From life on the farm in a tiny town, Wannon MP Dan Tehan has risen through the parliamentary ranks to his new role on the world stage as trade and tourism minister. KATRINA LOVELL reports.
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![New role: Wannon MP Dan Tehan is sworn in as new trade and tourism minister by Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a Zoom meeting on Tuesday. New role: Wannon MP Dan Tehan is sworn in as new trade and tourism minister by Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a Zoom meeting on Tuesday.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/641f8c35-8ed0-4bbe-9565-dbef98923a2d.jpg/r0_0_4428_2952_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Being a politician wasn't part of Wannon MP Dan Tehan's plan as a youngster growing up on a sheep farm in rural Victoria.
Being an AFL footballer for his beloved Richmond - or owning a milk bar - is where a young Dan had set his sights for a career but by his own admission his dreams didn't match his ability on the footy field.
Farming was also on his horizon but when his mum, Marie Tehan, entered Victorian politics, it changed his focus.
Dan grew up surrounded by the serenity of life on the farm just outside Bonny Doon at Maindample - a place that had just one pub and a post office.
So it comes as no surprise that Mr Tehan is a big fan of the classic movie The Castle where Darryl Kerrigan delivered the now famous line "how's the serenity?" while standing under high voltage powerlines at his holiday home at Bonny Doon.
"I did watch the movie The Castle. It is absolutely hysterical and those powerlines that they had the house under and the mosquitoes flying into the mosquito zapper is my favourite parts of the movie," he said.
![Wannon MP's political rise from farm to world stage Wannon MP's political rise from farm to world stage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/4fc35a2d-c56a-4b7a-88a9-1f0ac5a78634.jpg/r0_0_939_1392_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We're not far from those giant powerlines and the Bonny Doon bridge. There was a bit of a right of passage to jump off the Bonny Doon bridge and I played football for Bonny Doon.
"Part of the farm is on the Eildon Weir. It was kind of my 'castle' growing up.
"I had a very fortunate upbringing on a farm. I don't think there is a better way you can grow up. It's just like having an enormous backyard to play and explore as a kid."
Mr Tehan had just finished his schooling when his mother went into state politics, going on to become the high-profile health minister in the Kennett Government. He studied arts at Melbourne Uni before heading over to Denmark as a farm hand - a job he said taught him about hard work.
He then completed a masters in international relations studying at Kent University in Canterbury.
"I was obviously very interested in mum's career but it wasn't until the end of her career that it probably really sparked a strong interest in politics," he said.
![A young Dan Tehan. As a kid he wanted to own a milk bar or been an AFl footballer. A young Dan Tehan. As a kid he wanted to own a milk bar or been an AFl footballer.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/cf1c0f10-7b67-4bf6-9f2c-9c5306729d69.jpg/r0_0_2500_3264_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He went to work for Pacific Dunlop in its foods group before being accepted into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a graduate and moving to Canberra.
Mr Tehan spent a year learning Spanish before heading to Mexico for three "wonderful" years on a posting looking after Mexico, Central America and Cuba.
While there, he stood for preselection in the seat of Indi in northern Victoria - a move he described as "probably a little ambitious".
It was during his last year in Mexico that he met then trade minister Mark Vaile during a World Trade Organisation meeting.
![Dan Tehan made the cover of Mexican magazine playing cricket. Dan Tehan made the cover of Mexican magazine playing cricket.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/1ebda12a-d172-4681-87ee-a04ac71a7446.jpg/r0_0_1530_1966_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I was asked to stay on because Mexico was hosting APEC the next year and what usually happened was Australia would second someone into the Mexican trade office but I just thought three years was enough and it was time to return home," he said.
Returning to Australia he went to work in Mr Vaile's parliamentary office followed by two years working for the then small business and tourism minister Fran Bailey.
"It's ironic...that I worked for a trade minister and tourism minister in my time at parliament house," he told The Standard on the day he was sworn in as the country's new trade and tourism minister.
![Farm life: Dan Tehan grew up on a sheep/wool farm in regional Victoria where his father and grandfather were heavily involved in the farming community. Farm life: Dan Tehan grew up on a sheep/wool farm in regional Victoria where his father and grandfather were heavily involved in the farming community.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/4c23faf9-cb44-48f8-b01c-264dd6155388.jpg/r0_106_815_1301_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Tuesday's ceremony was a first for federal parliament after it was done via zoom rather than in person.
His five years working for Howard Government ministers, he said, had given him a good insight into those portfolios.
