Editing Nick Greiner

{{Short description|Australian politician (born 1947)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image = Nick Greiner, official portrait as Australian Consul-General in New York (2021).jpg
|caption = Greiner in 2021
|honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
|name = Nick Greiner
|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AC}}
|office = 37th [[Premier of New South Wales]]
|term_start = 25 March 1988
|term_end = 24 June 1992
|monarch = [[Elizabeth II]]
|governor = [[James Rowland (RAAF officer)|Sir James Rowland]] <br/> [[David Martin (governor)|Sir David Martin]] <br/> [[Peter Sinclair (governor)|Peter Sinclair]]
|deputy = [[Wal Murray]]
|predecessor = [[Barrie Unsworth]]
|successor = [[John Fahey (politician)|John Fahey]]
|office1 = [[Liberal Party of Australia|President of the Liberal Party of Australia]]
|leader1 = [[Malcolm Turnbull]]<br />[[Scott Morrison]]
|term_start1 = 24 June 2017
|term_end1 = 7 August 2020
|predecessor1 = [[Richard Alston (politician)|Richard Alston]]
|successor1 = [[John Olsen]]
|deputy1 = Fay Duda<br/>Allan Pidgeon<br/>[[Karina Okotel]]<br/>[[Trish Worth]]
|office2 = 29th [[Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)|Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales]]<br /> {{small|Election: [[1984 New South Wales state election|1984]]}}
|term_start2 = 15 March 1983
|term_end2 = 24 March 1988
|premier2 = [[Neville Wran]] <br />[[Barrie Unsworth]]
|deputy2 = [[Rosemary Foot (politician)|Rosemary Foot]]<br/>[[Peter Collins (New South Wales politician)|Peter Collins]]
|predecessor2 = [[John Dowd (politician)|John Dowd]]
|successor2 = [[Bob Carr]]
|constituency2 =
|majority2 =
|constituency_MP3 = [[Electoral district of Ku-ring-gai|Ku-ring-gai]]
|parliament3 = New South Wales
|term_start3 = 13 September 1980
|term_end3 = 24 June 1992
|predecessor3 = [[John Maddison]]
|successor3 = [[Stephen O'Doherty]]
|birth_name = Nicholas Frank Hugo Greiner 
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|04|27|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Budapest]], [[Second Hungarian Republic|Hungary]]
|nationality = Australian
|party = [[Liberal Party of Australia]]
|relations =
|spouse = {{marriage|[[Kathryn Greiner]] {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AO}}|1970|2013|end=[[Marital separation|sep.]]}}
|children = 2
|residence =
|occupation = Businessman, politician 
|education = [[St Ignatius' College, Riverview]]<br />[[University of Sydney]]<br />[[Harvard Business School]]
|signature =
|website =
|footnotes =
}}

