Maxine McKew | |
|---|---|
 McKew campaigning in the 2007 federal election. | |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Bennelong | |
| In office 24 November 2007 – 21 August 2010 | |
| Preceded by | John Howard |
| Succeeded by | John Alexander |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Maxine Margaret McKew 22 July 1953 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Domestic partner | Bob Hogg |
| Residence(s) | Epping, New South Wales |
| Occupation | Academic |
| Profession | Journalist |
| Website | maxinemckew.com.au |
Maxine Margaret McKew AM (born 22 July 1953[1]) is a former Australian Labor politician and journalist; she was the Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government in the First Rudd Ministry and the First Gillard Ministry.
Between 2007 and 2010, she was the member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Bennelong, New South Wales. Until 2007, the seat was held by the then Prime Minister John Howard, who had been the member for 33 years. She was only the second person to unseat a sitting Australian prime minister since Jack Holloway defeated Stanley Bruce in 1929;[2] and the third person to unseat the leader of a major party, after Neville Newell defeated Charles Blunt, leader of the National Party, in 1990. At the 2010 Federal election she lost her seat to the Liberal Party candidate, John Alexander.
Before entering politics, McKew was an award-winning broadcast journalist. She hosted a number of programs on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television and radio, most recently Lateline and The 7.30 Report.
- ^ "Date with destiny". Northern District Times. 17 October 2007.
- ^ "House of Representatives: NSW Division: Bennelong". Australian Electoral Commission. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2007.