Jeff Kennett

Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC (born 2 March 1948), Australian politician, was Premier of Victoria from 1992 to 1999. He was born in Melbourne and educated at Scotch College, Melbourne. He dropped out of the Australian National University after one year of an economics degree, and worked in retailing. In 1968 he was conscripted into the Australian Army, and served in Malaysia and Singapore. He returned to civilian life and went into advertising, forming his own company, KNF, in 1971. In 1972 he married Felicity Kellar, with whom he had four children.

Fall from power

Instead, the Liberals lost 13 seats to Labor, most of them in regional centres such as Ballarat and Bendigo, and to three Independents in rural areas. The final result was: Labor with 42 seats, the Liberals and Nationals with 43, and three Independents. Both parties negotiated with the three independents (Russell Savage, Craig Ingram and Susan Davies), with Labor being successful after pledging to restore services to rural areas, particularly train lines.

Related Topics:
Ballarat - Bendigo

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Kennett's fall was almost totally unexpected, and was regretted by those who had admired his government's bold reforms, which had restored Victoria's fiscal credibility, stemmed the fall in its population and revived its economic growth. Critics argued that Kennett's radical programme had damaged the social infrastructure through the reduction in government services, particularly in regional areas, and that this, added to the widespread perception that Kennett was arrogant and a bully, had led to his downfall.

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Kennett resigned from Parliament and pledged to have nothing further to do with politics. In the following bye-election, the ALP defeated the Liberal Party. He separated from his wife, although they later reconciled. He found it difficult to withdraw from the limelight, however, and spent some time as a radio broadcaster with Melbourne radio station 3AK. Still only in his early 50s, Kennett seemed unable to find a new role. He kept in the public eye by campaigning for greater recognition of clinical depression. After the Liberals' second election defeat in 2002, there were renewed rumours that Kennett was planning a comeback to politics, but these do not appear to have had any substance.

Related Topics:
3AK - Clinical depression - 2002

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Kennett currently chairs Beyondblue (the National Depression Initiative), a body that was largely formed by the efforts of the Victorian State Government.

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In 2005 Kennett received Australia's highest civilian honour, when he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

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In 2005 Kennett was made Vice President of his beloved Hawthorn Football Club, and will take presidency of the club in the near future.

Related Topics:
2005 - Hawthorn Football Club

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