"There is no doubt that this is a challenging time for our nation. There's a changing geo-strategic environment and obviously we have to make sure we navigate that incredibly carefully. It is a very important time to be taking on this role."
Relations with China have hit a low with trade bans affecting a number of industries, some of which lay in his own electorate such as beef, lobster and timber.
When he was just starting off his parliamentary career, Mr Tehan led a cross-party delegation to China.
"I found it absolutely fascinating and got a wonderful reception from everyone we met with on that 10 or 12-day trip," he said.
"It's very diverse. It's extraordinary in what they've been able to do in terms of the economic development and lifting their population out of poverty."
![Like mother, like son: Dan Tehan followed his mother Marie Tehan into politics. Like mother, like son: Dan Tehan followed his mother Marie Tehan into politics.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/aa16363c-2b63-4399-a1f4-d69b453adb55.jpg/r0_0_2224_3263_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Being the Member for Wannon, Mr Tehan said, stood him in good stead for the trade and tourism roles.
"In a way I'm lucky with this new role because by doing it well I'll also be looking after the interests of the electorate of Wannon," he said.
"The Twelve Apostles get more visitation than any other place in Victoria and we are, I think, the pre-eminent agricultural area in Australia."
![Family man: Dan Tehan with his wife and five children. Family man: Dan Tehan with his wife and five children.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/177c99fb-eb7f-4ef2-9100-58fa4c0bf57e.jpg/r0_8_3664_2589_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Despite the plum new role, Mr Tehan said his number one priority would be the people of his electorate. "I get a lot of frank fearless advice from the electorate which is also important and makes sure you stay grounded," he said. It's a job that while traditionally comes with a jet-set lifestyle, at least for the first six months of next year Mr Tehan says it will be "diplomacy by Zoom rather than diplomacy by plane".
While he holds a seat that was once home to former Prime Minister Malcom Fraser, when it comes to further career ambitions, Mr Tehan said he was content with his new position.
"I think one of the things in this nation is there's been too many prime ministers in the last 10 years, and nothing would give me greater pleasure than serving under PM (Scott) Morrison for the next decade," he said.
![Dan Tehan grew up on a farm and worked as a farmhand in Denmark. Dan Tehan grew up on a farm and worked as a farmhand in Denmark.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/c58c1c01-f539-4ef4-9b33-4558108de21b.jpg/r0_0_4288_2848_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Tehan said he always thought being a cabinet minister and holding a portfolio like trade would be a great achievement.
"It's a nice present to get under the Christmas tree but at the same times it's meant that the amount of work I'm having to do in the lead up to Christmas probably wasn't what was on my Christmas wish list," he said.
"But that's the nature of the job."
And when Prime Minister Scott Morrison asked about taking on the role after a cabinet meeting last week, Mr Tehan's thoughts turned to his mum who passed away in 2004 of a rare brain disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
![A young Dan Tehan with his siblings and parents. A young Dan Tehan with his siblings and parents.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/c893b31c-a378-47ea-902f-2c9e550877a1.jpg/r0_0_1344_971_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It's the biggest regret that I've got personally was that my mother never knew that I went into the federal parliament and didn't get to see it. I know she's up there watching and guiding in some way which obviously gives you a lot of encouragement," he said.
"She was someone who had a very sharp mind but was also prepared to roll her sleeves up and get the job done. I hope that is a trait that has stuck with me in my role."
He said his mum was the kind of person who would roll up her sleeves when things needed to be done. During a nurses strike, he recalls, his mum went to help make beds to keep the hospital running.
![Dan Tehan entered the parliament in 2010 after winning the seat of Wannon. Dan Tehan entered the parliament in 2010 after winning the seat of Wannon.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/b442da3a-3a24-4bcf-b8b2-46135675ec62.jpg/r0_0_1876_1246_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Tehan said his mum's steely resolve and determination helped her to weather criticism levelled at her when as health minister she oversaw the most significant changes to the state's health system, case-mix funding - something that was ultimately rolled out nationally.
![Dan Tehan studied arts at Melbourne University and later studied international relations at Kent University in Canterbury. Dan Tehan studied arts at Melbourne University and later studied international relations at Kent University in Canterbury.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nB9BrLNgExsfwsLgDBevWP/9406f342-7ead-4d0e-86ca-008652f1058a.jpg/r0_0_1016_1431_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He followed his mum into politics in 2010 when he was asked to consider running for the seat of Wannon that was vacated by David Hawker. He decided to give it a go. "And the rest they say is history," he said.
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