'''Nicholas Frank Hugo Greiner''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AC}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|g|r|aɪ|n|ər}}; born 27 April 1947) is an Australian politician who served as the 37th [[Premier of New South Wales]] from 1988 to 1992. Greiner was [[List of leaders of the Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party]] from 1983 to 1992 and [[Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)|Leader of the Opposition]] from 1983 to 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/ResourcesFactsopplead|publisher=[[Parliament of New South Wales]]|work=Facts and Figures|title=Leaders of the Opposition in the NSW Legislative Assembly|access-date=30 September 2014|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006084623/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/ResourcesFactsopplead|url-status=dead}}</ref> Greiner served as the [[Liberal Party of Australia#Liberal federal presidents|Federal President of the Liberal Party of Australia]] from 2017 to 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/were-the-party-of-freedom-turnbull-tries-to-rally-liberals/news-story/7123218b3c06986d0a6ae19f8a06412c|title=We're the party of freedom: Turnbull tries to rally Liberals|last=Crowe. Maher|first=David, Sid|date=26 June 2017|website=The Australian|access-date=28 November 2017}}</ref> He served as the [[Consul-General]] in the United States of America, New York from 2021 to 2023.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|date=|title=Consul-General, New York|url=https://usa.embassy.gov.au/our-people/consul-general-new-york|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Australia in the USA|publisher=Embassy of Australia|language=en|archive-date=15 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915081659/https://usa.embassy.gov.au/our-people/consul-general-new-york|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early life==
Greiner was born in [[Budapest, Hungary]] to a Hungarian father and a Slovak mother.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/gruff-tough-and-ever-the-patriarch-20040803-gdjh17.html |archive-date=6 December 2021 |access-date=12 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206183217/https://www.smh.com.au/national/gruff-tough-and-ever-the-patriarch-20040803-gdjh17.html |url-status=live |title=Gruff, tough and ever the patriarch |date=3 August 2004 |first=Tony |last=Stephens}}</ref><ref name="Nick Greiner NSW Parl">{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=2037 |name=Mr (Nick) Nicholas Frank Hugo Greiner |former=Yes |access-date=16 June 2019}}</ref> His mother was of half-[[Jews|Jewish]] ancestry and was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp during the [[The Holocaust|Holocaust]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2004-08-03|title=Gruff, tough and ever the patriarch|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/gruff-tough-and-ever-the-patriarch-20040803-gdjh17.html|access-date=2021-04-07|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}}</ref> His parents subsequently moved to [[Vienna]] before arriving in Australia in the early 1950s. He was educated at [[Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview]] in Sydney's lower North Shore, before graduating with honours in [[Bachelor of Economics|Economics]] at the [[University of Sydney]].<ref name=":0" /> Later he attended [[Harvard Business School]] and achieved an MBA with High Distinction.<ref name=":0" /> After briefly working for an [[Idaho]] timber company, Greiner returned to Australia, where he joined the timber company that his family owned. Greiner has also held the position of Australian chairman of [[British American Tobacco]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/11/1060588325238.html |title=Kathryn follows Nick out of door in protest |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=12 August 2003 |archive-date=5 July 2017 |access-date=7 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705153533/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/11/1060588325238.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Political career==
A member of the [[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|Liberal Party]], Greiner unsuccessfully sought to enter the [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly]] for the safe Liberal seat of [[Electoral district of Willoughby|Willoughby]] in 1978. He defeated sitting member [[Laurie McGinty]] for Liberal preselection. Although defeated in his first bid to enter the legislature by local bus driver [[Eddie Britt (politician)|Eddie Britt]] as part of the "Wranslide" Labor victory that year Greiner successfully contested a 1980 [[by-election]] for the electorate of [[Electoral district of Ku-ring-gai|Ku-ring-gai]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article125621965|title=Federal hope in NSW vote: Keating|date=1980-09-15|work=Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995)|access-date=2018-09-13|pages=3}}</ref>

Greiner successfully defended Ku-ring-gai in the [[1981 New South Wales state election|1981 state election]], managing a modest swing in his favour even as the Liberal-[[National Party of Australia – NSW|National Country]] [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] was cut down to only 28 seats in total. Shortly after the election, he ran for the party leadership, but lost to [[John Dowd (politician)|John Dowd]]. He was however appointed as Shadow Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Housing and Cooperatives.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126854496|title=NSW 'SHADOW CABINET' Right-wing Members omitted by Dowd|date=1981-10-29|work=Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995)|access-date=2018-09-13|pages=15}}</ref> However, in 1983, Greiner ousted Dowd in a leadership challenge.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116374515|title=THE N.S.W. LIBERALS' NEW LEADER|date=1983-03-20|work=Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995)|access-date=2018-09-13|pages=2}}</ref> Highlighting allegations of corruption against the [[Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)|Labor Party]] government of Premier [[Neville Wran]] during the [[1984 New South Wales state election|1984 election]] campaign, Greiner managed to pick up a seven percent swing and cut the Wran government's previously overwhelming majority in half, from 39 seats to 17. In the process, he regained much of what the Coalition had lost in the previous two "Wranslides." Wran retired in 1986, and was succeeded by [[Barrie Unsworth]].

