Jodi McKay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 39thLeader of the Opposition in New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 29 June 2019 – 28 May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premier | Gladys Berejiklian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Yasmin Catley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Michael Daley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Chris Minns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of theNew South Wales Labor Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 29 June 2019 – 28 May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Yasmin Catley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Michael Daley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Chris Minns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of theNew South Wales Parliament forStrathfield | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 22 March 2015 – 31 December 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Charles Casuscelli | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jason Li | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Majority | 4,274 (5.0%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of theNew South Wales Parliament forNewcastle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 24 March 2007 – 26 March 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Bryce Gaudry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Tim Owen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1969-08-16)16 August 1969 (age 56) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Labor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profession | Politician Television journalist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jodi Leyanne McKay (born 16 August 1969) is an Australian former politician who was theLeader of the Opposition in theParliament of New South Wales from June 2019 until May 2021.[2] She previously served as a member of theNew South Wales Legislative Assembly, representingStrathfield for theLabor Party from 2015 to 2021. McKay also previously representedNewcastle for one term from 2007 until her defeat at the2011 election. Between 2008 and 2011, McKay held a number of junior ministerial responsibilities in theRees andKeneally governments, including serving as the Minister for theHunter,Tourism, Small Business,Science and Medical Research, Commerce, and Women, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer). On 17 October 2021, McKay announced she would resign from the parliament, which triggered aby-election in her seat of Strathfield. McKay subsequently became National Chair of the Australia India Business Council.[3]
McKay began her career as a journalist, eventually becoming a news anchor forNBN Television. She was among the first Australian news presenters to cover theSeptember 11 attacks in the United States.[4] She later entered the private sector in corporate communications and marketing. McKay also served on the Board of Hunter Medical Research Institute, theUniversity of Newcastle Research Associates and Hunter Manufacturers' Association, prior to entering politics.[1]
A member ofLabor Right,[5] McKay was installed as Labor's candidate for Newcastle over the sitting memberBryce Gaudry, afterPremierMorris Iemma intervened to ensure her selection.[6] The controversy around the selection led to around 130 members of the Newcastle ALP branches, then the largest in the state, leaving or being expelled.[7]
Thesubsequent election became a tight three-way contest between McKay, Gaudry, running as anindependent, and the independentNewcastlelord mayorJohn Tate, with McKay winning on Gaudry's preferences.[8]
In April 2008, theNSW Greens were critical of McKay for failing to declare apolitical donation from a property developer group, Buildev, owned byNathan Tinkler, to help pay for printing costs during her campaign. Buildev declared $50,000 in electoral donations to McKay, but McKay only declared a $1,000 donation from Buildev. At the time, Buildev was seeking support from theMinister for Planning,Frank Sartor, for a development atMedowie, nearNewcastle Airport.[9] McKay denied knowledge of the donation. The donation was made to Labor's New South Wales head office. In 2011, following a controversial proposal by another Tinkler company, Newcastle Ports, to build a coal loader at the port, McKay declined to meet company representatives, citing her need to remain uninvolved in the process.[10]
In September 2008, McKay was appointed to cabinet as the Minister for Tourism and Minister for the Hunter. She immediately distanced herself from the style of her predecessorMichael Costa, and committed to greater engagement with local government and community groups.[11] Her appointment was welcomed by local tourism and business groups, including the Hunter Chamber of Commerce.[12] McKay was also appointed as the Minister for Science and Medical Research, Minister assisting on Health, Minister for Commerce, Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Women.
In 2011, McKay was reaffirmed as the Labor candidate for Newcastle by the party's national executive. At the2011 election, McKay recorded a 31.0% share of the primary vote, her Liberal opponent received 36.4%, Tate had 11.5% and the Greens 14.6%. On atwo-party preferred basis that translated into 52.4% for the Liberals'Tim Owen and 47.6% for McKay.
