Kate Reynolds
Encyclopedia
Kathryn Joy "Kate" Reynolds (born 1962) was an Australia
n politician. She was an Australian Democrats
member of the South Australian Legislative Council
from 2003 to 2006.
Prior to 2003 Reynolds operated her own business On-Track Training, wrote two books (Just a Tick - A Best Practice Survival Guide for Committees and Boards of Management and Take Your Partner for the Corporate Tango) and taught community development at TAFE. Before entering politics she was instrumental in the establishment of the Torrens Valley Community Centre and was active on various local committees including the Adelaide Hills Tourism Association. From 1997 to 2003 she served on the Policy Council of SACOSS. She served a term as an elected member on the District Council of Mount Pleasant prior to its amalgamation with the Barossa Council. Reynolds was the Democrats candidate for the safe Liberal seat of Schubert
at the 2002 state election, polling a credible 8.9% of the vote. She received a second opportunity a year later when she was selected by the party to fill a casual vacancy in the Legislative Council caused by the resignation from politics of then-Democrats leader Mike Elliott
.
During her time as a sitting member Reynolds spoke out on a range of issues including the treatment of asylum seekers at the controversial Baxter Detention Centre in South Australia's outback, and campaigned for increased social housing for disadvantaged people and increased funds for child protection and for people with disabilities. She also campaigned for equal rights before the law for same sex couples and sought to have South Australia's once ground breaking Equal Opportunity law updated.
Reynolds was described by Greg Kelton, the senior political writer with Adelaide's only daily newspaper as having "a finely tuned social conscience and has not been scared to tackle humanitarian issues such as refugees and asylum seekers".
The popularity of the Democrats had dropped significantly by the time of the 2006 election, with the party having lost all four senators up for re-election at the federal election in 2004. The retirement of fellow Democrat MLC Ian Gilfillan
saw Reynolds preselected in the top position of the Democrat ticket, but the party faced a major struggle to retain even one seat. The party's vote dropped from 7.3% to 1.8% on election day, and Reynolds duly lost her seat. The loss of both the party's seats up for re-election saw Sandra Kanck
become the only remaining Democrat MLC in the Legislative Council.
From 2007-2009 Reynolds served as a board member of Arts Access SA Inc. She is a committee member of Desert Challenge Inc. and is a member of the South Australian Council of Social Service.
Reynolds now works as a freelance facilitator, trainer and writer in organisational development and is writing a second book on community management.
www.katereynolds.com.au
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. She was an Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
member of the South Australian Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
from 2003 to 2006.
Prior to 2003 Reynolds operated her own business On-Track Training, wrote two books (Just a Tick - A Best Practice Survival Guide for Committees and Boards of Management and Take Your Partner for the Corporate Tango) and taught community development at TAFE. Before entering politics she was instrumental in the establishment of the Torrens Valley Community Centre and was active on various local committees including the Adelaide Hills Tourism Association. From 1997 to 2003 she served on the Policy Council of SACOSS. She served a term as an elected member on the District Council of Mount Pleasant prior to its amalgamation with the Barossa Council. Reynolds was the Democrats candidate for the safe Liberal seat of Schubert
Electoral district of Schubert
Schubert is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Max Schubert, the winemaker of Grange Hermitage...
at the 2002 state election, polling a credible 8.9% of the vote. She received a second opportunity a year later when she was selected by the party to fill a casual vacancy in the Legislative Council caused by the resignation from politics of then-Democrats leader Mike Elliott
Mike Elliott (politician)
Michael John Elliott is a former Australian politician. He graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Science, and later achieved a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. In 1985 he was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council as a Democrat. He resigned in 1993 but was...
.
During her time as a sitting member Reynolds spoke out on a range of issues including the treatment of asylum seekers at the controversial Baxter Detention Centre in South Australia's outback, and campaigned for increased social housing for disadvantaged people and increased funds for child protection and for people with disabilities. She also campaigned for equal rights before the law for same sex couples and sought to have South Australia's once ground breaking Equal Opportunity law updated.
Reynolds was described by Greg Kelton, the senior political writer with Adelaide's only daily newspaper as having "a finely tuned social conscience and has not been scared to tackle humanitarian issues such as refugees and asylum seekers".
The popularity of the Democrats had dropped significantly by the time of the 2006 election, with the party having lost all four senators up for re-election at the federal election in 2004. The retirement of fellow Democrat MLC Ian Gilfillan
Ian Gilfillan
Ian Gilfillan is a former Australian politician. He was educated in Adelaide and was based on Kangaroo Island. He contested the 1974 federal election as a member of the Australia Party, but joined the Australian Democrats in 1977. In 1982, he was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council...
saw Reynolds preselected in the top position of the Democrat ticket, but the party faced a major struggle to retain even one seat. The party's vote dropped from 7.3% to 1.8% on election day, and Reynolds duly lost her seat. The loss of both the party's seats up for re-election saw Sandra Kanck
Sandra Kanck
Sandra Myrtho Kanck is a South Australian politician. She was an Australian Democrats member of the South Australian Legislative Council 1993-2009, and at the time of the announcement of her resignation in November 2008, her party's sole remaining member of any Australian parliament...
become the only remaining Democrat MLC in the Legislative Council.
From 2007-2009 Reynolds served as a board member of Arts Access SA Inc. She is a committee member of Desert Challenge Inc. and is a member of the South Australian Council of Social Service.
Reynolds now works as a freelance facilitator, trainer and writer in organisational development and is writing a second book on community management.
External links
www.katereynolds.com.au