The Hon Pat Conaghan

Pat is the shadow assistant treasurer, shadow minister for financial services and federal member for the regional NSW electorate of Cowper. Elected in 2019, he has proudly represented his constituents on the Mid North Coast of NSW for the past seven years. Born and raised in Kempsey, Pat is by no means a ‘career politician’. Pat began his working life as a police officer in his hometown, before progressing to the rank of detective and moving to Sydney where he worked in the Drug Enforcement Agency for five years while simultaneously completing his law degree. Upon completion of his degree, Pat advanced to the ranks of Police Force Prosecutor where he worked for four years. Prior to running for election, Pat spent almost two decades as a lawyer running his own successful small businesses, three law practices specialising in defence law, immigration and commercial litigation. He has seen first-hand the impacts and unintended consequences of changes to law and legislation and understands the pressures on small businesses across the country. Based on these life experiences, Pat’s goal is to represent the needs of the average Australian, making it easier for them to get ahead and removing unnecessary barriers to the betterment of families, businesses, communities and our economy. Within his new portfolios, his goal is to listen, learn and ultimately ensure that Government intervention, policies and legislative changes benefit the end user and protect those ‘doing the right thing’ within the financial services industries.