Kate Jones

Kate Jennifer Jones (born 10 April 1979) is an Australian former politician from Queensland. She served as a Labor Party Member of Parliament in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2006 to 2012, and again from 2015 to 2020. Jones first represented the seat of Ashgrove until she was defeated by eventual Premier Campbell Newman at the 2012 state election. Jones retook the seat for the Labor Party at the 2015 state election. The seat was abolished prior to the 2017 state election, so Jones contested and won the new seat of Cooper at that election. In the Palaszczuk Government, she was the Minister for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development, Minister for State Development and the Minister for the Commonwealth Games.

This article is about the politician. For the biodiversity scientist, see Kate Jones (scientist). For the American comedian, see Kate Jones (comedian).

The Honourable
Kate Jones
Minister for State Development
of Queensland
In office
11 May 2020 – 11 November 2020
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byCameron Dick
Succeeded bySteven Miles
Minister for Innovation
of Queensland
In office
12 December 2017 – 11 November 2020
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byLeeanne Enoch
Succeeded byStirling Hinchliffe
Minister for the Commonwealth Games
of Queensland
In office
10 February 2017 – 19 September 2019
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byStirling Hinchliffe
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister for Tourism
of Queensland
In office
16 February 2015 – 11 November 2020
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byJann Stuckey
Succeeded byStirling Hinchliffe
Minister for Education
of Queensland
In office
16 February 2015 – 11 December 2017
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byJohn-Paul Langbroek
Succeeded byGrace Grace
Minister for Small Business and Commonwealth Games of Queensland
In office
16 February 2015 – 8 December 2015
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
Preceded byJann Stuckey
Succeeded byLeeanne Enoch (Small Business) Stirling Hinchliffe
(Commonwealth Games)
Minister for the Environment, Resource Management and Climate Change of Queensland
In office
28 March 2009 – 20 June 2011
PremierAnna Bligh
Preceded byAndrew McNamara
Succeeded byVicky Darling
Member of the Queensland Parliament for Cooper
In office
25 November 2017 – 31 October 2020
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byJonty Bush
Member of the Queensland Parliament for Ashgrove
In office
31 January 2015 – 25 November 2017
Preceded byCampbell Newman
Succeeded byseat abolished
In office
9 September 2006 – 24 March 2012
Preceded byJim Fouras
Succeeded byCampbell Newman
Personal details
Born
Kate Jennifer Jones

(1979-04-10) 10 April 1979
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
SpousePaul Cronin (2009–present)
Children2

Education and community involvement

Jones attended Kelvin Grove State High School in Kelvin Grove. In 1995 she was the Premier of the first ever YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament, a non-partisan political program for young people.[1] She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Journalism at the Queensland University of Technology while working part-time at The Gap Markets, and graduated with a Master of Environmental Law from the Australian National University in 2014.

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.

Political career

Before entering Parliament, Jones worked as a Senior Media Adviser to Queensland Minister for Public Works, Housing and Racing Robert Schwarten and as Media Adviser to former Queensland Treasurer David Hamill.

Jones was elected to state Parliament for the seat of Ashgrove at the 2006 general election to succeed Jim Fouras, who had served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly during the 1990s. 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.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

2012 election

Jones stood down from cabinet on 19 June 2011 to focus on defending her seat against newly elected LNP leader Campbell Newman at the 2012 state election.[8]

During the campaign Jones used lolly-pink branding rather than Labour's color of red; this tactic was copied from an approach used by Kevin Rudd. Jones' supporters were issued pink T-shirts with the words "Keep Kate".[9]

At that election, Jones was defeated, suffering a 13 percent swing as part of the LNP's massive victory. Newman became Premier.

2015 election

Jones sought to regain her old seat in the January 2015 state election. She won, defeating Newman on a swing of 10 percent—more than double what she needed. She became the second challenger to unseat a sitting premier in Queensland, the previous time this happened was in 1915.[10][11]

2017 election

Ashgrove was abolished prior to the 2017 state election, so Jones contested and won the new seat of Cooper.

Palaszczuk government

On 16 February 2015, Jones was sworn in as Minister for Education, Minister for Tourism, Major Events and Small Business and Minister for the Commonwealth Games in the Palaszczuk Ministry,[12] positions she held until 11 December 2017.

On 12 December 2017, she was sworn in as Minister for Innovation and Tourism Development and Minister for the Commonwealth Games.

Jones announced her retirement on 10 September 2020, the last sitting day before the 2020 Queensland state election in October.[13]

Personal life

Kate Jones is married to Paul Cronin (former chief media adviser to Queensland Premiers Anna Bligh and Peter Beattie, and who now heads media relations at Queensland Rail).[14] They have a son, Thomas Anthony Cronin, who was born in 2010.[15]

References
  1. Hansen, Inge (4 February 2015). "Kate Jones' journey from youth 'Premier' to political giant-killer". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  2. Kate Jones, Queensland's new climate change minister — "The Courier-Mail" Archived 22 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Bligh unveils new ministry". Brisbanetimes.com.au. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  4. "Power to the Labor Women". Brisbanetimes.com.au. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  5. "Comings and goings in the Queensland Cabinet". Brisbanetimes.com.au. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  6. National (25 March 2009). "Bligh Cabinet gets women's touch". Theage.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  7. Eight new faces in Cabinet clean-out, pages 4–5, "The Courier-Mail", Wednesday, 25 March 2009
  8. "Ignore the spin, look at the facts | The Courier-Mail". Archived from the original on 14 April 2012.
  9. "The battle for Ashgrove". The Australian. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  10. "Queensland election 2015: Kate Jones achieves rare feat in Ashgrove, unseating sitting premier". Abc.net.au. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  11. Queensland (31 January 2015). "Queensland Election 2015: Premier Campbell Newman on brink of losing his seat". Brisbanetimes.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  12. "Queensland's new Labor Cabinet sworn in at Government House". Australian Broadcasting Corporation 16 February 2015. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  13. Horn, Allyson (10 September 2020). "The woman who ousted Campbell Newman will not contest next month's election". ABC News. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  14. A bright green future Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine — The Courier-Mail, 5 June 2009
  15. Climate Change Minister gives birth to a boy — The Courier-Mail
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