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Dean Smith
Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Liberal Senator for Western Australia
Dean Smith is an Australian politician and Liberal Party member of the Australian Senate since May 2012, representing Western Australia.14 He currently serves as the Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury in the Coalition's Shadow Economics Team, a position he was appointed to in June 2022.25
Born on May 15, 1969, Smith grew up in Port Hedland and Perth's northern suburbs as the son of a WA Policeman.24 He attended the University of Western Australia, graduating with honors in political science.4
Throughout his career, Smith has held various positions:
- Senator for Western Australia (May 2012 - Present)1
- Chief Government Whip in the Senate (February 2019 - July 2022)13
- Senior executive roles at Insurance Australia Group and SingTel Optus2
- Policy Adviser to Western Australian Premier Richard Court and Prime Minister John Howard2
Smith is known for his advocacy on several issues, including:
- GST reform for Western Australia2
- Opposing the recognition of local government in the Australian Constitution2
- Authoring the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017, which legalized same-sex marriage in Australia24
In 2018, Smith was awarded the McKinnon Prize in Political Leadership by a panel including John Howard and Julia Gillard.2 He is also the first openly-LGBTI member of the Parliament of Australia from the Liberal Party.4
Highlights
🎤 FINTECH SPEECH 🎤
The Consumer Data Right - introduced under the former Coalition Government - is a key driver helping consumers make better financial choices.
But, as households battle the cost of living crisis, Labor’s dragging its feet on implementing this major reform.
This week I spoke at the FinTech Council in #Perth about how industry can add its voice - and frustration with the Albanese Government - on this important issue.
🇵🇭126th INDEPENDENCE DAY🇵🇭
A memorable night celebrating the 126th Philippines Independence Day - and 150 years of Filipino migration to Australia.
Many thanks to the Filipino Australia Club of Perth for the opportunity to join you.
it was a pleasure to help honour all those members of the local Filipino community who have enriched WA’s business and cultural life.

