Kate Jones
Encyclopedia
Kate Jennifer Jones is an Australia
n politician and Queensland Government minister. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party
and was elected in the seat of State Electorate of Ashgrove
in the Queensland Legislative Assembly
in 2006 which was previously held by former Speaker
of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Jim Fouras
(ALP). She was the Minister for Environment, Resource Management and Climate Change until her resignation.
Jones is the youngest female in Queensland Parliament and the youngest Minister in the Queensland Government.
Jones attended Kelvin Grove State High School in Kelvin Grove
. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Journalism at the Queensland University of Technology
while working part-time at The Gap Markets. She is completing her Masters in Environmental Law through the Australian National University
.
Jones is a member of the Ashgrove Historical Society, Ashgrove Climate Change Action Group and sits on the management committee of the Enoggera Respite Centre. She is also a member of The Fred Hollows Foundation
and World Vision
.
Before entering Parliament, Jones worked as a Senior Media Advisor to Queensland Minister for Public Works, Housing and Racing Robert Schwarten and as Media Advisor to former Queensland Treasurer David Hamill
.
After retaining her seat in the 2009 election
, she was appointed Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability in the new Bligh
cabinet, replacing Andrew McNamara
.
and Peter Beattie
, and who now heads media relations at Queensland Rail
). They have a son, Thomas Anthony Cronin, who was born in 2010.
.
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 and Queensland Government minister. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
and was elected in the seat of State Electorate of Ashgrove
Electoral district of Ashgrove
The division of Ashgrove is a Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral division in the state of Queensland, Australia.It is located in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, encompassing Alderley, Ashgrove, Enoggera, The Gap, and Newmarket...
in the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
in 2006 which was previously held by former Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Jim Fouras
Jim Fouras
Demetrios "Jim" Fouras is a former Australian politician. Born in Greece, he migrated to Queensland where he was a research chemist and then a marketing economist with the Department of Primary Industries. In 1977, he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for South...
(ALP). She was the Minister for Environment, Resource Management and Climate Change until her resignation.
Jones is the youngest female in Queensland Parliament and the youngest Minister in the Queensland Government.
Jones attended Kelvin Grove State High School in Kelvin Grove
Kelvin Grove
Kelvin Grove is the name of various places:*Kelvin Grove, Calgary, a neighbourhood of Calgary, Alberta, Canada*Kelvin Grove, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia*Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North, a suburb of Palmerston North, New Zealand...
. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Journalism at the Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology is an Australian university with an applied emphasis in courses and research. Based in Brisbane, it has 40,000 students, including 6,000 international students, over 4,000 staff members, and an annual budget of more than A$750 million.QUT is marketed as "A...
while working part-time at The Gap Markets. She is completing her Masters in Environmental Law through the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
.
Jones is a member of the Ashgrove Historical Society, Ashgrove Climate Change Action Group and sits on the management committee of the Enoggera Respite Centre. She is also a member of The Fred Hollows Foundation
The Fred Hollows Foundation
The Fred Hollows Foundation is a non-profit aid organization based in Australia founded in 1992 by eye surgeon Fred Hollows. The Foundation focuses on treating and preventing blindness and other vision problems...
and World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
.
Before entering Parliament, Jones worked as a Senior Media Advisor to Queensland Minister for Public Works, Housing and Racing Robert Schwarten and as Media Advisor to former Queensland Treasurer David Hamill
David Hamill
David Hamill born at Ipswich, Queensland on 18 September 1957, is a former Queensland ALP politician, who served in a number of positions including Minister for Transport and Minister Assisting the Premier on Economic and Trade Development, Minister for Education and Treasurer. He was elected to...
.
After retaining her seat in the 2009 election
Queensland state election, 2009
The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a...
, she was appointed Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability in the new Bligh
Anna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
cabinet, replacing Andrew McNamara
Andrew McNamara
Andrew Ian McNamara is an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2009, representing the district of Hervey Bay...
.
Personal life
Kate Jones is married to Paul Cronin (former chief media adviser to Queensland Premiers Anna BlighAnna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
and Peter Beattie
Peter Beattie
Peter Douglas Beattie , Australian politician, was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland for nine years and leader of the Australian Labor Party in that state for eleven and a half years...
, and who now heads media relations at Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
). They have a son, Thomas Anthony Cronin, who was born in 2010.
Resignation
Jones announced she would stand down from cabinet on the 19th of June 2011 to focus on winning her seat of AshgroveAshgrove
Ashgrove can refer to:* Ashgrove, Queensland, Australia* Electoral district of Ashgrove - an electoral area for the unicameral Queensland Legislative Assembly* Ashgrove, Bath and North East Somerset, England...
.