Sonya Kilkenny Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Sonya Kilkenny
Honorific-Suffix:MP
Office:Minister for Planning
Minister for Outdoor Recreation
Premier:Daniel Andrews
Term Start:4 July 2022
Term End:2 October 2023
Predecessor:Lizzie Blandthorn
Successor:Herself (as Minister for Planning)
Steve Dimopoulos (as Minister for Outdoor Recreation)
Office1:Minister for Planning
Minister for the Suburbs
Premier1:Jacinta Allan
Term Start1:2 October 2023
Predecessor1:Herself (as Minister for Planning and Minister for Outdoor Recreation)
Ros Spence (as Minister for Suburban Development)
Office2:Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Carrum
Term Start2:29 November 2014
Predecessor2:Donna Bauer
Birth Date:1969 5, df=yes
Birth Place:Sydney, Australia
Party:Labor
Children:1
Alma Mater:University of New South Wales
University of Melbourne
Profession:Commercial lawyer

Sonya Kilkenny (born 15 May 1969) is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since November 2014, representing the Electoral district of Carrum.

Kilkenny first entered parliament at the 2014 Victorian state election when she narrowly won the seat off the Liberal incumbent, before holding the seat at the 2018 Victorian state election with an 11.2% swing, one of the biggest swings in the election.[1]

Kilkenny served on the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee and was an Acting Speaker in the Legislative Assembly.[2]

On 29 November 2018, Kilkenny was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and in 2020 appointed Cabinet Secretary.[3]

Kilkenny was born in Sydney, and attended schools in Hong Kong and the United States before returning to Australia. She graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws, and later with a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne. She has worked as a legal officer or lawyer for organisations such as the Kimberley Land Council and the Australian Children's Television Foundation, and served on the boards of the Back to Back Theatre company and the National Theatre in St Kilda.[4] Just prior to her election, she was head of the legal dispute resolution team at the ANZ Banking Group.[5]

Kilkenny lives in her electorate of Carrum. She previously contested the federal Division of Dunkley for Labor at the 2013 federal election.[6]

Kilkenny was appointed as Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support and Minister for Fishing and Boating as part of a June 2022 cabinet reshuffle.[7] She was sworn in on 4 July, a week after the rest of the cabinet, due to isolating after contracting COVID-19.[8]

On 5 December 2022, Kilkenny was sworn in as the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Outdoor Recreation.[9]

In October 2023, Kilkenny was appointed as Minister for the Suburbs, in addition to continuing as Planning Minister.[10]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carrum - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
  2. Web site: Members: Sonya Kilkenny (Carrum) . People in Parliament . . 2 July 2017 .
  3. Web site: Member Profile - Ms Sonya Kilkenny.
  4. Web site: ANMT Annual Report 2013. nationaltheatre.org.au. Australian National Memorial Theatre. 7 December 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150305172840/http://www.nationaltheatre.org.au/ANMT_2013_Financial_Statements.pdf. 5 March 2015. dmy-all.
  5. News: Sonya Kilkenny / Labor / Carrum. 7 December 2014. UNIPOLLWATCH. 10 November 2014. dead. https://archive.today/20141207013229/http://www.unipollwatch.org.au/sonya-kilkenny-labor-carrum/. 7 December 2014. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: Carrum Results. 6 December 2014. ABC News.
  7. Web site: Statement On New Ministry. Premier of Victoria. 25 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220627065514/https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/statement-new-ministry. 27 June 2022. live.
  8. Web site: Vic govt ministry sworn in after reshuffle. 7News. 27 June 2022.
  9. Web site: New Cabinet to Keep Doing What Matters | Premier of Victoria .
  10. https://amp.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/jacinta-allan-names-her-new-cabinet-including-her-big-build-replacement-20231002-p5e90p.html