Kristina Keneally | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Keneally in 2021 | |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate | |
| In office 30 May 2019 – 13 April 2022 | |
| Leader | Penny Wong |
| Preceded by | Don Farrell |
| Succeeded by | Michaelia Cash |
| Senator for New South Wales | |
| In office 14 February 2018 – 13 April 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Sam Dastyari |
| Succeeded by | David Shoebridge |
| 42nd Premier of New South Wales Elections: 2011 | |
| In office 4 December 2009 – 28 March 2011 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor | Marie Bashir |
| Deputy | Carmel Tebbutt |
| Preceded by | Nathan Rees |
| Succeeded by | Barry O'Farrell |
| 19th Leader of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales | |
| In office 3 December 2009 – 31 March 2011 | |
| Deputy | Carmel Tebbutt |
| Preceded by | Nathan Rees |
| Succeeded by | John Robertson |
| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Heffron | |
| In office 22 March 2003 – 29 June 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Deirdre Grusovin |
| Succeeded by | Ron Hoenig |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kristina Marie Kerscher 19 December 1968 Las Vegas, Nevada, US |
| Nationality | Australian (2000–present) American (1968–2002) |
| Political party | Labor (2000–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (Before 2000, United States) |
| Spouse | Ben Keneally |
| Children | 3 (1 deceased) |
| Education | University of Dayton (BA, MA) Marquette University Australian Catholic University |
| Website | Agency website Senate Profile |
Kristina Marie Kerscher Keneally (born 19 December 1968)[1] is an American-born Australian politician who served as the first female Premier of New South Wales from 2009 to 2011[2] and was later a Labor Senator for New South Wales from February 2018 until April 2022. She resigned from the Senate to contest the House of Representatives seat of Fowler, but was unsuccessful. From 2019 to 2022 she served as Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, and Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.
Keneally was born in the United States to an American father and an Australian mother. She grew up in Toledo, Ohio, and is a graduate of the University of Dayton. After marrying an Australian, Ben Keneally, she settled in Australia permanently and became a naturalised citizen in 2000. Keneally was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Heffron at the 2003 state election, succeeding Deirdre Grusovin after a controversial preselection process.[3] After being re-elected to parliament at the 2007 state election, she became the Minister for Ageing and Disability Services and was subsequently appointed Minister for Planning by Premier Nathan Rees in 2008. She was also the state government's spokeswoman for World Youth Day 2008.[4]
By December 2009 Keneally had emerged as the preferred leadership candidate of the Labor Right faction, and defeated incumbent Premier Nathan Rees (who had been in office for just 15 months) in a party room ballot, winning by 47 votes to 21.[5][6][7] The Keneally Government went on to suffer a 16.5 percent two-party preferred statewide swing at the 2011 state election – the biggest swing in Australian political history.[8] She resigned as Labor Party leader on election night and was succeeded by John Robertson, who was elected unopposed, on 31 March 2011.[9] She resigned from Parliament in June 2012.
In 2014 Keneally joined Sky News Live as a political commentator, later becoming co-host of To The Point. She took leave in November 2017 to stand as the Labor candidate for the Bennelong by-election, achieving a swing to Labor but losing to previous member John Alexander. In February 2018 she was appointed to the Senate to fill a casual vacancy caused by Sam Dastyari's resignation.[10] After the 2019 leadership election, Keneally was selected as deputy Senate leader in the shadow cabinet of new Labor leader Anthony Albanese. She was also given the portfolios of Home Affairs and Immigration and Citizenship.[11][12]
At the 2022 federal election Keneally, whose main residency is in the Northern Beaches, was parachuted into the traditionally safe Labor seat of Fowler, which has one of the highest concentrations of Vietnamese Australians in the country. As a result of community backlash against her candidacy, Labor suffered a 15.6% swing against them, and she was defeated by independent challenger Dai Le, a Vietnamese-Australian journalist and former Liberal Party candidate.
- ^ "The Hon. Kristina Kerscher Keneally (1968– )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ Clennell, Andrew (3 December 2009). "Keneally first female NSW Premier". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
- ^ Norington, Brad (10 October 2002). "Mum's the word as Grusovin bows out of party battle". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
- ^ "American-born Members of Parliament". Hansard. Parliament of New South Wales. 3 April 2008. p. 6444. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
- ^ "Keneally 'secures key faction for vote'". Herald Sun. Melbourne. 3 December 2009. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
- ^ "Keneally 'will collaborate' on new cabinet". ABC News. Australia. 4 December 2009.
- ^ "Labor warlords dump Nathan Rees". Financial Review. Australia. 4 December 2009.
- ^ "'We'll govern for all'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 March 2011.
- ^ "Robertson elected Labor leader". The Sydney Morning Herald. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
- ^ "Kristina Keneally officially confirmed as Sam Dastyari's Senate replacement". The Guardian. 30 January 2018.
- ^ "Anthony Albanese and Richard Marles take over Labor leadership following election loss". 30 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ "Labor leader Anthony Albanese announces frontbench in wake of federal election 2019". 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.