At the [[1988 New South Wales state election|March 1988 election]], Greiner led the Coalition to a landslide victory. The Coalition scored a swing of over 8 percent and took 22 seats from Labor, including several Labor heartland seats where the Coalition had not come close to winning in years.

==Premier of New South Wales==
Greiner handed over a number of responsibilities previously associated with the Premier's Department to other ministers. However, in a rare move, he served as his own [[Treasurer of New South Wales|Treasurer]] (having retained the Shadow Treasurer's portfolio upon becoming party leader), thus concentrating considerable power in his hands. He decided to keep the Treasurer's post for himself in order to focus on repairing the State's parlous financial position.

The Greiner government, which promised "sensible, moderate but progressive" government, wasted no time in commencing its legislative agenda, announcing across-the-board spending cuts and plans to announce a mini-budget in June. A key government policy was to cut costs in education, including increasing charges for public education, eliminating free public transport for school students and reducing teaching staff (2,400 teaching staff and 800 support staff) through creating composite classes and closing smaller schools, while looking for public assets to sell (ultimately $340 million of assets were identified) and capital works projects which could be abandoned. However, it was forced to defer its plans to repeal Aboriginal land rights legislation (an election commitment) and reduce the power of the Ombudsman to investigate the police when [[Australian Democrats|Democrat]] and [[Christian Democratic Party (Australia)|Call to Australia]] members of the Upper House combined with Labor to defeat these pieces of legislation.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Hannan |first= Kate |date=December 1988 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: January–June 1988 |journal= [[Australian Journal of Politics & History]]|volume= 34 |issue= 3 |pages= 411–413 |issn=0004-9522}}</ref> 

By September 1988, having promised at the election to run the state like a business, the government were able to announce serious progress towards reducing the state debt and its first budget projected a surplus, and were trying to resolve housing pressures caused by rapidly increasing house prices (which rose from $65,000 to $165,000 in the twelve months to October).<ref>{{cite journal |last= Hannan |first= Kate |date=August 1989 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: July–December 1988 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics & History |volume= 35 |issue= 2 |pages= 249–250 |issn=0004-9522}}</ref> Another election promise realised by the new Government was to create the [[Independent Commission Against Corruption (New South Wales)|Independent Commission Against Corruption]] (ICAC) capable of investigating allegations of corruption and graft against the government and within the state. In its first year, it investigated large donations to the Labor and National parties. Despite significant pressure from the parliamentary Nationals, whose leader was implicated in one of the investigations, Greiner refused to budge or to dilute ICAC's powers.<ref name="apc1989-2">{{cite journal |last= Hannan |first= Kate |date=August 1990 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: July–December 1989 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics & History |volume= 36 |issue= 2 |pages= 236–240 |issn=0004-9522}}</ref>

By 1989, the government's position could be described as higher government charges and reduced government services. Increased taxes and fees on motor vehicle drivers, petrol, water, public transport and child care, as the aforementioned cuts to education took effect, the pay of health workers was frozen, workers' compensation to injured workers was limited (although this was later blocked by the Upper House) and state assets were sold off.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Hannan |first= Kate |date=December 1989 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: January–June 1989 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics & History |volume= 35 |issue= 3 |pages= 444–446 |issn=0004-9522}}</ref> A series of strikes on the part of teachers and the growing unpopularity of Education Minister [[Terry Metherell]] caused problems for the Greiner government during the latter stages of its first term. In August 1989, the Industrial Commission ruled against the government in determining that class sizes were an industrial issue rather than the sole discretion of the director-general. The government also cut rail services to the north coast, deeming them commercially unviable, and cut 8,000 [[State Rail Authority]] employees in an effort to offset the authority's $1&nbsp;billion annual debt – however, this left the [[Pacific Highway, Australia|Pacific Highway]] as the only land transport link for several major towns, and in [[Grafton bus crash|October]] and [[Kempsey bus crash|December]] 1989, two major crashes on the road, both involving passenger buses, claimed a combined total of 54 deaths and 55 injuries.<ref name=apc1989-2/> While Opposition Leader [[Bob Carr]] made the link between pressure on roads and withdrawal of the country services,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&docID=news900206_0186_2449|title=Unions tell government: We'll halt trains|last=Lagan|first=Bernard|work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=6 February 1990|page=1|access-date=18 February 2012}}</ref> a coroner's report in April 1990 pinned the blame on the Federal Government and its "piecemeal" approach to repairs of the Pacific Highway. The government meanwhile reduced speed limits for heavy vehicles to 90&nbsp;km/h after the accidents, but a work-to-rule campaign by the [[Transport Workers Union of Australia|Transport Workers Union]] disrupted Sydney's peak-hour traffic and Greiner overrode the Transport Minister to restore the previous 100&nbsp;km/h limit in late January 1990.<ref name=apc1990-1>{{cite journal |last= Hannan |first= Kate |date=December 1990 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: January–June 1990 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics and History |volume= 36 |issue= 3 |pages= 426–430 |issn=0004-9522}}</ref>

