Premier of New South Wales
Premier and Minister for Redfern Waterloo.
Like 40% of the people who live in the electorate of Heffron, Kristina Keneally was born overseas. She is married to Ben Keneally and has two sons, Daniel (11 years old) and Brendan (9 years old). She lives in Pagewood in Sydney’s inner south.
The child of an Australian mother and an American father, Kristina was born on 19 December 1968 and grew up in the United States. She moved to Sydney in 1994, and married Ben in 1996. Kristina became an Australian citizen in 2000.
Kristina studied at the University of Dayton in Ohio. She holds a BA in Political Science (Hons) and an MA in Religious Studies.
Kristina has also worked as the NSW Youth Coordinator for the Society of St Vincent de Paul and taught in a ‘teacher shortage area’ in rural New Mexico.
Prior to her election to NSW Parliament, Kristina was a full time mum to her sons. Like many other mothers, she now enjoys the challenge of balancing work and family life.
Kristina was elected to Parliament on 22 March 2003. Here she has delivered new Metro bus services, had trucks diverted from Botany road, and worked hard to get new facilities for local public schools.
On 2 April 2007, Kristina became Minister for Ageing and Minister for Disability Services. Here she continued to deliver Stronger Together Part One, the largest increase in disability services funding in the history of NSW.
In 2008, Kristina was the NSW Government Spokesperson for World Youth Day, helping to successfully deliver the year’s biggest global event after the Olympics. World Youth Day included some 225,000 visitors and up to 400,000 attendees, spanning six days and multiple venues across Sydney.
On 8 September 2008, Kristina became Minister for Planning and Minister for Redfern Waterloo. Here she focused on urban renewal, land supply and supporting the Government’s plans to create jobs closer to where people live. Over the past 15 months, she has overseen the Government’s major project system, which has supported over 66,000 jobs and almost $23 billion in economic investment. She hasactivated the independent Planning Assessment Commission. She has led the Government’s development of the 22 hectare waterfront precinct in Sydney’s CBD, Barangaroo. She has approved the concept plans for the North Eveleigh and the Pemulwuy project, which will improve Aboriginal Housing on ‘The Block’ in Redfern. Kristina added Minister for Infrastructure to her portfolio on 17 November 2009.
On the 4th of December she was sworn in as NSW’s first female Premier.
Contact Details
Ministerial Office
Level 39 Governor Macquarie Tower,
1 Farrer Place,
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9228 5239
Fax (02) 9228 3934
Email premier@nsw.gov.au
Electorate Office
Shop 117
747 Botany Road,
ROSEBERY NSW 2018
Phone (02) 9699 8166
Fax (02) 9699 8222
Email heffron@parliament.nsw.gov.au