- Minister David Templeman to retire at 2025 State election
Premier Roger Cook has paid tribute to Minister David Templeman, who today announced he will not contest the 2025 State election.
Mr Templeman was first elected to represent Mandurah in 2001.
He served in Cabinet under Premier Alan Carpenter from 2006 to 2008, and under Premiers Mark McGowan and Roger Cook from 2017 onwards.
As Culture and the Arts Minister since 2017, Mr Templeman has delivered major investment and support for the State’s cultural industries, including the $150 million Perth Concert Hall redevelopment, the $55 million Perth Cultural Centre redevelopment, overseeing construction of the WA Museum Boola Bardip, and driving work on the WA Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
Earlier this year, Mr Templeman delivered the WA Screen Industry Strategy, and kicked off construction of the $233.5 million screen production facility near Malaga – helping to create a thriving new screen industry in WA.
As Sport and Recreation Minister since 2021, Mr Templeman delivered the $51 million Sam Kerr Football Centre, secured a High Performance Hockey Centre for Western Australia, increased and expanded the KidSport program to support families with cost-of-living pressures, and provided a significant funding uplift to the WA Institute of Sport – supporting WA’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
In the Heritage portfolio, Mr Templeman delivered the State’s new Heritage Act in 2018, and placed a number of important WA landmarks onto the State Register of Heritage Places – including the former Leederville home of Prime Minister Bob Hawke.
As Local Government Minister from 2017 to 2021, Mr Templeman spearheaded the first phase of the Government’s significant local government reforms – improving standards and transparency at councils across the State.
Mr Templeman is also the State’s first International Education Minister, and has led the WA Labor Government’s Parliamentary agenda as Leader of the House since 2017.
Prior to entering Parliament in 2001, Mr Templeman was a schoolteacher and an entertainer.
Mr Templeman will remain in Cabinet until the 2025 State election.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“David Templeman’s one-of-kind energy, enthusiasm, humour and theatrical style have become a mainstay of WA Parliament, and his presence will be missed across the chamber.
“There is no doubt that David is the most passionate Culture and the Arts Minister our State has ever seen, and he has turned his love of the arts into real support for WA’s cultural industries.
“He will leave a significant legacy across the State, whether in major projects like the Perth Concert Hall redevelopment and the Perth Film Studios, or simply helping everyday Western Australians get involved in sport or the arts.
“David has been a fierce advocate for Mandurah and the Peel region. His local community has always come first – from fighting for the Mandurah train line under the Gallop and Carpenter Governments, to securing the redevelopment of the Peel Health Campus, which will begin later this year.
“On behalf of the State Government, I want to thank David Templeman for his more than two decades of service to Western Australia.”
