Nathan Rees
A plain-speaking Labor leader who rose from obscurity to become Premier in a dramatic party revolt, only to see his tenure cut brutally short.
Born 1968 (age 58)·Premier of New South Wales from 2008 to 2009·Birthday: February 12·Generation X
Biography
Nathan Rees's political ascent was as sudden as his downfall. A former horticulturist and union official, he entered the New South Wales Parliament in 2007, a virtual unknown. His moment came just a year later amid deep crisis for the state Labor government, which was mired in scandal and plummeting in the polls. In a desperate move, party powerbrokers installed Rees as Premier, making him the state's 41st leader. He styled himself as a blunt, no-nonsense figure, a stark contrast to his polished predecessors, famously declaring he would 'take the blowtorch' to the bureaucracy. His brief premiership was defined by constant internal sniping and a fragile one-seat majority. Despite announcing major infrastructure projects and attempting to reset the government's agenda, he could never consolidate his authority. After just 15 months, the same factional forces that installed him executed a late-night coup, replacing him with Kristina Keneally. Rees remained in parliament for several more years, a respected but poignant figure, his career a case study in the brutal mechanics of modern political power.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Nathan was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nathan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Nathan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the 41st Premier of New South Wales in September 2008 following the resignation of Morris Iemma.
- Initiated the 'Metropolitan Transport Plan: Sydney's Rail Future' during his tenure, outlining long-term rail projects.
- Led the NSW Labor Party through a period of intense internal turmoil and low public approval.
Did You Know?
Before politics, he worked as a horticulturist and was an official with the Laborers' Federation union.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Technology, Sydney.
His father, Thomas Rees, was also a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly for a single term.
“I was not prepared to be premier, but I was prepared to do the job.”
