Pat Conaghan
Counted against the divisions held while they sat, not the whole parliament. Absence from a division is not abstention: pairing arrangements, leave and parliamentary duties are not distinguished in the official record. How these figures are computed.
Background
| Born | 31 Jan 1971, Kempsey, New South Wales |
|---|---|
| Entered parliament | 18 May 2019 |
| Parliaments | 46th, 47th, 48th |
| Qualification | Institution |
|---|---|
| Diploma in Legal Practice, College of Law | NSW |
| Bachelor of Laws | University of New England |
Occupations before parliament
| Role | Organisation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Solicitor | 2001 – 2019 | |
| Police Force Prosecutor (NSW) | 1997 – 2001 | |
| Crime Squad Police Detective (NSW) | 1993 – 1997 | |
| Constable | Police Force (NSW) | 1990 – 1993 |
Positions held
| Role | Ministry | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Assistant Treasurer | Taylor Shadow Ministry | 17 Feb 2026 | 16 Mar 2026 |
| Shadow Minister for Financial Services | Taylor Shadow Ministry | 17 Feb 2026 | 16 Mar 2026 |
| Shadow Minister for Financial Services | Ley Shadow Ministry | 28 May 2025 | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Shadow Assistant Treasurer | Ley Shadow Ministry | 28 May 2025 | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services | Dutton Shadow Ministry | 5 Jun 2022 | 28 May 2025 |
| Shadow Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence | Dutton Shadow Ministry | 5 Jun 2022 | 28 May 2025 |
Committee service
| Committee | Role | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Policy and Legal Affairs House of Representatives Standing | Deputy Chair from 10 Aug 2022 | 2 Aug 2022 | current |
| Road Safety Joint Select | Member | 11 Mar 2022 | 25 Mar 2022 |
| Road Safety Joint Select | Chair from 26 May 2021 to 26 Aug 2021 | 13 May 2021 | 26 Aug 2021 |
| Electoral Matters Joint Standing | Member | 7 Dec 2020 | 11 Apr 2022 |
| Road Safety Joint Select | Chair from 26 Feb 2020 to 9 Nov 2020 | 24 Oct 2019 | 9 Nov 2020 |
| Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Joint Statutory | Member | 4 Jul 2019 | 11 Apr 2022 |
| Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources House of Representatives Standing | Chair from 25 Aug 2021 to 11 Apr 2022 | 4 Jul 2019 | 11 Apr 2022 |
| Law Enforcement (formerly National Crime Authority from 15.6.1984 to 1.1.2003 and Australian Crime Commission from 1.1.2003 to 24.11.2010) Joint Statutory | Member | 4 Jul 2019 | 11 Apr 2022 |
Memberships as the Parliamentary Handbook records them; current means no end date is recorded.
Election history
| Election | Electorate | Party | First pref % | Swing | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 federal election | Cowper | The Nationals | 37.90 | -1.62 | Elected |
| 2022 federal election | Cowper | The Nationals | 39.47 | -7.60 | Elected |
| 2019 federal election | Cowper | The Nationals | 47.07 | +1.10 | Elected |
First-preference share of the formal vote at each event, matched by name within the member's state.
Parliamentary expenses
| Category | Apr-Jun 2026 | Jan-Mar 2026 | Oct-Dec 2025 | Jul-Sep 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Administration | $103,451 | $54,659 | $97,059 | $52,898 |
| Office Facilities | $50,863 | $47,386 | $46,185 | $45,055 |
| Employee Travel | $33,587 | $17,875 | $29,627 | $31,601 |
| Travel Allowance | $11,087 | $8,546 | $11,411 | $14,043 |
| Scheduled Commercial Transport | $8,710 | $7,810 | $12,504 | $10,342 |
| Other Car Costs | $7,470 | $6,196 | $7,912 | $7,264 |
| Family or Nominee Travel | $5,134 | $3,000 | $1,330 | $3,335 |
| Telecommunications | $1,263 | $457 | $601 | $995 |
| Unscheduled Commercial Transport | $142 | $715 | $101 | $81 |
| Total | $221,706 | $146,642 | $206,730 | $165,613 |
Expenditure as the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority publishes it each quarter, in its own categories, rounded to the dollar. Travel distances, office locations and roles differ, so totals do not compare between members. IPEA's reports and notes.
Bills raised
| Bill | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Flags Amendment (Protection of Australian National Flags) Bill 2026 | Sponsor | Not Proceeding |
Sponsor marks the member's own bill; Introduced marks bills they moved, typically as the responsible minister.
Voting record 128 divisions
Photo: City of Coffs Harbour (CC BY 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: Wikidata, Parliamentary Handbook, AEC (CC BY 4.0), IPEA (CC BY 3.0 AU), They Vote For You (ODbL). Errors? Request a correction.