Jacquie Petrusma
Jacquie Petrusma | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 36th Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 19 August 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Michelle O'Byrne | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Franklin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 23 March 2024 Serving with 6 others | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 March 2010 – 25 July 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Dean Young | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Jacqueline Anne Harper 23 March 1966 Launceston, Tasmania, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Liberal Party (since 2009) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Family First Party (until 2009) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses | Bretton Smith
(m. 1987; div. 1993)Tim Petrusma (m. 1999) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Tasmania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Personal website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jacqueline Anne Petrusma (née Harper; born 23 March 1966) is an Australian politician. She is a Liberal Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly since 2024, representing the electorate of Franklin, having previously represented the electorate from 2010–2022. Petrusma has served as a minister in the governments of Will Hodgman, Peter Gutwein and Jeremy Rockliff. She currently serves as the 36th Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, having been elected to the position on 19 August 2025.
Personal life
The daughter of Barry Harper, a former state cricketer,[1] she was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and worked as a registered nurse before becoming involved in politics.[2] She is married to a nephew of former MLC Hank Petrusma.[3]
Petrusma was educated at Glen Dhu Primary School, Kings Meadows High School, Launceston College and the University of Tasmania, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) in 1995. She has one child from her first marriage, has three children from her second.[4]
Politics
She stood for the Senate in the 2004 federal election as a Family First Party candidate, coming close to defeating the Greens' Christine Milne on preferences. She contested the Senate again for the party at the 2007 election, but was unsuccessful.
Member for Franklin
In 2009, she became a member of the Liberal Party and was endorsed as a candidate for Franklin at the 2010 state election, defeating Clarence City Councillor Tony Mulder for the second Liberal seat.[2]
She became Minister for Human Services and Minister for Women in the Hodgman Ministry when the Liberal Party won government in March 2014, and Minister for Sport and Recreation, Minister for Disability Services and Community Development, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and again Minister for Women after the March 2018 election and served in this capacity until resigning from these portfolios in July 2019 due to ongoing health issues with a cochlear implant.[5][6] Petrusma later became Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Tasmania and Chairman of Committees.
In August 2019, Petrusma was granted the right to use the title "Honourable" for life.[7]
Petrusma was reappointed to the cabinet in the Second Gutwein ministry following the 2021 state election. She was appointed Minister for Parks, Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management and Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence.[8]
She resigned from the ministry and from parliament on 25 July 2022, citing family reasons.[9][10]
Petrusma again stood as a Liberal candidate for Franklin at the 2024 Tasmanian state election, and was re-elected.[11] On 20 October 2024 she was appointed Minister for Health, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs in the Second Rockliff ministry.[12]
Petrusma again stood for re-election at the 2025 Tasmanian state election.[13] During the campaign she suffered a serious hamstring injury requiring surgery, weeks of home recovery and extensive physical therapy.[14] She then pulled out of subsequent election campaigning, and after re-election stood down from her ministerial portfolios to focus on rehabilitation when Jeremy Rockliff was appointing his Third Rockliff ministry.[14][15][13]
Following the 2025 state election, Petrusma was nominated as the Liberal candidate for speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, contesting the election against Labor candidate Jen Butler. She was elected as speaker, with 25 of the 35 votes.[16]
References
- ^ Jacquie PETRUSMA MP … Inaugural speech: 10 June 2010 Archived 11 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine – Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
- ^ a b "Antony Green". 11 October 2011.
- ^ "Petrusma, Jacquie". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ Who's Who in Australia 2013, Crown Content, 2012.
- ^ "Jacquie Petrusma". Tasmanian Liberals. 18 December 2013.
- ^ "Tasmanian Cabinet reshuffle sees Michael Ferguson dumped as health minister". ABC News. 30 June 2019.
- ^ "Jacqueline Anne Petrusma". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
- ^ "Statement on new Cabinet". Premier of Tasmania. 18 May 2021.
- ^ "Jacqueline Anne Petrusma". Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Tasmanian MP Jacquie Petrusma resigns from state parliament, fourth exit from ministry this year". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Liberals Announce Candidate Line-up". Tasmanian Times. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ Adam, Holmes (21 October 2024). "A new Tasmanian cabinet, and a new normal of instant accountability for ministers". ABC News. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Tasmania Election 2025 Results". www.abc.net.au. 19 July 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Liberal MP Jacqui Petrusma to undergo surgery after serious injury". pulsetasmania.com.au/. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ "Jacquie Petrusma steps down from health portfolio due to serious hamstring injury". pulsetasmania.com.au/. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ Jano Gibson (19 August 2025). "Liberal MP Jacquie Petrusma named speaker as Tasmanian parliament returns". ABC News.
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