Simon Kennedy | |
---|---|
Member of the Australian Parliament for Cook | |
Assumed office 13 April 2024 | |
Preceded by | Scott Morrison |
Personal details | |
Born | [1] Sydney,New South Wales,Australia | 4 June 1982
Political party | Liberal |
Children | 2 |
Education | University of New South Wales LLB &B Com |
Occupation | Management consultant |
Simon Peter Kennedy (born 4 June 1982) [1] is an Australian politician,lawyer and management consultant. [2] Kennedy is a Liberal Party member in the Australian House of Representatives,representing the Division of Cook. He will be sworn in after winning the Cook by-election in April 2024 to succeed former prime minister Scott Morrison.
Kennedy was born in West Ryde,Sydney. [3]
He attended Epping Boys High School,where his mother and stepfather both taught. [3] Simon was elected school captain and he served on the Ryde City Youth Council. [3]
In 2006,he graduated in law and commerce from the University of New South Wales. [2] [3]
After graduating university,Kennedy was hired by an Australian law firm called Clayton Utz. [4]
In 2008,he joined McKinsey and Company,an American multinational consulting business. [2] As a consultant,Kennedy worked abroad several times,spending time in Washington DC and New York. [2] Kennedy also worked in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. [5]
Kennedy was a partner in consulting firm Banksia Growth prior to his by-election victory. [4]
Kennedy won the Liberal Party candidacy during the 2022 Australian federal election in a bid to succeed John Alexander for the Division of Bennelong. [6]
On 10 April 2022,Kennedy attended an event organised by anti-lockdown group A Stand in the Park where he expressed concerns about the vaccine mandates which were created during the COVID-19 pandemic. [7] In a later statement,Kennedy said he strongly supported the COVID-19 vaccination effort but that blanket mandates were a complex and emotive issue. [7]
Although historically considered to be a safe Liberal seat,Kennedy was unsuccessful,losing to Labor's Jerome Laxale who on a two candidate preferred count received 50.98% of the vote compared to Kennedy's 49.02%. Laxale won the election by a 1.96% margin. [8]
Scott Morrison's resignation from parliament triggered a by-election in his home constituency of Cook.
In March 2024,Kennedy won the Liberal preselection to contest the seat. [9] Other candidates who attempted to win the Liberal preselection included mayor of Sutherland Shire Carmelo Pesce,former United Australia Party candidate Benjamin Britton,and Gwen Cherne,the Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner,who was endorsed by former prime minister John Howard. [10]
The preselection of Kennedy attracted criticism of the increasing lack of balance between male and female Liberal MPs,with more men expected to replace retiring female MPs. [11] Kennedy's preselection also prompted a campaign from senior Liberal women to preselect more female candidates ahead of the next Australian federal election. [11]
The preselection of a candidate who did not live in the local electorate also attracted criticism,including from Sutherland Shire councillor Jack Boyd,who stated that "no amount of cosplaying as a Sharks fan should make up for the fact that you have never lived in a community you seek to represent". [12] Kennedy said that,although he had listened to the criticisms,he was more interested in the cost of living challenges faced by the people of Cook. [12] Kennedy moved to a rental property in Woolooware with his family after his pre-selection. [4]
On 22 March 2024,Labor announced that they had decided not to contest the seat. [13] With Labor's absence from the ballot,Greens candidate Martin Moore was seen as Kennedy's strongest opponent. [14]
On 13 April 2024,Kennedy won the seat with a swing towards him and the Liberal Party both in primary votes and in the two-party preferred result.
Simon is married to Nila,an American-born infectious disease doctor whom he met during his work overseas. [3] He has 2 children. [4]
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spent almost a year in Haiti advising the government following the devastating earthquake.
The 41-year-old triumphed with 158 votes...