Kerry Hickey
Encyclopedia
Kerry Arthur Hickey a former Australia
n politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing the electorate of Cessnock
between 1999
and 2011
for the Australian Labor Party
.
Prior to entering politics, Hickey was a metal fabricator prior to 1982 and subsequently he was a milk vendor. In 1981 he was elected as a Councillor of the City of Cessnock
.
He was Minister for Mineral Resources from April 2003 to August 2005, and was Minister for Local Government between 2005 and 2007.
On 7 November 2006, he admitted to having been fined four times in recent years for speeding:
The Premier, Morris Iemma
resisted calls to sack him as result. He was quoted as saying:
In an interview with the Newcastle Herald, published on 10 July 2010, Hickey claimed that he was not the father of a child born in February 2009 to an unnamed parliamentary staff member. A month later, on further questioning by the media, Hickey admitted that he had lied about his relationship with the parliamentary staff member and admitted that the 18-month old child was his. In a dramatic day of lying about his relationship, Hickey initially decided to resign, but after speaking with the Premier Kristina Keneally
, he issued a statement stating that he would be seeking re-election. Hickey's initial claims were made in order to protect the mother's career and his family.
Under mounting political and personal pressure, on 6 September 2010 Hickey announced his decision to not seek re-election at the 2011 state election
, citing personal reasons.
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, was a member of 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...
representing the electorate of Cessnock
Electoral district of Cessnock
Cessnock is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in the rural fringe of the Hunter. It is represented by Clayton Barr of the Australian Labor Party.-History:...
between 1999
New South Wales state election, 1999
Elections to the 52nd Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 27 March 1999. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
and 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...
for 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...
.
Prior to entering politics, Hickey was a metal fabricator prior to 1982 and subsequently he was a milk vendor. In 1981 he was elected as a Councillor of the City of Cessnock
City of Cessnock
Cessnock City Council is a Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, located to the west of Newcastle. The largest population centre and council seat is the city of Cessnock, after which the LGA is named....
.
He was Minister for Mineral Resources from April 2003 to August 2005, and was Minister for Local Government between 2005 and 2007.
On 7 November 2006, he admitted to having been fined four times in recent years for speeding:
- $590 in October 2006 for being more than 30 km/h over the limit
- $225 in August 2005 for being more than 15 km/h over the limit
- $127 in 2003
- $118 in 2002
The 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...
resisted calls to sack him as result. He was quoted as saying:
- I'm disappointed that it happened. Like any other motorist, no one is above the law, whether you are a minister, a member of Parliament or a member of the general public. He has apologised, I've accepted that. Is it a sackable offence? No, but I am very disappointed that it has happened. He's suffering public humiliation as a result.
In an interview with the Newcastle Herald, published on 10 July 2010, Hickey claimed that he was not the father of a child born in February 2009 to an unnamed parliamentary staff member. A month later, on further questioning by the media, Hickey admitted that he had lied about his relationship with the parliamentary staff member and admitted that the 18-month old child was his. In a dramatic day of lying about his relationship, Hickey initially decided to resign, but after speaking with the Premier Kristina 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...
, he issued a statement stating that he would be seeking re-election. Hickey's initial claims were made in order to protect the mother's career and his family.
Under mounting political and personal pressure, on 6 September 2010 Hickey announced his decision to not seek re-election at the 2011 state election
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...
, citing personal reasons.