In May 1990, Greiner asked Metherell to try and resolve the ongoing battle with the state's teachers, and they were offered a 9% pay rise, although the disputes continued. Lecturers in the [[TAFE]] system, also within Metherell's portfolio, joined them after the government indicated its willingness to implement a report by a private management consultant envisaging a public-private partnership and massive staffing cuts. Metherell resigned from his position in 1990 but the disputes with teachers continued.<ref name=apc1990-1/>

Regarded as a [[fiscal conservative]], Greiner was still considered much further to the left than many of his fellow Liberals in terms of [[social policy]].{{cn|date=January 2025}} He criticised then Federal Opposition Leader [[John Howard]]'s controversial comments on [[immigration policy]] during the late 1980s, and was widely respected within the ethnic community.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

Buoyed by his government's strong performance in the polls, Greiner called a [[1991 NSW state election|snap election]] for 25 May 1991. Despite widespread predictions by political and media commentators that Greiner would be easily re-elected to a second term, the impact of the government's policies, particularly in terms of service cuts and increased charges, caused many voters to turn back to Labor. [[1991 New South Wales state election|The election]] saw the Coalition win 52 percent of the two-party vote. However, much of the Coalition margin was wasted on landslide margins in its heartland, while Labor took back many marginal seats it had lost in its severe defeat of three years prior. The result was a [[hung Parliament]], with the Coalition one seat short of a majority. Greiner was forced into a minority government, relying on support from four [[Independent politician|Independent]] MPs. His parliamentary majority was further eroded with the decision of Terry Metherell to become an Independent in late 1991, and with the loss of [[electoral district of The Entrance|The Entrance]] in a 1992 by-election following a Court of Disputed Returns overthrowing the original result.

Greiner was only the second head of government at either federal or state level in Australia who was born outside the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], the first being [[Chris Watson]], [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] in 1904.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

===ICAC investigation and resignation===
Greiner and Environment Minister Tim Moore decided to offer Liberal-turned-independent MP [[Terry Metherell]] an executive position in the [[Office of Environment & Heritage|Environmental Protection Authority]]. If Metherell accepted the position, he would have to resign his parliamentary seat, which the Liberal Party was confident of winning in a by-election. While Metherell initially agreed to the position on 10 April 1992, it was criticised by Labor and the independents, and documents were ultimately released showing he had applied for a job in the Premier's Department and then been seconded to the EPA, and had applied after the closing date, but was appointed within hours of his application. Greiner was accused of misleading the parliament, and in late April, Labor and the independents passed a no-confidence motion in Greiner's leadership (though, critically, not against the government) in the Legislative Assembly. The pressure led to Greiner moving that the Assembly refer the matter to [[Independent Commission Against Corruption (New South Wales)|ICAC]]. The inquiry began on 5 May, and following detailed evidence by Metherell that his resignation was part of a package negotiated with Greiner and Moore and the release of Metherell's diaries, Greiner and backbencher [[Brad Hazzard]] admitted their statements to the inquiry were wrong. Greiner as a witness could not recall 20 key events under investigation, and the inquiry heard that the director-general appointed Metherell when it was discovered he could not legally be appointed to the EPA.<ref name=apc1992>{{cite journal |date=December 1992 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: January–June 1992 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics and History |volume= 38 |issue= 3 |pages= 421–422 |issn=0004-9522 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8497.1992.tb00683.x}}</ref>

