Kevin Conolly

Kevin Francis Conolly MP, an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Riverstone for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2011.^[1]

Early years and background

Conolly graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales, and was later awarded a Diploma of Education and Graduate Diploma of Religious Education from the Council for Christian Education in Schools. Conolly subsequently graduated with a Graduate Diploma in Education (Administration) from the Australian Catholic University.^[2] He worked for the Catholic Education Office prior to entering state politics.

Political career

In September 1999, he was elected to the Hawkesbury City Council. From 2001 to 2004 he served as deputy mayor, whilst sill working as a teaching administrator.^[3] Conolly contested the 1999 state election, but was unsuccessful in winning the seat of Londonderry for the Liberal Party.^[4]

In 2007 and again in 2011, Conolly contested the normally safe Labor seat of Riverstone in north-western Sydney.^[5] In March 2011, Conolly was elected with a two-party swing of 30.2 points--almost unheard of in Australian politics. He ultimately won the seat with 70.2 per cent of the vote, turning it into a comfortably safe Liberal seat in one stroke. His primary-vote margin was actually enough for him to take the seat without the need for preferences.^[4] It was the first time in the seat's 30-year history that the seat was not held by Labor. Before the election, the sitting member, John Aquilina, who had held the seat since 1991, announced his retirement.

External links

Official Website of Kevin Conolly, MP for Riverstone – http://www.kevinconollymp.com.au

References