Ryan Park (politician)


Ryan John Park is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since March 2011, representing the electorate of Keira. Additionally, he has served as the NSW Shadow Treasurer since 2016, and the Shadow Minister for the Illawarra since 2013, making him the third most senior Labor MP in NSW state politics.

Biography

Park was born in Wollongong and attended local state schools. He went on to study teaching at the University of Wollongong and taught at Lake Illawarra High School.
Park then went on to work further in the NSW public service and was a Chief of staff to his predecessor David Campbell, the then Minister for Transport and Roads. After Campbell resigned from the ministry in early 2010, Park was named as deputy director-general of the Department of Transport. Later in the year, Campbell announced he would not contest the upcoming election and Park was chosen as the endorsed Labor candidate where he retained the seat. He held on against the Liberal party candidate, John Dorahy, a former professional rugby league footballer.
Park was appointed to the Shadow Ministry by then Opposition Leader John Robertson in 2012 as Shadow Minister for Roads, and was subsequently promoted to become Shadow Minister for Education and the Illawarra in 2013.
At the 2015 NSW election, Park received a large swing towards him, making his seat a safe seat once more.
Following his successful result in the 2015 NSW State Election, Park was promoted further to become the Shadow Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and the Illawarra. Mr Park achieved significant media-prominence in this role, leading to his further promotion to the role of Shadow Treasurer in March 2016.
After Labor's defeat at the 2019 election, the resignation of leader Michael Daley and with new interim leader Penny Sharpe in the Legislative Council, Park on 31 March was named the party's acting leader in the Legislative Assembly pending a leadership ballot that will involve the rank and file
Park lives in Corrimal with his wife Kara and two children.