The new leader of New South Wales, Australia’s most populated state, is a man who holds views on social issues that would make him right at home in America’s Christian nationalist movement.
Dominic Perrottet is a far-right Catholic who opposes legal abortion, marriage equality and LGBTQ rights. In 2016, he celebrated Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential race, calling it a win for “a silent majority, a forgotten people.”
Perrottet, 39, became premier of New South Wales after the former premier, Gladys Berejiklian, resigned over allegations of corruption.
The Australian site Junkee referred to Perrottet as “a devout traditional Catholic [who] has spoken openly about how his religious beliefs have fundamentally influenced his political work.” The site called his political views “extremely outdated.”
In a 2020 interview, Perrottet said, “I think having a Christian faith is part of who I am and inspires me to make a difference wherever I go.”