Greg Pearce

Gregory Stephen Pearce (born 22 January 1955), an Australian politician, is a former member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, representing the Liberal Party from 1 November 2000 to 15 November 2017. He also served as Minister for Finance and Services and Minister for the Illawarra in the O'Farrell ministry from 2011 to 2013.

Early life and education Pearce was born to parents George Alfred and Margaret Anne Pearce on 22 January 1955 at Camperdown, New South Wales, one of three siblings.

Pearce attended public primary schools at Bundanoon and Wentworth Falls, but later went on to be educated in the Catholic school system at De La Salle Brothers and Benilde High School at Bankstown. He then attended the University of Sydney and obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws.

Career Pearce was admitted as a solicitor on 14 July 1978 and practiced at Freehill, Hollingdale and Page, Solicitors (now known as Freehills) from 1978. He became a partner at the age of 28, and was part of the first international environment law practice in Australia.

He first stood for election in 2003. He was pre-selected as the third on the joint Liberal/National ticket for the Upper House. He was declared elected after obtaining the seventh highest quota in the election.

In Parliament, he has been on the Standing Committee on Law and Justice, Joint Select Committee on the Cross City Tunnel, and the Standing Committee on Social Issues.

Despite his removal as Shadow Treasurer, Pearce as Finance Minister was given some of the responsibilities that formerly belonged to Treasurer Mike Baird.

Pearce was dismissed from the cabinet and the ministry on 1 August 2013.

In October 2017, Pearce announced he would resign from the Legislative Council in mid-November. He resigned on 15 November and was replaced by Natalie Ward.