In 2014, McKay gave evidence before theIndependent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that she was asked to accept an alleged bribe and reported the matter to theNSW Police, the ICAC and theElection Funding Authority.[13][14] McKay told the Independent Commission Against Corruption that Tinkler had offered to bankroll her 2011 election campaign, in exchange for her support of his $1 billion coal loader project. Ms McKay gave evidence that she reported Mr Tinkler's alleged bribe offer to police, ICAC, theElectoral Commission and the Electoral Funding Authority. McKay told him she could not accept his money because he was a banned donor.[15] The ICAC inquiry revealed that after McKay knocked back the alleged bribe, Tinkler's Buildev company, her colleague and senior Labor MPJoe Tripodi, and former Labor staffer Ann Wills, were involved in a pamphlet smear campaign that she believed contributed to her election loss. McKay was in tears in the ICAC witness box as confirmation of what she had long suspected came to light—"they could not control me and they did not want me in the seat."[16]
After her election defeat, McKay held an executive role with Family Planning NSW and was a non-executive director of both Australian Science Innovations and Epilepsy Action Australia.[17]
After the first ICAC hearing, McKay said she would never return to politics.[18] However, in October 2014, McKay was installed as the Labor candidate for the seat ofStrathfield for thenext state election[19] and, following her endorsement, was quoted as saying that she realised "if you want change, it has to come from within".[20]
In January 2015, although she was not a member of Parliament, leader of the oppositionLuke Foley appointed McKay to the shadow ministry as opposition planning spokeswoman.[21][22][23]
At the2015 state election, McKay was elected as the member for Strathfield with an 8.2-point swing to Labor. In April 2015, she was appointed as Shadow Minister for Police and Roads, Maritime and Freight. In 2016, she was promoted to Shadow Minister for Transport and Shadow Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight. In 2017, she was preselected again as the Labor candidate for Strathfield for the2019 state election, winning theseat with 55.1% on a two-party-preferred basis.[24]
Following Labor's defeat in the 2019 election, the party leader,Michael Daley, resigned, and McKay expressed interest in running for the leadership. Aleadership vote was held in June 2019, and McKay was elected as the leader of the NSW Labor Party, defeatingKogarah MPChris Minns, winning 58.0% of the Labor caucus vote, and 63.0% of rank and file party membership vote. She thereby became the 39th NSW Leader of the Opposition,[25][26] marking the first time that the premier and opposition leader in New South Wales were both women.[27] McKay revealed hershadow ministry on 3 July 2019.[28][29]
Following Labor's defeat at theUpper Hunter by-election in May 2021, McKay faced a possible leadership challenge. On 25 May 2021, Shadow TreasurerWalt Secord resigned from her shadow cabinet, saying that it was "well-known that Jodi McKay and [he] have disagreed on key policy, parliamentary and strategic decisions and directions" and that he can no longer serve under her.[30] The following day, a file titled 'Why Chris Minns and Jamie Clements can never run the NSW Labor Party' was circulated from the office of the party deputy leader,Yasmin Catley. Minns, who was the Shadow Minister for Transport, was disappointed with the lack of explanation or communication from McKay and Catley over the file circulation and also resigned from the shadow cabinet.[31] Facing pressure to unite the party, McKay resigned as party leader on 28 May 2021.[2] Minns then became party leader a week later. McKay was offered a frontbench position by Minns in hisshadow ministry but she declined.[32]
On 17 October 2021, McKay announced that she had advised theSpeaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly of her intention to resign as member for Strathfield, which would trigger aby-election to fill the vacancy.[33] She officially resigned on 31 December 2021.[34]
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member for Newcastle 2007–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member for Strathfield 2015–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister for Tourism 2008–2011 | Succeeded byas Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing |
| Preceded by | Minister for the Hunter 2008–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Science and Medical Research 2008–2011 | Succeeded byas Minister for Medical Research |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) 2008–2009 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Minister for Small Business 2008–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Women 2008–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Commerce 2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales) 2019–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch) 2019–2021 | Succeeded by |