On 19 June, ICAC commissioner [[Ian Temby]] concluded that while Greiner had not acted criminally and had not set out to be corrupt, he would be seen "by a notional jury as conducting himself contrary to known and recognised standards of honesty and integrity".<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/dmdocuments/pub2_22i1.pdf|author=Independent Commission Against Corruption|date=19 June 1992|title=Report on Investigation into the Metherell Resignation and Appointment|isbn=0-7305-9882-9|access-date=18 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924032443/http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/dmdocuments/pub2_22i1.pdf|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}} (p. 51)</ref> Temby found strongest against Environment Minister [[Tim Moore (Australian politician)|Tim Moore]], a friend of Metherell's who was central to the offer. However, the Commission did not recommend taking action against the two ministers, saying that this was properly the role of Parliament.<ref>''Report'', p. 74.</ref> Greiner focused on the words "honesty and integrity" and argued he was only "technically corrupt", but by 21 June, it was clear the independents would support a vote of no confidence in Greiner and Moore. Greiner lodged a case with [[New South Wales Court of Appeal]] and argued any such motions would breach natural justice while the appeal was being heard, but Labor and the independents argued that the Parliament was the body which should decide Greiner's future. Labor tabled a no-confidence motion, which was due up for vote on 24 June.<ref name=apc1992/> The independents told Greiner that unless he resigned, they would withdraw their support from the government and support the no-confidence motion.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/winning-over-a-tough-crowd-20100827-13vyy.html |author=Humphries, David |title=Winning over a tough crowd |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=28 August 2010 |access-date=15 February 2012}}</ref> Accordingly, Greiner resigned, and was succeeded by [[John Fahey (politician)|John Fahey]].<ref name=apc1992/>

Greiner successfully appealed against the finding in the [[New South Wales Court of Appeal]], which in a 2–1 vote on 21 August 1992 overturned the ICAC findings.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Kevin |title=Former NSW premier cleared |newspaper=[[Financial Times]] |location=London |pages=3 |publisher=The Financial Times Limited |date=22 August 1992 }}</ref> The court found that ICAC had "exceeded its jurisdiction" in ruling against the two ministers<ref>{{Cite conference |first=Sexton |last=Michael |title=ADMINISTRATIVE LAW: THE NEW SOUTH WALES LANDSCAPE |pages=33 |publisher=Australian Institute of Administrative Law |date=30 August 2006 |url=http://law.anu.edu.au/aial/Publications/webdocuments/Forums/SeriesThree2006.pdf#page=29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412005754/http://law.anu.edu.au/aial/Publications/webdocuments/Forums/SeriesThree2006.pdf#page=29 |archive-date=12 April 2011}}</ref> and granted "declaratory relief that the Commission's report was wrong in law".<ref>{{Cite court |litigants=Greiner v ICAC |vol = 10 NSW 7 |reporter = Australian Current Law Reporter |opinion= |pinpoint= |court=Supreme Court, NSW, Court of Appeal |date=21 August 1992 |url= http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy2.library.usyd.edu.au/au/legal/docview/getDocForCuiReq?lni=4FJF-5930-TWGN-802P&csi=267715&oc=00240&perma=true}}</ref> Following the affair, a parliamentary committee inquiring into ICAC's powers in December 1992 recommended that Section 9 of the ICAC Act, on which the successful appeal was based, should be repealed as it was too narrow in defining corrupt conduct.<ref>{{cite journal |date=August 1993 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: July–December 1992 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics and History |volume= 39 |issue= 2 |pages= 232 |issn=0004-9522 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8497.1993.tb00060.x}}</ref> While the section was not repealed, a sub-section was ultimately added in 1994 which addressed the behaviour of ministers and members of parliament, and gave legislative enforcement to ministerial and parliamentary codes of conduct.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/sessionalview/sessional/act/1994-86.pdf|title=Independent Commission Against Corruption (Amendment) Act 1994 No. 86|date=12 December 1994|access-date=18 February 2012}}</ref>

