Bridget McKenzie

Bridget McKenzie
McKenzie in 2019
Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience
In office
2 July 2021 – 23 May 2022
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byDavid Littleproud
Succeeded byMurray Watt
Minister for Regionalisation, Regional Communications and Regional Education
In office
2 July 2021 – 23 May 2022
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byMark Coulton
Succeeded byAbolished
Deputy Leader of the National Party
In office
7 December 2017 – 2 February 2020
LeaderBarnaby Joyce
Michael McCormack
Preceded byFiona Nash
Succeeded byDavid Littleproud
Minister for Agriculture
In office
29 May 2019 – 2 February 2020
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byDavid Littleproud
Succeeded byDavid Littleproud
Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government
In office
28 August 2018 – 29 May 2019
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
MinisterMichael McCormack
Preceded byJohn McVeigh
Succeeded byMark Coulton
Minister for Sports
In office
20 December 2017 – 29 May 2019
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison
Preceded byGreg Hunt
Succeeded byRichard Colbeck
Minister for Rural Health
Minister for Regional Communications
In office
20 December 2017 – 28 August 2018
Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull
Scott Morrison
Preceded byFiona Nash
Succeeded by(abolished)
Senator for Victoria
Assumed office
1 July 2011
Preceded byJulian McGauran
Personal details
Born
Bridget McKenzie

(1969-12-27) 27 December 1969 (age 54)
Alexandra, Victoria, Australia
Political partyNational Party
Alma materDeakin University

Bridget McKenzie (born 27 December 1969) is an Australian politician. She is a member of the National Party and has been a Senator for Victoria since 2011. She has held ministerial office in the Turnbull and Morrison governments, also serving as the party's Senate leader since 2019.

McKenzie grew up in Benalla, Victoria, and worked as a schoolteacher and university lecturer before entering politics. She was elected to the Senate at the 2010 federal election and served as a whip from 2011 to 2013. McKenzie replaced Fiona Nash as deputy leader of the Nationals during the 2017 parliamentary eligibility crisis, and as a result was elevated to cabinet. She served variously as Minister for Rural Health (2017–2018), Sport (2017–2018), Regional Communications (2017–2018), Regional Services, Local Government and Decentralisation (2018–2019), and Agriculture (2019–2020). McKenzie resigned from cabinet and as deputy leader in 2020 as a result of a scandal surrounding the administration of community sporting grants. She was reappointed to cabinet in 2021 following a Nationals leadership spill as Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience and Minister for Regionalisation, Regional Communications and Regional Education.