Lynne Kosky
Encyclopedia
Lynne Janice Kosky is a former Australia
n politician and senior minister in the Parliament of Victoria
. She represented the electoral district of Altona
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for the Australian Labor Party
from 1996 to 2010. On 18 January 2010, she announced her intention to retire from parliament immediately, citing "significant health problems in her family" as the reason.
in 1980 with a Bachelor of Social Work. In her final year of studies, she had a placement at Sunshine High School, where she met her future husband, teacher Jim Williamson. After a few months of unemployment, she got a job as a social worker at the Victorian Department of Education, but finding she was not suited to counselling, became a community education officer. Contact with Joan Kirner
, a female parliamentarian, inspired Kosky to join the Australian Labor Party
in 1985, and work as a government policy advisor and a year later she was elected to the City of Footscray
council, becoming Mayor in 1988. She was also a member of the Board of the Footscray Football Club (now known as the Western Bulldogs
), of which she is currently the Number 1 Woman Ticketholder. In 1993, while pregnant with her first child Hana, Kosky ran for the preselection for the state parliament seat of Altona
, a safe Labor seat in Melbourne's western suburbs. She was defeated by Carole Marple
, but was preselected and elected in 1996.
awarded it to Mary Delahunty
instead, with Kosky assigned to the junior education role of employment, tertiary education and training. When the ALP, now led by Steve Bracks
, defeated Jeff Kennett
's Liberal
government in the 1999 state election, Kosky was awarded the equivalent ministry as Minister for Post Compulsory Education, Training and Employment. She also took on the Finance portfolio in 2000, and was a member of the Cabinet Expenditure Review Committee responsible for budget oversight.
(VCAL), a "hands-on" alternative to the Victorian Certificate of Education
.
Following the return of the Bracks government in the 2006 election
, it was rumoured amongst the Victorian ALP factions that Kosky would be promoted to Deputy Premier. Steve Bracks denied the rumour, saying his deputy would continue to be John Thwaites
. Instead, Kosky was appointed Minister for Public Transport and the Arts.
. She defended the correspondence on ABC Radio, denying she was shirking responsibility as the public transport minister, and that the directive had been intended to hasten communication and reduce response times for transport complaints.
In December 2007, she defended the delayed implementation of the myki
smartcard ticketing system for Melbourne's public transport, stating it was a complicated system and it was "important to get it right".
In January 2009 Kosky was again heavily criticised for her performance as the minister for Public Transport- her indifference and disinterest in her portfolio and the governments general lack of infrastructure maintenance; there were many calls from both the public and the opposition for Kosky to resign after hundreds of cancellations happened in peak hour during a heat wave. Kosky refused, the Labor Party rejected the calls for her resignation and acting Premier Rob Hulls
said that Kosky had been doing a good job. A Herald Sun
poll found that 88% of readers thought she should be sacked. The Age
newspaper has stated that their position is that she should be sacked in an editorial subtitled, "Lynne Kosky has failed commuters so badly that her position has become untenable."
In January 2010, she announced her intention to resign from the ministry and parliament due to health issues within her family. By the end of her tenure, an online poll by the Herald Sun reported that 72.7 per cent of voters rated her performance as very poor with only 3.2 per cent reporting to be very satisfied A by-election
was held in Altona on 13 February 2010 to elect her replacement, Jill Hennessy
.
in August 2011, and had been undergoing treatment when she contracted toxic shock syndrome
following surgery.
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 and senior minister in the Parliament of Victoria
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
. She represented the electoral district of Altona
Electoral district of Altona
The Electoral district of Altona is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly more commonly called the Lower House. It is located in Melbourne's western suburbs in traditional working class territory.-Boundaries:...
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
from 1996 to 2010. On 18 January 2010, she announced her intention to retire from parliament immediately, citing "significant health problems in her family" as the reason.
Before politics
Born in Melbourne with a twin brother Mark, Kosky was educated at Footscray High School, and graduated from the University of MelbourneUniversity of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in 1980 with a Bachelor of Social Work. In her final year of studies, she had a placement at Sunshine High School, where she met her future husband, teacher Jim Williamson. After a few months of unemployment, she got a job as a social worker at the Victorian Department of Education, but finding she was not suited to counselling, became a community education officer. Contact with Joan Kirner
Joan Kirner
Joan Elizabeth Kirner AM , Australian politician, was the 42nd Premier of Victoria, the first woman to hold the position, which she held for two years prior to a landslide election defeat.-Biography:...
, a female parliamentarian, inspired Kosky to join the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
in 1985, and work as a government policy advisor and a year later she was elected to the City of Footscray
City of Footscray
The City of Footscray was a Local Government Area located about west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1859 until 1994.-History:...
council, becoming Mayor in 1988. She was also a member of the Board of the Footscray Football Club (now known as the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
), of which she is currently the Number 1 Woman Ticketholder. In 1993, while pregnant with her first child Hana, Kosky ran for the preselection for the state parliament seat of Altona
Electoral district of Altona
The Electoral district of Altona is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly more commonly called the Lower House. It is located in Melbourne's western suburbs in traditional working class territory.-Boundaries:...
