Sean L'Estrange

Sean Kimberley L'Estrange (born 19 September 1967) is an Australian politician. He is the Member for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Churchlands. He was the Minister for Finance; Minister for Mines and Petroleum; and Minister for Small Business in the Barnett-Liberal Government of Western Australia. In Opposition he has held the role of Manager of Opposition Business and senior Shadow Ministerial portfolios. His career background includes being a Senior Infantry Army Officer (Colonel) and Afghanistan veteran; Business leadership and management consultant; and Senior School Economics teacher and Head of Department.

L'Estrange was born in Perth, Western Australia. He holds a bachelor's degree of Education (majoring in Economics), a master's degree of Educational Leadership, a Graduate Diploma of Resource Management, and a Graduate Diploma of Management (majoring in Defence Studies). He is also a graduate of theAustralian Defence Force Command and Staff College.

L'Estrange completed his schooling at Aquinas College, Perth. While he was at Aquinas, he was College Prefect, House Captain, College Swimming Captain, College Cross Country Captain, Army Cadet Under Officer, President of the Young Christian Students, a member of the College Debating Team and he performed in College drama productions. L'Estrange represented Western Australia at the National All Schools Cross Country Championships in Adelaide in 1982, Brisbane in 1984, and Perth in 1985 and was made the State Team Vice Captain in 1985. He was also a silver medalist in the WA Debating League State final. At his school graduation he was awarded the College Prize for Leadership and Service.

Pre-politics business and professional background

For six years before entering parliament L'Estrange established and operated a leadership and management consulting business which specialized in strategic planning, business resilience and recovery planning, and leadership development. He worked with large resources sector companies, city and regional businesses, and Government departments. L'Estrange also has extensive experience in the Australian Defence Force as an Infantry Army Officer where he completed full-time (regular) and part-time (reserve) roles. Career highlights included reaching the rank of Colonel; Commanding a Reserve Infantry Regiment which trained and deployed soldiers for the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands; Preparing and deploying troops for national security tasks; and himself deploying to Afghanistan as part of the NATO led International Security Assistance Force. While serving in Afghanistan, he was the Australian Task Force Commander's Operations Analyst to Uruzgan province; and posted in direct support of the Australian Battle Group which was led by the 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment and later the 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment. Prior to L'Estrange's business and Senior Army Officer roles he also had a highly rewarding career as a Senior School Economics teacher and Head of an Academic Department. He worked in schools such as Christ Church Grammar School, Ursula Frayne and Mandurah Catholic Colleges, and Wesley College.

Politics and parliament

L'Estrange joined the Liberal Party of Western Australia in 2002 (Hackett Branch/Churchlands electorate). He held pre-parliamentary service positions as President of Hackett Branch 2008–12; President of Curtin Division 2008–09; Member of State Executive 2008–09 and member of State Council 2008–2012. He has continued to serve as a Liberal Parliamentary Party State Council Delegate since 2013.

In 2013 L'Estrange was elected to the seat of Churchlands in the 39th Parliament of Western Australia. The seat had been held by conservative independent Liz Constable since 1991, dating to its time as Floreat. However, it was located in the Liberals' heartland of the southwest beachside suburbs of Perth, and it was a foregone conclusion that it would revert to the Liberals once Constable retired. As expected, L'Estrange won comfortably, with 59 percent of the primary vote and 70.2 percent of the two-party vote.

L'Estrange served as a member of the Joint Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Corruption and Crime Commission, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Audit, and as member of the Parliamentary Liberal Party's Finance, Commerce & Development Committee. In March 2016, he was elevated to Cabinet and appointed Minister for Mines and Petroleum and Minister for Small Business. In September 2016 he was also appointed as Minister for Finance and to the Government's Economic and Expenditure Reform Committee.

In 2017, L'Estrange was re-elected to the seat of Churchlands in the 40th Parliament of Western Australia. The Liberal Party suffered a primary vote swing of 16 percent but L’Estrange kept his swing to 4 percent, securing a comfortable TPP majority of 63.2 percent, the second-safest Liberal seat in Perth. Following the Liberal Government's defeat, he was appointed Manager of Opposition Business in the Legislative Assembly and Shadow Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Economic Development; Defence Issues; Innovation and ICT; Science. He was also elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Parliament's Economic and Industry Standing Committee. In January 2018 he was made Shadow Minister for Health and Mental Health. In June 2019 he was appointed Shadow Minister for Corrective Services and Housing. In February 2020 he took on the role as Shadow Minister for Corrective Services; Emergency Services; Defence Issues; and Racing and Gaming.

L'Estrange has been awarded the following Australian Honours and awards: Returned from Active Service Badge; Army Combat Badge; Australian Active Service Medal with International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT) Clasp; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Australian Defence Force Long Service Medal with 2 x Clasps; Australian Defence Force Medal; North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Medal with International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Clasp.