Kate Jones

Kate Jones
Minister for the Environment, Resource Management and Climate Change of Queensland
In office 28 March 2009 – 20 June 2011
Premier	Anna Bligh
Preceded by	Andrew McNamara
Succeeded by	Vicky Darling
Member of the Queensland Parliament for Ashgrove
In office 9 September 2007 – 24 March 2012
Preceded by	Jim Fouras
Succeeded by	Campbell Newman
Personal details
Born	(1979-04-10) 10 April 1979 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Paul Cronin (2009-present)

Kate Jennifer Jones (born 10 April 1979) is a former Australian politician and Queensland Government minister. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party and was elected in the seat of state electorate 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.

Jones was the youngest woman in the Queensland Parliament and the youngest Minister in the Queensland Government.

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. She is completing her Masters in Environmental Law through the Australian National University.

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]}

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).^[7] They have a son, Thomas Anthony Cronin, who was born in 2010.^[8]

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.^[9]

Jones did not fly Labor's colours; in a tactic copied from Kevin Rudd, Labor's red-and-blue logo has vanished, replaced by Jones's lolly-pink campaign colours. Jones had her supporters wearing pink t-shirts with the words Keep Kate.^[10]

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

References

External links

• Kate Jones — State Member for Ashgrove