Kate Jones

Kate Jennifer Jones (born 10 April 1979) is an Australian politician and Queensland Government minister. She is a member of the Labor Party and was elected to the seat of Ashgrove in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland in 2006, which was previously held by former Speaker Jim Fouras (ALP). She was the Minister for Environment, Resource Management and Climate Change until 19 June 2011. She lost the seat to Campbell Newman in 2012, who went on to become premier, before retaking it in 2015. The seat was abolished prior to the 2017 election, so Jones contested and won the new seat of Cooper. In the Palaszczuk Government, she is 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 rugby player, see Kate Jones (rugby).

The Honourable Kate Jones MP
Minister for State Development of Queensland
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 May 2020
Preceded by	Cameron Dick
Minister for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development of Queensland
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 December 2017
Preceded by	Herself (Tourism and Major Events)
Minister for the Commonwealth Games of Queensland
In office 12 December 2017 – 19 September 2019
Preceded by	Herself (Tourism and Major Events)
Minister for Education of Queensland
In office 16 February 2015 – 11 December 2017
Preceded by	John-Paul Langbroek
Succeeded by	Grace Grace
Minister for Tourism and Major Events of Queensland
In office 16 February 2015 – 11 December 2017
Preceded by	Jann Stuckey
Succeeded by	Herself (as Minister for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development and Minister for the Commonwealth Games)
Minister for Small Business and Commonwealth Games of Queensland
In office 16 February 2015 – 8 December 2015
Preceded by	Jann Stuckey
Succeeded by	Leeanne 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
Preceded by	Andrew McNamara
Succeeded by	Vicky Darling
Member of the Queensland Parliament for Cooper
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 November 2017
Preceded by	New seat
Member of the Queensland Parliament for Ashgrove
In office 31 January 2015 – 25 November 2017
Preceded by	Campbell Newman
Succeeded by	seat abolished
In office 9 September 2006 – 24 March 2012
Preceded by	Jim Fouras
Succeeded by	Campbell Newman
Personal details
Born	Kate Jennifer Jones (1979-04-10) 10 April 1979 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Paul Cronin (2009–present)
Children	2

Education and community involvement

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, 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.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

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.[7]

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".[8]

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.[9][10]

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,[11] 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.

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).[12] They have a son, Thomas Anthony Cronin, who was born in 2010.[13]

References

1. Kate Jones, Queensland's new climate change minister — "The Courier-Mail" Archived 22 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine
2. "Bligh unveils new ministry". Brisbanetimes.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
3. "Power to the Labor Women". Brisbanetimes.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
4. "Comings and goings in the Queensland Cabinet". Brisbanetimes.com.au. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
5. National (25 March 2009). "Bligh Cabinet gets women's touch". Theage.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
6. Eight new faces in Cabinet clean-out, pages 4-5, "The Courier-Mail", Wednesday, 25 March 2009
7. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/ignore-the-spin-look-at-the-facts/story-e6frerdf-1226298629333
8. "The battle for Ashgrove". The Australian. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
9. "Queensland election 2015: Kate Jones achieves rare feat in Ashgrove, unseating sitting premier". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
10. Queensland (31 January 2015). "Queensland Election 2015: Premier Campbell Newman on brink of losing his seat". Brisbanetimes.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
11. "Queensland's new Labor Cabinet sworn in at Government House". Australian Broadcasting Corporation 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
12. A bright green future Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine — The Courier-Mail, 5 June 2009
13. Climate Change Minister gives birth to a boy — The Courier-Mail

External links

• Kate Jones — State Member for Ashgrove

Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Jim Fouras	Member for Ashgrove 2006–2012	Succeeded by Campbell Newman
Preceded by Campbell Newman	Member for Ashgrove 2015–2017	Abolished
New seat	Member for Cooper 2017–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Andrew McNamara	Minister for the Environment, Resource Management and Climate Change 2009–2011	Succeeded by Vicky Darling
Preceded by John-Paul Langbroek	Minister for Education 2015–2017	Succeeded by Grace Grace
Preceded by Jann Stuckey	Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and Commonwealth Games 2015–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Cameron Dick	Minister for State Development 2020–present	Incumbent