Stuart Ayres

Following his re-election in March 2011, Ayres was elected to the position of deputy government whip in the NSW Legislative Assembly. Since then, he was promoted to Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Transport and appointed as the Premier's Parliamentary Secretary for Western Sydney. In December 2013, Ayres was appointed as the Minister for Fair Trading and as the Minister Assisting the Premier on Western Sydney. Due to the resignation of Barry O'Farrell as Premier, and the subsequent ministerial reshuffle by Mike Baird, the new Liberal Leader, in April 2014 in addition to his existing ministerial responsibilities, Ayres was appointed Minister for Sport and Recreation, and appointed as a member of Cabinet. Following the resignation of Mike Gallacher in May 2014, Ayres gained the portfolio of Police and Emergency Services and lost the portfolio of Fair Trading. Following the 2015 state election, Ayres was sworn in as the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and the Minister for Sport on 2 April 2015 as a member of the second Baird government. In the first Berejiklian ministry, Ayres was appointed as the Minister for Western Sydney, the Minister for WestConnex, and the Minister for Sport, with effect from 30 January 2017. Following the 2019 state election, Ayres was sworn in as the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney in the second Berejiklian ministry, since 2 April 2019.

Ayres has previously served as the Minister for Sport from April 2014, the Minister for WestConnex and the Minister for Western Sydney from January 2017 until March 2019 in the first Berejiklian ministry; as the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events between 2015 and 2017; as the Minister for Police and Emergency Services during 2014 and 2015; as the Minister Assisting the Premier on Western Sydney between 2013 and 2015; and as the Minister for Fair Trading between 2013 and 2014.

Ayres was elected at the Penrith state by-election on 19 June 2010, receiving 66.3% of the two-party-preferred vote. Ayres took the previously safe Labor seat on a 25.7-point swing—the largest swing against a sitting government in New South Wales history. This turned Penrith into a safe Liberal seat at one stroke. Indeed, Ayres' primary-vote margin was enough to win the seat without the need for preferences. Like his partner Marise Payne, Ayres is a republican. In his maiden speech to parliament he voiced his support for Australia to have an Australian head of state and become a republic.

Ayres was an account executive for Austereo (2DayFM and Triple M radio stations), and returned to the Australian College of Physical Education in 2008, initially as student recruitment manager and then later as director of marketing and business development.

Ayres graduated in 1999 with a degree in sports business from the Australian College of Physical Education and worked as a development officer for the Australian Football League before joining the staff of the member for Lindsay, Jackie Kelly, in her capacity as the then Minister for Sport and Tourism and the Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Ayres was born to a father serving in the Australian Defence Force which resulted in his moving all over the country until settling in Penrith in 1993. He was educated at St Dominic's College in Kingswood. He is the partner of federal Liberal Senator Marise Payne.

Stuart Laurence Ayres (born 24 November 1980), an Australian politician, is the New South Wales Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney in the second Berejiklian ministry since April 2019. Ayres is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since 19 June 2010, representing the electorate of Penrith as a member of the Liberal Party.