Cassy O'Connor

Cassy O'Connor
Leader of the Tasmanian Greens
In office
12 June 2015 – 13 July 2023
Preceded byKim Booth
Succeeded byRosalie Woodruff
Member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council for Hobart
Assumed office
4 May 2024
Preceded byRob Valentine MLC
Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
for Clark
In office
21 July 2008 – 13 July 2023
Preceded byPeg Putt
Succeeded byVica Bayley
Secretary to Cabinet
In office
21 April 2010 – 11 November 2010
Minister for Human Services
In office
11 November 2010 – 17 January 2014
Preceded byNick McKim
Succeeded byRebecca White
Minister for Community Development
In office
11 November 2010 – 17 January 2014
Preceded byNick McKim
Succeeded byLara Giddings
Minister for Climate Change
In office
12 May 2011 – 17 January 2014
Preceded byNick McKim
Succeeded byLara Giddings
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
In office
12 May 2011 – 17 January 2014
Preceded byNick McKim
Succeeded byLara Giddings
Personal details
Born (1967-04-01) 1 April 1967 (age 57)
Canberra, Australia
Political partyGreens
Spouse(s)Stephen Lees (1st)
Nick McKim (2nd)

Cassandra Stanwell O'Connor (born 1 April 1967)[1] is an Australian politician, who was a Tasmanian Greens member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 2008 to 2023, representing the electorate of Denison which was renamed to Clark in September 2018. Since the 2024 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election, she has represented the electorate of Hobart.

One of two Greens in the eight member cabinet, O'Connor was the first female Greens minister in Australia, serving as Minister for Human Services, Community Development, Climate Change and Aboriginal Affairs in the Bartlett and Giddings cabinets from 2011 until 2014.[2]

On 12 June 2015, O'Connor was confirmed as the new Greens leader in Tasmania, after the resignation of Kim Booth.[3]

O'Connor announced her resignation as Leader of the Tasmanian Greens, and member of the House of Assembly on 13 July 2023, confirming she would seek election for the Legislative Council seat of Hobart in 2024.[4]

O'Connor was elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council following the 2024 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election.[5] psephologist Kevin Bonham called her win three hours after the counting had started, due to her maintaining around 40% of the first preference votes, whilst the largest of the other candidates hovered around 18%.[5] O'Connor is the first Tasmanian Greens member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council.[6]

  1. ^ "Cassandra Stanwell O'Connor". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  2. ^ Brown, Damien (11 November 2010). "Bartlett's new Cabinet". The Mercury. News Limited. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  3. ^ "Cassy O'Connor to take Tasmanian Greens leadership". ABC News. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  4. ^ Gibson, Jano (13 July 2023). "Cassy O'Connor, Tasmanian Greens Leader, resigns for tilt at upper house". ABC News. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Dr Kevin Bonham". kevinbonham.blogspot.com. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 May 2024.