Kaila Murnain Explained

Kaila Murnain
Birth Place:Newcastle, New South Wales
Nationality:Australia
Years Active:Political party administrator
Known For:General Secretary of NSW Labor
Alma Mater:University of New South Wales

Kaila Murnain is an Australian politician who was the first female General Secretary of NSW Labor.[1]

Early life and education

Murnain was born in Newcastle, to parents Anne and Neil, and grew up in Narrabri in north western New South Wales.[2] Murnain attended Narrabri Public School and Narrabri High School.[3] Her mother, Anne Murnain, contested the federal seat of Gwydir for the Australian Labor Party in 1998 and 2001. Murnain joined the Labor party herself when she was old enough, in 2000, and attended her first party conference at 15 years of age. She campaigned for Australia to become a republic.

Murnain moved to Sydney to attend the University of New South Wales to complete a Bachelor of Social Science. Murnain worked three jobs while studying. She is currently undertaking a Masters of Business Administration at the Australian Graduate School of Management (UNSW).

Murnain is married to Tom Hollywood,[4] an Army Reservist and Labor staffer who has worked for NSW Labor MLC Sophie Cotsis.

Career

Murnain worked as an electorate officer for Michael Daley MP from 2005 to 2007. She served as a policy advisor for Ageing and Disability Services to Kristina Keneally MP from 2007 to 2008. In 2008 Murnain began working at the NSW Labor Party head office as an organiser running campaigns in local, state and federal by-elections and general elections. With the support of the Australian Political Exchange Council, Murnain undertook an Individual Study Tour of the United States of America in 2012 and aided the Democratic Party campaign. In 2013 Murnain was appointed Assistant General Secretary of NSW Labor.

In February 2016 Murnain was elected by ballot as the first female General Secretary of NSW Labor. Federal Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, backed Ms Murnain, then aged 29, stating that "She's not to be underestimated. She'll make a strong NSW General Secretary."[5]

In response to a report into the status of women within the NSW division of the Labor Party, Murnain stated that her goal as General Secretary is to achieve cultural reform and strengthen Labor's affirmative action rules.[6] Murnain introduced the Party's first code of conduct[7] [8] and announced the introduction of compulsory ethics seminars for newly elected representatives.[9] At the 2016 NSW Labor Conference delegates voted in affirmative action reforms such as a women's mentoring program and targets for women to have equal representation in all elected party positions, across all council, state and federal electorates, by 2027.

In the lead up to the 2016 federal election, Murnain led a campaign strategy similar to Obama's "organising to win" campaign.[10] Labor NSW won 24 of the available 47 seats,[11] [12] with half of NSW Labor seats held by women, meeting the party's affirmative action goal.[13]

Murnain resigned as General Secretary of NSW Labor on 17 October 2019.[14]

Murnain works as a casual academic in psychology at the University of England and as an Associate Partner, Communications at SEC Newgate in Sydney.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Labor women reckon they have the ideas — not just the numbers. Bramston. Troy. 10 January 2017. The Australian. 2017-06-17.
  2. Web site: New Labor general secretary Kaila Murnain wants to drive cultural change in the party membership . . 2016-02-12 . 2017-01-21 . dmy-all . Nicholls, Sean . https://web.archive.org/web/20190902143913/https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-labor-general-secretary-kaila-murnain-wants-to-drive-cultural-change-in-the-party-membership-20160211-gmrekd.html . 2 September 2019 . live .
  3. Web site: New Labor Chief is On Fire : Kaila Murnain Takes Top Post . . Australia . 2017-01-21 . dmy-all .
  4. Web site: Kaila Murnain: the woman behind the NSW Labor machine . . 2018-06-30 . 2019-09-02 . dmy-all . Snow, Deborah . https://web.archive.org/web/20190902150325/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/kaila-murnain-the-woman-behind-the-nsw-labor-machine-20180629-p4zoiz.html . 2 September 2019 . live .
  5. Web site: Bill Shorten backs Kaila Murnain to replace Jamie Clements as NSW Labor general secretary . . Australia . 15 January 2016 . 2017-01-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001016/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-15/bill-shorten-backs-kaila-murnain-to-replace-jamie-clements/7092400 . 2 February 2017 . live .
  6. News: Labor launches historic affirmative action rules in wake of Jamie Clements saga. Nicholls. Sean. 2016-01-18. The Sydney Morning Herald. 2017-06-17. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20160623140542/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/labor-launches-historic-affirmative-action-rules-in-wake-of-jamie-clements-saga-20160117-gm7mko.html. 23 June 2016. live.
  7. Web site: NSW Labor adopts code of conduct for officials, members. Bramston. Troy. 5 December 2016. The Australian. 2017-06-19.
  8. News: NSW Labor Party votes to adopt bullying "code of conduct". 2016-02-13. ABC News. Australia. 2017-06-19. en-AU. https://web.archive.org/web/20161110181226/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-13/nsw-labor-party-conference/7165746. 10 November 2016. live.
  9. News: ALP councillors' new school for scandal. Nicholls. Sean. 2016-08-15. The Sydney Morning Herald. 2017-06-19. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20161018122820/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/scandal-school-for-alp-councillors-20160814-gqs6an.html. 18 October 2016. live.
  10. Web site: NSW Labor adopts Barack Obama campaign tactics. Bramston. Troy. 23 November 2015. The Australian. 2017-06-17.
  11. News: Michael Evans . Federal election 2016: How the west was won by NSW Labor Party general secretary Kaila Murnain . . 2016-07-08 . 2017-01-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202011202/http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4020011/federal-election-2016-how-the-west-was-won-by-nsw-labor-party-general-secretary-kaila-murnain/?cs=7 . 2 February 2017 . live .
  12. Web site: 2016 Federal Election - AEC Tally Room. Australian Electoral Commission. en-AU. 2017-06-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20170611183836/http://results.aec.gov.au/20499/Website/HouseDefault-20499.htm. 11 June 2017. live.
  13. Web site: Labor Party Brings in More Women to Take Aim at NSW Seats . . Australia . 2017-01-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160520150931/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/labor-party-brings-in-more-women-to-take-aim-at-nsw-seats/news-story/225715c4e977c82defdb2347e063075a . 20 May 2016 . live .
  14. Web site: Stewart . Selby . Calderwood . Kathleen . 2019-10-17 . NSW Labor boss resigns amid corruption probe, gets $700,000 payout . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191024193918/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-17/nsw-labor-boss-kaila-murnane-resigns-amid-corruption-inquiry/11611266 . 24 October 2019 . 2019-10-17 . . en-AU.
  15. Web site: Estcourt . David . 2023-07-16 . Exiled after ICAC probe, a one-time Labor chief returns to the fold . 2024-06-07 . The Sydney Morning Herald . en.

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