Jodi McKay
Encyclopedia
Jodi Leyanne McKay is a former Australia
n politician who represented the electoral district of Newcastle
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 2007 until her defeat at the New South Wales state election, 2011
.
McKay was the Minister for Tourism and the Minister for the Hunter in the Rees
and Keneally
governments.
nightly news. She also served as an honorary director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute and the Hunter Manufacturers' Association.
, after Premier Morris Iemma
personally intervened to ensure her selection. The election itself became a tight three-way contest between McKay, Gaudry and Newcastle
Lord Mayor
John Tate, with McKay winning on Gaudry's preferences. In April 2008 she was criticised by the NSW Greens for failing to declare a political donation
from a local developer to help pay for printing costs during her campaign. The donor was at the time seeking support from Planning Minister Frank Sartor
for a development at Medowie
, near Newcastle airport
.
McKay was appointed Minister for Tourism and Minister for the Hunter on 8 September 2008. She immediately distanced herself from the style of her predecessor Michael Costa and committed to greater engagement with local government and community groups. Her appointment was welcomed by tourism and business groups including the Hunter Chamber of Commerce.
On 31 March McKay conceded the election race for Newcastle
in a statement to the press that: "The people have had their say... I accept the decision of the Newcastle community that they do not want me to continue in this role." The concession came after Labor recorded a 31.0% share of the primary vote at the polls to the Liberal's 36.4% and independent
Tate's 11.5 and the Greens 14.6%. On a two party preferred basis this translated into 52.4% for the Liberal's Tim Owen
and 47.6% for the defeated McKay.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician who represented the electoral district of Newcastle
Electoral district of Newcastle
Newcastle is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales named after and including Newcastle. It is represented by Tim Owen of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 2007 until her defeat at the New South Wales state election, 2011
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
.
McKay was the Minister for Tourism and the Minister for the Hunter in the Rees
Nathan Rees
Nathan Rees MP, , an Australian politician, was the 41st Premier of New South Wales and parliamentary leader of the New South Wales division of the Australian Labor Party from September 2008 to December 2009...
and Keneally
Kristina Keneally
Kristina Kerscher Keneally MP, is an Australian politician and was the 42nd Premier of New South Wales. She was elected leader of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales and thus Premier in 2009, but went on to lose government to the Liberal/National Coalition at the March 2011 state election...
governments.
Early years and background
Prior to her election, McKay was the newsreader for Newcastle's NBN TelevisionNBN Television
NBN Television is a television station based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The station was inaugurated on 4 March 1962 as the first regional commercial television station in New South Wales, and has since expanded to 39 transmitters throughout the northern half of New South Wales and...
nightly news. She also served as an honorary director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute and the Hunter Manufacturers' Association.
Political career
McKay was narrowly chosen to be Labor's candidate for Newcastle over sitting member Bryce GaudryBryce Gaudry
Bryce James Gaudry, BA MP was an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Newcastle....
, after Premier Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
personally intervened to ensure her selection. The election itself became a tight three-way contest between McKay, Gaudry and Newcastle
City of Newcastle
Newcastle City Council is a Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia.-Demographics:According to the Australian Bureau Statistics the City of Newcastle had an estimated resident population of 154,777 as of 30 June 2008...
Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
John Tate, with McKay winning on Gaudry's preferences. In April 2008 she was criticised by the NSW Greens for failing to declare a political donation
Political donations in Australia
The term political donations refers to gifts to a politician, a political party, or an election campaign.In Australia, the majority of political donations come in the form of financial gifts from corporations, which go towards the funding of the parties' election advertising campaigns. Donations...
from a local developer to help pay for printing costs during her campaign. The donor was at the time seeking support from Planning Minister Frank Sartor
Frank Sartor
Francesco Ernest 'Frank' Sartor JP a former Australian politician, was New South Wales Minister for Climate Change and the Environment and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health between 2009 and 2011. He was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Rockdale for the...
for a development at Medowie
Medowie, New South Wales
Medowie is a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately by road north of Newcastle, not far from RAAF Base Williamtown and is home to a large number of the personnel stationed there.It was a small rural town...
, near Newcastle airport
Newcastle Airport (Williamtown)
Newcastle Airport is north of Newcastle, New South Wales in Port Stephens. It is the 12th busiest airport in Australia, handling almost 1.2 million passengers in the year ending 30 June 2009, which is 107,000 more than in 2007-08.-Overview:...
.
McKay was appointed Minister for Tourism and Minister for the Hunter on 8 September 2008. She immediately distanced herself from the style of her predecessor Michael Costa and committed to greater engagement with local government and community groups. Her appointment was welcomed by tourism and business groups including the Hunter Chamber of Commerce.
On 31 March McKay conceded the election race for Newcastle
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
in a statement to the press that: "The people have had their say... I accept the decision of the Newcastle community that they do not want me to continue in this role." The concession came after Labor recorded a 31.0% share of the primary vote at the polls to the Liberal's 36.4% and independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Tate's 11.5 and the Greens 14.6%. On a two party preferred basis this translated into 52.4% for the Liberal's Tim Owen
Tim Owen
Timothy Francis "Tim" Owen AM MSS MP, is an Australian politician and a former deputy commander of the Australian forces. He is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electoral district of Newcastle for the Liberal Party of Australia since the 2011 New South Wales...
and 47.6% for the defeated McKay.