, a safe Labor seat in Melbourne's western suburbs. She was defeated by Carole Marple
Carole Marple
Carole Frances Marple is a former Australian politician. She was the Labor member for Altona in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1992 to 1996....
, but was preselected and elected in 1996.
Parliamentary career
With the ALP in opposition during her early years as an MP, Kosky believed she would get the prized education portfolio in a February 1999 shadow cabinet reshuffle, but ALP leader John BrumbyJohn Brumby
John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...
awarded it to Mary Delahunty
Mary Delahunty
Mary Delahunty is an Australian journalist and retired politician with the Australian Labor Party.-Early life:Delahunty was born in Victoria, Australia and educated at Loreto College, in Victoria. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Latrobe University.-Media career:Delahunty...
instead, with Kosky assigned to the junior education role of employment, tertiary education and training. When the ALP, now led by Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
, defeated Jeff Kennett
Jeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
's Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
government in the 1999 state election, Kosky was awarded the equivalent ministry as Minister for Post Compulsory Education, Training and Employment. She also took on the Finance portfolio in 2000, and was a member of the Cabinet Expenditure Review Committee responsible for budget oversight.
Minister for Education and Training
Kosky was appointed Minister for Education and Training in February 2002, and shortly afterward implemented what she considers one of her greatest achievements: the introduction of the Victorian Certificate of Applied LearningVictorian Certificate of Applied Learning
The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning is a 'hands-on' option for students in Years 11 and 12 in Victoria, Australia.The VCAL gives students practical work-related experience, as well as literacy and numeracy skills and the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life...
(VCAL), a "hands-on" alternative to the Victorian Certificate of Education
Victorian Certificate of Education
The Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases...
.
Following the return of the Bracks government in the 2006 election
Victorian state election, 2006
An election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria took place on Saturday, 25 November 2006. Just over 3 million Victorians registered to vote elected 88 members to the Legislative Assembly and, for the first time, 40 members to the Legislative Council under a proportional representation system...
, it was rumoured amongst the Victorian ALP factions that Kosky would be promoted to Deputy Premier. Steve Bracks denied the rumour, saying his deputy would continue to be John Thwaites
John Thwaites
John Thwaites may refer to:*John Thwaites *John Thwaites *John Anthony Thwaites , British art critic and author*Jack Thwaites, British-Australian conservationist...
. Instead, Kosky was appointed Minister for Public Transport and the Arts.
Minister for Public Transport and the Arts
Kosky came under fire in April 2007 when an email was leaked to the media in which she asked her parliamentary colleagues not to forward on complaints from their constituents about Melbourne's public transport systemTransport in Melbourne
Transport in Melbourne consists of extensive networks and a wide variety of transport services in the city of Melbourne, Australia, including:* The world's largest tram network.* Bus and coach services...
. She defended the correspondence on ABC Radio, denying she was shirking responsibility as the public transport minister, and that the directive had been intended to hasten communication and reduce response times for transport complaints.
In December 2007, she defended the delayed implementation of the myki
Myki
myki is the contactless smartcard ticketing system being introduced on public transport in Victoria, Australia. myki is designed to replace a number of ticket systems in Victoria, primarily the Metcard and V/Line ticketing systems...
smartcard ticketing system for Melbourne's public transport, stating it was a complicated system and it was "important to get it right".
In January 2009 Kosky was again heavily criticised for her performance as the minister for Public Transport- her indifference and disinterest in her portfolio and the governments general lack of infrastructure maintenance; there were many calls from both the public and the opposition for Kosky to resign after hundreds of cancellations happened in peak hour during a heat wave. Kosky refused, the Labor Party rejected the calls for her resignation and acting Premier Rob Hulls
Rob Hulls
Rob Justin Hulls has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1996, representing the electorate of Niddrie. As well as previously serving as the Deputy Premier of Victoria, he was also the state Attorney-General and Minister for Racing.Rob Hulls was born in Melbourne and was...
said that Kosky had been doing a good job. A Herald Sun
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
poll found that 88% of readers thought she should be sacked. The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
newspaper has stated that their position is that she should be sacked in an editorial subtitled, "Lynne Kosky has failed commuters so badly that her position has become untenable."
In January 2010, she announced her intention to resign from the ministry and parliament due to health issues within her family. By the end of her tenure, an online poll by the Herald Sun reported that 72.7 per cent of voters rated her performance as very poor with only 3.2 per cent reporting to be very satisfied A by-election
Altona state by-election, 2010
A by-election was held for the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Altona on 13 February 2010, following the sudden resignation of state Transport Minister Lynne Kosky on 18 January, who cited a family member's health as the reason for her decision to leave politics...
was held in Altona on 13 February 2010 to elect her replacement, Jill Hennessy
Jill Hennessy (politician)
Jill Hennessy is an Australian politician. She has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 13 February 2010, representing the seat of Altona....
.
After politics
Kosky was diagnosed with breast cancerBreast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in August 2011, and had been undergoing treatment when she contracted toxic shock syndrome
Toxic shock syndrome
Toxic shock syndrome is a potentially fatal illness caused by a bacterial toxin. Different bacterial toxins may cause toxic shock syndrome, depending on the situation. The causative bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes...
following surgery.
External links
- Kosky, Lynne Janice, Re-member Parliamentary Profile