Jill Hennessy (politician) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Jill Hennessy
Honorific-Suffix:MP
Office:54th Attorney-General of Victoria
Premier:Daniel Andrews
Term Start:29 November 2018
Term End:16 December 2020
Predecessor:Martin Pakula
Successor:Jaclyn Symes
Office2:Minister for Health
Premier2:Daniel Andrews
Term Start2:4 December 2014
Term End2:29 November 2018
Predecessor2:David Davis
Successor2:Jenny Mikakos
Office4:Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Altona
Term Start4:13 February 2010
Term End4:26 November 2022
Predecessor4:Lynne Kosky
Successor4:Seat abolished
Birth Date:1972 3, df=yes
Party:Labor Party
Alma Mater:Monash University
University of Melbourne
Profession:Lawyer

Jill Hennessy (born 17 March 1972) is a former Australian politician. She has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly between February 2010 and November 2022, representing the seat of Altona. She was Minister for Health in the Andrews Ministry from December 2014 to November 2018,[1] and was Attorney-General from November 2018 to December 2020, the second female Attorney-General in Victoria's history.[2]

Early life

Hennessy was educated at Avila College, Mount Waverley, and then Monash University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. She also holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of Melbourne. Prior to entering the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, Hennessy practised as a solicitor specialising in personal injury and employment law, and was a senior advisor to former Victorian premier Steve Bracks.

In 2016, she was awarded the Thornett Award for Promotion of Reason by the Australian Skeptics for "courageously facing down those who misrepresent and mislead the public in their promotion of dodgy medical claims and practices".[3]

Hennessy is a member of Labor's left faction.

Political career

A former candidate for preselection for the federal seats of Holt and Isaacs, Hennessy is a former State President of the Victorian Labor Party.[4] When state minister and Altona MLA Lynne Kosky resigned early in 2010, Hennessy won endorsement for Labor preselection. She was elected to the seat in the by-election, but Labor suffered a large swing to the Liberal Party.

During her tenure as Attorney-General, Hennessy worked on reforms relating to voluntary assisted dying, safe access for women's health services, childhood vaccination, medicinal cannabis and wage theft, as well as reforms to decriminalise public drunkenness, a spent convictions scheme and legislation banning gay conversion being introduced to parliament.[5]

Hennessy was also Attorney-General during the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants and, before the report of the Royal Commission was released, Hennessy referred the case of Faruk Orman to the Court of Appeal citing "credible evidence that there may have been a miscarriage of justice in Mr Orman's case arising from Nicola Gobbo's conduct and use as a human source by Victoria Police."[6] After the release of the report she said "What we've seen and learnt throughout this royal commission over the past two years is truly appalling" and promised to implement all of the recommendations.[7] [8]

On 16 December 2020, she announced she would step down from the role of Victorian Attorney-General effective immediately to spend more time with her family, but intended to stay in Parliament and recontest her seat at the 2022 election[9] before announcing on 24 November 2021, that she would not be recontesting her seat in 2022.[10]

Notes and References

  1. News: Daniel Andrews sworn in as Victorian Premier, unveils ministerial portfolios. 4 December 2014. ABC News.
  2. Web site: Willingham . Richard . Hennessy becomes Attorney-General in re-elected Andrews' new gender-balanced Cabinet . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 12 September 2020.
  3. Skeptic Zone episode 423. skepticzone.libsyn.com . 27 November 2016 . . 38-44 . 27 November 2016.
  4. Web site: 2010 Altona By-election . Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  5. Web site: McCubbing . Gus . Vic attorney-general Hennessy steps down . Illawarra Mercury . 30 June 2021.
  6. News: 2019-06-26 . Gangland killer granted right to appeal conviction over Lawyer X concerns . en-AU . ABC News . 2022-03-27.
  7. Web site: 2020-11-30 . Lawyer X saga could have years to run . 2022-03-26 . 7NEWS . en.
  8. Web site: 2020-11-30 . Final Lawyer X report slams Gobbo, police . 2022-03-26 . Northern Beaches Review . en-AU.
  9. Web site: 2020-12-16. 'Something had to give': Victorian Attorney-General Jill Hennessy stands down from ministry. 2020-12-16. ABC news. en-AU.
  10. Web site: Hennessy . Jill . STATEMENT ON 2022 STATE ELECTION . Jill Hennessy MP . 24 November 2021.