Tom Kenyon
Encyclopedia
Thomas Richard "Tom" Kenyon (born 26 February 1972) is an Australia
n politician. He is the Australian Labor Party
member for the electoral district of Newland
in the South Australian House of Assembly
, having won the seat at the 2006 state election and returned at the 2010 state election.
Kenyon was appointed as Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Veterans Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier with South Australia's Strategic Plan as well as becoming a Member of Executive Council.
and Adelaide
. He is the eldest of five children born to Neville and Elizabeth Kenyon. His siblings are Ruth, James, John-Paul and Notum. He was educated at Saint Ignatius College, South Australia and studied Asian Studies at Flinders University
. He subsequently completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Management at the University of South Australia
. After working in a number of positions, including as a jackaroo
and union organiser, Kenyon was employed as an advisor to Minister for Mineral Resources and Development Paul Holloway
, a position which he held until his election to parliament.
at the 1997 state election. Several years later, Kenyon was endorsed as the Labor candidate for the safe Liberal federal seat of Mayo
at the 2004 federal election. However, he withdrew on the eve of the election campaign, stating that he had stepped in because the ALP had no candidate, assuming that the election date would be called imminently, and that when this did not happen, he was unwilling to resign from his job in order to contest a seat he had no chance of winning.
After two unwinnable endorsements, Kenyon received a break when he was endorsed unopposed as the party's candidate for the electorate of Newland
at the 2006 state election, where veteran Liberal MP Dorothy Kotz
was retiring. He singled out increasing the use of public transport and addressing youth employment as priorities, and there was some media speculation that his status as a young, relatively conservative father of three would be well-supported in the area of Adelaide
known as the "Bible Belt". To this extent, polls as early as 2005 began showing that Kenyon was in with a real chance of winning the seat, although Kotz had previously held the seat by a fair margin. There was ultimately a landslide result across the city on election day, and he polled more than double the required swing needed to take the seat, claiming victory after only 90 minutes of counting.
Kenyon is on the right of the Labor Party, with links to the right-wing Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
. He was the only Labor member to state that he would vote against the planned Relationships Bill removing discrimination against gay couples if a conscience vote were granted - although in the end he voted for the revised Domestic Partners Bill in 2006. Kenyon used his maiden South Australian House of Assembly
speech to criticise the SA Greens environmental credentials, and stating that he does not believe South Australia
should accept nuclear waste from other countries, and that burial of waste materials is a suitable option. His maiden speech was also used to speak out against abortion.http://confiteminidomino.blogspot.com/2006/05/tom-kenyon-mp.html
As of the 2010 state election, Kenyon holds Newland
with a margin of 2.2 percent.
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. He is 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...
member for the electoral district of Newland
Electoral district of Newland
Newland is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after pioneer Simpson Newland, a prominent figure in nineteenth-century South Australia...
in the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
, having won the seat at the 2006 state election and returned at the 2010 state election.
Kenyon was appointed as Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Veterans Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier with South Australia's Strategic Plan as well as becoming a Member of Executive Council.
Early life
Kenyon was raised in GawlerGawler, South Australia
Gawler is the first country town in the state of South Australia, and is named after the second Governor of the colony of South Australia, George Gawler. It is located north of the centre of the state capital, Adelaide, and is close to the major wine producing district of the Barossa Valley...
and Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. He is the eldest of five children born to Neville and Elizabeth Kenyon. His siblings are Ruth, James, John-Paul and Notum. He was educated at Saint Ignatius College, South Australia and studied Asian Studies at Flinders University
Flinders University
Flinders University, , is a public university in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of navigator Matthew Flinders, who explored and surveyed the South Australian coastline in the early 19th century.The university has established a reputation as a leading research...
. He subsequently completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Management at the University of South Australia
University of South Australia
The University of South Australia is a public university in the Australian state of South Australia. It was formed in 1991 with the merger of the South Australian Institute of Technology and Colleges of Advanced Education. It is the largest university in South Australia, with more than 36,000...
. After working in a number of positions, including as a jackaroo
Jackaroo (trainee)
A Jackaroo is a young man working on a sheep or cattle station, to gain practical experience in the skills needed to become an owner, overseer, manager, etc. The word originated in Queensland, Australia in the Nineteenth Century and is still in use in Australia and New Zealand in the twenty-first...
and union organiser, Kenyon was employed as an advisor to Minister for Mineral Resources and Development Paul Holloway
Paul Holloway
Paul Holloway is an Australian politician who represented the Australian Labor Party in the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Mitchell from 1989 to 1993, and in the South Australian Legislative Council from 1995 to 2011....
, a position which he held until his election to parliament.
Parliament
Kenyon made his first bid for parliament in his early twenties, as the Labor candidate in the safe Liberal state seat of HeysenElectoral district of Heysen
Heysen is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Sir Hans Heysen, a prominent South Australian landscape artist. It is a 616 km² electoral district stretching from residential suburbs in the east and southeast of Adelaide...
at the 1997 state election. Several years later, Kenyon was endorsed as the Labor candidate for the safe Liberal federal seat of Mayo
Division of Mayo
The Division of Mayo is an Australian Electoral Division located in the hills, east of Adelaide, South Australia and currently includes the towns of Victor Harbor, Lobethal, Mount Barker, Strathalbyn, Woodside and Kingscote....
at the 2004 federal election. However, he withdrew on the eve of the election campaign, stating that he had stepped in because the ALP had no candidate, assuming that the election date would be called imminently, and that when this did not happen, he was unwilling to resign from his job in order to contest a seat he had no chance of winning.
After two unwinnable endorsements, Kenyon received a break when he was endorsed unopposed as the party's candidate for the electorate of Newland
Electoral district of Newland
Newland is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after pioneer Simpson Newland, a prominent figure in nineteenth-century South Australia...
at the 2006 state election, where veteran Liberal MP Dorothy Kotz
Dorothy Kotz
Dorothy Christine Kotz is a former Australian politician who had been the sitting Liberal member for the electoral district of Newland of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1989 until her retirement in 2006....
was retiring. He singled out increasing the use of public transport and addressing youth employment as priorities, and there was some media speculation that his status as a young, relatively conservative father of three would be well-supported in the area of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
known as the "Bible Belt". To this extent, polls as early as 2005 began showing that Kenyon was in with a real chance of winning the seat, although Kotz had previously held the seat by a fair margin. There was ultimately a landslide result across the city on election day, and he polled more than double the required swing needed to take the seat, claiming victory after only 90 minutes of counting.
Kenyon is on the right of the Labor Party, with links to the right-wing Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association is the largest trade union in Australia with more than 230,000 members and branches in every state and one in the Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Central Coast region. The SDA is the union for retail and fast-food workers, but does have other...
. He was the only Labor member to state that he would vote against the planned Relationships Bill removing discrimination against gay couples if a conscience vote were granted - although in the end he voted for the revised Domestic Partners Bill in 2006. Kenyon used his maiden South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
speech to criticise the SA Greens environmental credentials, and stating that he does not believe South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
should accept nuclear waste from other countries, and that burial of waste materials is a suitable option. His maiden speech was also used to speak out against abortion.http://confiteminidomino.blogspot.com/2006/05/tom-kenyon-mp.html
As of the 2010 state election, Kenyon holds Newland
Electoral district of Newland
Newland is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after pioneer Simpson Newland, a prominent figure in nineteenth-century South Australia...
with a margin of 2.2 percent.