Steph Cooke MP

Shadow Minister for Water

Shadow Minister for Crown Lands

Member for Cootamundra

After growing up and attending St Anne’s Central School in Temora, Steph returned home after a successful career in Sydney which included stints in marketing, customer relations and branding for companies such as Allied Mills and Coca-Cola and rose to the rank of Executive Director with the Baking Association of NSW aged just 21.

In that role Steph was the youngest ever executive officer appointed to an industrial organisation in NSW – including trade unions – and frequently found herself before the Industrial Relations Commission fighting to clear the names of small business owners whom she represented against unfair dismissal claims.

A yearning for community and the unbeatable rural existence lured Steph back to the country where she ran a successful floristry business with outlets in Cootamundra, Temora and Young which, in 2012, was recognised as NSW Florist of the Year.

At a community level, Steph joined other local professionals in engaging with local students as part of a youth mentoring program, helping to form a Young Women in Business Association plus involvement in Young Economic Development Group, Cootamundra Development Corporation, Tidy Towns, Clean Up Australia Day and business enterprise centres.

Steph was elected to the NSW Parliament to represent the fifth largest seat in the State – Cootamundra – in October 2017 in a by-election that followed the retirement of long-serving MP Katrina Hodgkinson. 

Describing herself as a “fighter”, Steph is passionate, practical, persistent and logical and wishes to use her business acumen to ensure service delivery for the Cootamundra Electorate.

Her vision for the Cootamundra electorate is not unlike her approach to life – one that protects and preserves but also builds and grows our assets and people.

In March 2019 Steph was appointed Nationals Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Premier, and in June 2021 she was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health.

In December 2021 Steph was appointed Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience, and on March 4, 2022, she was appointed Minister for Flood Recovery.

Steph is now the Shadow Minister for Water and Crown Lands.

Contact Steph

Young Office

140 Boorowa Street, YOUNG NSW 2594

PO Box 350

P: 02 6382 2399

E: cootamundra@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Junee Office

25 Seignior St, JUNEE NSW 2663

P: 02 6924 2533

E: cootamundra@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Steph’s Socials

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