 He served as the Minister for Roads and Freight, and as the Minister for the North Coast between 2014 and 2015 in the first Baird government; and the Minister for Roads and Ports in the O'Farrell ministry between 2011 and 2014.Gay was born and raised in Crookwell, New South Wales near Goulburn and educated at Crookwell District Rural School.He attended Newington College (1962–1967) in Sydney as a boarding student before studying accountancy and wool classing.