The Honourable
Jill Hennessy
MP
54th Attorney-General of Victoria
In office
29 November 2018 – 16 December 2020
PremierDaniel Andrews
Preceded byMartin Pakula
Succeeded byJaclyn Symes
Minister for Health
In office
4 December 2014 – 29 November 2018
PremierDaniel Andrews
Preceded byDavid Davis
Succeeded byJenny Mikakos
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Altona
In office
13 February 2010 – 26 November 2022
Preceded byLynne Kosky
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Personal details
Born (1972-03-17) 17 March 1972
Political partyLabor Party
Alma materMonash University
University of Melbourne
ProfessionLawyer
Websitewww.jillhennessy.com.au

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.[3]

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".[4]

Hennessy is a member of Labor's left faction.[2]

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.[3] 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]

References

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