Stephanie Key
Encyclopedia
Stephanie Wendy Key (born 13 December 1954) served as South Australia's Minister for Social Justice, Minister for Employment, Training & Further Education
, Minister for Youth
, and Minister for the Status of Women
in the first Rann Labor government. She currently represents the electorate of Ashford
in the South Australian House of Assembly
as a member of the Australian Labor Party
. As of the 2010 state election, Key holds Ashford
with a margin of 4.8 percent.
Steph was born at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She attended Largs Bay Primary School, Port Adelaide Girls Technical High School and Marryatville Adult Education School. She attended Flinders University
completing a Bachelor of Arts
majoring in Politics
and Sociology
. During her time at Flinders University she was elected as the first woman General Secretary of the Flinders University Students Association.
Prior to entering Parliament, Steph worked in a diverse range of positions, from cleaner and shop assistant to Industrial Officer with the Transport Workers Union (TWU
), the Australian Council of Trades Unions (ACTU) and the United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia
(UTLC). Steph also served for several years as the Director of the Working Women’s Centre and as a member of the South Australian Housing Trust's Board of Directors.
On being elected to the South Australian Parliament in 1997, for the electoral district of Hanson, she immediately assumed Shadow portfolio responsibilities for Industrial Affairs, Youth Affairs and assisting in Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs. Changes in the Shadow Cabinet during 2000 saw her portfolio responsibilities change to Housing & Urban Development, Employment and Training, Local Government and Youth Affairs.
The 2002 election saw Steph re-elected to the Parliament to represent Ashford, the renamed seat of Hanson. The seat of Ashford incorporates a narrow strip of the inner western suburbs, roughly extending, from Edwardstown in the south to Cowandilla and Hilton in the north and Goodwood Road in the east across to Marion Road in the west. With Labor assuming office as a minority government Steph became Australia’s first Minister for Social Justice, with portfolio responsibilities for Community and Disability Services and Ageing. She was also appointed as the Minister for Housing, Youth and the Status of Women.
Within two weeks of becoming the Minister for Social Justice she set about overhauling the state’s child protection system. In pursuit of this objective she commissioned the Layton Review which provided a comprehensive basis for Labor’s reform agenda in what had long been a neglected and chronically under resourced area of social policy. This initiative is now regarded as having provided a template for reform in child protection not only for South Australia but the rest of Australia as well.
In her capacity as Minister for the Status of Women she also took an active interest in promoting greater opportunities for aboriginal women, particularly those in regional and outback South Australia. This included the provision of regular regional meetings and forums to assist indigenous women in having greater input into government policies affecting their communities.
Following a mid-term Cabinet reshuffle in 2004 Steph became the Minister for Employment, Training & Further Education while also retaining the Youth and Status of Women portfolios. It was during this period that she headed a delegation to India to encourage increased enrolment by Indian students in Adelaide’s educational institutions and to promote closer educational and cultural cooperation between Indian and South Australian universities. The results included the signing of a series of Memoranda of Understanding and reinforced Adelaide’s reputation as a highly desirable destination for overseas students.
Throughout her time as a Minister, Steph sought to champion the rights of people who face discrimination in one form or another – whether at work or in the broader community – and was responsible for initiating the modernising and redrafting of South Australia’s anti discrimination legislation, the Equal Opportunity Act, as well as promoting rights for same sex couples and improvements for victims of abuse, sexual assault and rape.
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
, Minister for Youth
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
, and Minister for the Status of Women
Equal opportunity
Equal opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
in the first Rann Labor government. She currently represents the electorate of Ashford
Electoral district of Ashford
Ashford is an electorate for the South Australian Legislative Assembly which includes many of Adelaide's inner south western suburbs. The district forms part of three federal electorates: the Division of Hindmarsh, the Division of Boothby, and the Division of Adelaide.The electorate's name dervives...
in the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
as 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...
. As of the 2010 state election, Key holds Ashford
Electoral district of Ashford
Ashford is an electorate for the South Australian Legislative Assembly which includes many of Adelaide's inner south western suburbs. The district forms part of three federal electorates: the Division of Hindmarsh, the Division of Boothby, and the Division of Adelaide.The electorate's name dervives...
with a margin of 4.8 percent.
Steph was born at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She attended Largs Bay Primary School, Port Adelaide Girls Technical High School and Marryatville Adult Education School. She attended Flinders University
Flinders University
Flinders University, , is a public university in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of navigator Matthew Flinders, who explored and surveyed the South Australian coastline in the early 19th century.The university has established a reputation as a leading research...
completing a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
majoring in Politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
. During her time at Flinders University she was elected as the first woman General Secretary of the Flinders University Students Association.
Prior to entering Parliament, Steph worked in a diverse range of positions, from cleaner and shop assistant to Industrial Officer with the Transport Workers Union (TWU
TWU
TWU may refer to:* Texas Woman's University, the second largest public university in Denton, Texas* Telecommunications Workers Union, a trade union in Canada* Transport Workers Union of America, a trade union in United States of America...
), the Australian Council of Trades Unions (ACTU) and the United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia
United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia
The United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia, also known as SA Unions, is a representative body of trade union organisations, known as a Labour council, in the State of South Australia...
(UTLC). Steph also served for several years as the Director of the Working Women’s Centre and as a member of the South Australian Housing Trust's Board of Directors.
On being elected to the South Australian Parliament in 1997, for the electoral district of Hanson, she immediately assumed Shadow portfolio responsibilities for Industrial Affairs, Youth Affairs and assisting in Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs. Changes in the Shadow Cabinet during 2000 saw her portfolio responsibilities change to Housing & Urban Development, Employment and Training, Local Government and Youth Affairs.
The 2002 election saw Steph re-elected to the Parliament to represent Ashford, the renamed seat of Hanson. The seat of Ashford incorporates a narrow strip of the inner western suburbs, roughly extending, from Edwardstown in the south to Cowandilla and Hilton in the north and Goodwood Road in the east across to Marion Road in the west. With Labor assuming office as a minority government Steph became Australia’s first Minister for Social Justice, with portfolio responsibilities for Community and Disability Services and Ageing. She was also appointed as the Minister for Housing, Youth and the Status of Women.
Within two weeks of becoming the Minister for Social Justice she set about overhauling the state’s child protection system. In pursuit of this objective she commissioned the Layton Review which provided a comprehensive basis for Labor’s reform agenda in what had long been a neglected and chronically under resourced area of social policy. This initiative is now regarded as having provided a template for reform in child protection not only for South Australia but the rest of Australia as well.
In her capacity as Minister for the Status of Women she also took an active interest in promoting greater opportunities for aboriginal women, particularly those in regional and outback South Australia. This included the provision of regular regional meetings and forums to assist indigenous women in having greater input into government policies affecting their communities.
Following a mid-term Cabinet reshuffle in 2004 Steph became the Minister for Employment, Training & Further Education while also retaining the Youth and Status of Women portfolios. It was during this period that she headed a delegation to India to encourage increased enrolment by Indian students in Adelaide’s educational institutions and to promote closer educational and cultural cooperation between Indian and South Australian universities. The results included the signing of a series of Memoranda of Understanding and reinforced Adelaide’s reputation as a highly desirable destination for overseas students.
Throughout her time as a Minister, Steph sought to champion the rights of people who face discrimination in one form or another – whether at work or in the broader community – and was responsible for initiating the modernising and redrafting of South Australia’s anti discrimination legislation, the Equal Opportunity Act, as well as promoting rights for same sex couples and improvements for victims of abuse, sexual assault and rape.