==Subsequent career==
[[File:Nick Greiner.jpg|thumb|right|Greiner in 2021]]
In 1994, Greiner was made a [[Companion of the Order of Australia]] "for (his) service to public sector reform and management and to the community."<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |title=GREINER, Nicholas Frank |work=It's an Honour |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/884486 |access-date=23 February 2009 |date=June 1994}}</ref> In 2001, he received the Centenary Medal.<ref name=":0" />

In the few years after leaving state politics, Greiner had been touted for a tilt at federal politics including the prospect of replacing [[Alexander Downer]] as federal Liberal leader and becoming prime minister by leading the [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] to victory at the [[1996 Australian federal election|1996 federal election]] but none of this eventuated.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[The Australian Financial Review]] |url-status=live |archive-date=10 December 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211210034520/https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/nick-greiner-on-surviving-icac-and-being-the-ambassador-to-wall-street-20211123-p59b8f |url=https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/nick-greiner-on-surviving-icac-and-being-the-ambassador-to-wall-street-20211123-p59b8f |access-date=12 March 2025 |url-access=subscription |title=Nick Greiner on surviving ICAC and being the ambassador to Wall Street |first=Matthew |last=Cranston |date=10 December 2021 |quote=In the years following his resignation as NSW premier, Greiner was touted for a federal role, including replacing Alexander Downer as federal Liberal leader or even as a future prime minister.}}</ref> He went on to hold directorships with many Australian public companies. Greiner was chairman of the board of [[WD & HO Wills]] and then [[British American Tobacco]] Australia for the period 1996 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brushtail.com.au/july_06_on/major_drug_barons.html|title=In the thrall of the monster drug barons|website=www.brushtail.com.au|access-date=13 December 2017|archive-date=24 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224081814/http://brushtail.com.au/july_06_on/major_drug_barons.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2011, he was Chairman of [[Bradken]], [[Citigroup]] Australia, The Nuance Group, [[QBE Insurance|QBE Lenders' Mortgage Insurance]], Blue Star Print Group and Playup; and Deputy Chairman of CHAMP Private Equity.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=The Hon Nick Greiner AC|url=http://www.nickgreiner.com.au/|access-date=15 September 2021|website=www.nickgreiner.com.au}}{{self-published-inline|date=September 2020}}</ref> In May 2011, Greiner was appointed as Chairman of [[Infrastructure NSW]] by the [[O'Farrell ministry|O'Farrell government]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/infrastructure-nsw-chairman-nick-greiner-looking-to-build-trust-with-private-sector/story-e6frg9of-1226048706448 |title=Infrastructure NSW chairman Nick Greiner looking to build trust with private sector |author=Korporaal, Glenda |work=[[The Australian]]|date=3 May 2011 |access-date=12 February 2012 }}</ref> He also served as Chairman of the [[European Australian Business Council]].<ref name=":0" />

{{As of|2021}}, his website listed him as having held positions, mostly as chairman or deputy chairman, with:<ref name=":1" />
*[[QBE Insurance|QBE Emerging Markets]]
*[[Accolade Wines]]
*Rearden Capital
*CHAMP Private Equity
*[[Rothschild & Sons|Rothschild Australia]]
*[[Crosby Textor Group]]
*[[Transurban]] (adviser)
*[[Harper & Row]] (Australasia)
*[[Coles Myer]]
*[[Stockland|Stockland Trust]]
*[[Castle Harlan|Castle Harlan Australian Mezzanine]]

He contributed in many roles to the [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney]] and Australian sport.<ref name=":0" /> He was President of the Bid Company, Director of the Organising Committee, and President of Squash and Soccer.<ref name=":0" />

He was Federal President of the Liberal Party from 2017–2020.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> In February 2021, he became Consul-General for Australia in [[New York City|New York]] and the North-East United States.<ref name=":1" />

