee.

Stephen Wade has announced that he intends to retire from the Legislative Council before the end of his term.