UPDATED 5:40pm Upper House Nationals member Niall Blair has become Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water.
Mr Blair is a former chairman of NSW Nationals and one of the younger members of the Legislative Council.
Originally from Goulburn, he lives in the Southern Highlands with his family. Prior to entering politics he was a horticulturist, ran work safety consultancy and managed parks and recreation at Leeton Shire Council.
Mr Blair will face a challenge in gaining recognition for agriculture from the Upper House, which is the less prominent of NSW parliament's two houses.
However, he said running the portfolio from the Upper House could deliver greater focus for agriculture in parliamentary debate.
“I actually think there will be an increased level of advocacy for agriculture,” he said,
“There are only three ministers in the Upper House (compared with 19 in the Lower House), which will mean I’ll be able to air more questions in relation to my portfolio.
“Also, in the last parliament the Opposition and cross-bench ag spokesman were in the Upper House, so if that continues you can expect some ding-dong debates.”
Mr Blair was elected to an eight-year term in the Upper House in 2011 and became Parliamentary Secretary for Police and Emergency Services in 2014
Premier Mike Baird announced his new Cabinet today, following the Coalition's election win on the weekend.
The previous Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson and Land, Water and Western NSW Minister Kevin Humphries were dumped from Cabinet in the reshuffle and Deputy Premier and Nationals leader Troy Grant has left the trade portfolio to become Police and Justice Minister.
Mr Blair said it “makes a lot of sense” to put the agriculture portfolio back together with water. In 2014, the ministries were divided up between Ms Hodgkinson and Mr Humphries.
“Having the portfolios back together is a bonus,” he said.
Mr Blair was a judge on The Land Sydney Royal Showgirls competition in 2014. He said the task had prepared him well for his new job.
"I reckon the new portfolio won’t be as difficult as picking the winner of the Showgirls competition,” he said.
“The quality there was outstanding, so I am used to challenges.”
Mr Blair missed out on judging this year due to the unfortunate timing of the state election.