==Personal==
Greiner was married to [[Kathryn Greiner]], a former Councillor in the [[Sydney City Council]], and daughter of Sir [[Bede Callaghan]] (a former chairman of the [[Commonwealth Bank]] and Chancellor of [[University of Newcastle, Australia|University of Newcastle]]). They [[Marital separation|separated]] in 1995, then reconciled in 1996.<ref>''The Australian Magazine'', 12–13 July 1997. p. 27</ref> In October 2013 it was announced that they had again separated.<ref>{{cite news|last=Whitbourn|first=Michaela|title=Nick Greiner splits from wife Kathryn|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nick-greiner-splits-from-wife-kathryn-20131021-2vwg5.html|access-date=2013-11-28|newspaper=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=2013-10-21|archive-date=24 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124041211/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nick-greiner-splits-from-wife-kathryn-20131021-2vwg5.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The couple have one son and one daughter.{{Cn|date=September 2021}} He is currently in a relationship with Carolyn Fletcher.<ref name=":0" /> The two each have six grandchildren.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |author1=Gleeson, Michael |author2=Allan, Toni |author3=Wilkins, Michael |year=1992 |title=An Act of Corruption?: Nick Greiner's Years in Power and His Unorthodox Demise |location=Sydney |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |isbn=0-7333-0263-7 }}
* {{cite book |author1=Hancock, Ian |year=2013 |title=Nick Greiner: A Political Biography |location=Ballan, Vic |publisher=Connor Court Publishing |isbn=978-1-922168-54-2 }}
&nbsp;
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au-nsw-la}}
{{s-bef|before= [[John Maddison]]}}
{{s-ttl|title= [[Electoral district of Ku-ring-gai|Member for Ku-ring-gai]]|years =1980{{spaced ndash}}1992}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Stephen O'Doherty]]}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before= [[John Dowd (politician)|John Dowd]]}}
{{s-ttl|title= [[Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)|Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales]]|years= 1983{{spaced ndash}}1988}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Bob Carr]]}}
{{s-bef|before= [[Barrie Unsworth]]}}
{{s-ttl|title= [[Premier of New South Wales]]|years = 1988{{spaced ndash}}1992}}
{{s-aft|rows=3|after= [[John Fahey (politician)|John Fahey]]}}
{{s-bef|before= [[Ken Booth (politician)|Ken Booth]]}}
{{s-ttl|title= [[Treasurer of New South Wales]]|years = 1988{{spaced ndash}}1992}}
{{s-bef|before= [[Barrie Unsworth]]}}
{{s-ttl |title= [[Minister for Ethnic Affairs (New South Wales)|Minister for Ethnic Affairs]]|years= 1988{{spaced ndash}}1992 }}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before= [[John Dowd (politician)|John Dowd]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party]]|years=1983{{spaced ndash}}1992}}
{{s-aft|after= [[John Fahey (politician)|John Fahey]]}}
{{s-bef|before= [[Richard Alston (politician)|Richard Alston]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=President of the [[Liberal Party of Australia]]|years=2017{{spaced ndash}}date}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-new}}
{{s-ttl |title= Chairman of [[Infrastructure NSW]]|years= 2011{{spaced ndash}}2013}}
{{s-aft|after=Graham Bradley}}
{{S-end}}

{{Premiers of New South Wales}}
{{Treasurers of New South Wales}}
{{Leaders of the New South Wales Liberal Party}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greiner, Nick}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian people of Slovak descent]]
[[Category:Australian people of Slovak-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Australian republicans]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Hungarian emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:Hungarian people of Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Hungarian people of Slovak descent]]
[[Category:Leaders of the opposition in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Premiers of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of Australia]]
[[Category:Republic Advisory Committee]]
[[Category:Spouses of Australian politicians]]
[[Category:Treasurers of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]]
[[Category:People educated at St Aloysius' College (Sydney)]]
[[Category:People educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview]]
[[Category:University of Sydney alumni]]
[[Category:Consuls-General of Australia in New York]]
[[Category:Politicians from Budapest]]