Kate Carnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kate Carnell
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Carnell in 2009
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| 3rd Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory Elections: 1995, 1998 |
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| In office 2 March 1995 – 18 October 2000 |
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| Deputy | Gary Humphries |
| Preceded by | Rosemary Follett |
| Succeeded by | Gary Humphries |
| Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 15 February 1992 – 17 October 2000 |
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| Succeeded by | Jacqui Burke |
| Constituency | Molonglo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Anne Katherine Knowlman
30 May 1955 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal Party |
| Spouses |
Ian Carnell
(m. 1977–1997)Ray Kiley
(m. 2007) |
| Profession | Pharmacist |
Kate Carnell is an Australian businesswoman and former politician. She was the third Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) from 1995 to 2000. This means she was like the leader of the local government for the ACT, which includes Australia's capital city, Canberra. She was also a member of the Liberal Party.
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Early Life and Becoming a Pharmacist
Kate Carnell was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on May 30, 1955. Her parents ran a small accounting business.
When she was a teenager, Kate faced a health challenge. She recovered in hospital and then returned to her studies.
In 1976, she graduated from the University of Queensland with a degree in pharmacy. A year later, in 1977, she married Ian Carnell. They moved to Canberra and in 1981, Kate bought her own pharmacy business in Red Hill. She owned and managed this pharmacy until 2000.
Kate also held important roles in the pharmacy world. She was the first chairperson of the ACT Branch of the Australian Pharmacy Guild from 1988 to 1994. She also served as the National Vice-President of the guild.
Entering Politics
Kate Carnell joined the Liberal Party in 1991. She was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in 1992. This is like being elected to a state parliament.
In 1993, she became the Leader of the Opposition. This means she was the main voice against the government at the time.
Becoming Chief Minister
After the 1995 ACT election, the Liberal Party won enough seats to form a government. Kate Carnell became the Chief Minister. Her government was re-elected in 1998.
During her time as Chief Minister, she was also in charge of different government areas. These included health, community care, multicultural affairs, and business.
Canberra Hospital Implosion
In 1997, the old Royal Canberra Hospital was being taken down to make way for the National Museum of Australia. The government decided to use an implosion, which is a controlled explosion, to bring the building down. Many people were invited to watch this event.
Sadly, during the implosion, a piece of steel flew a long distance and tragically killed a twelve-year-old girl named Katie Bender.
Afterward, there was an investigation. The Chief Minister, Kate Carnell, was not found personally responsible for the accident. However, the investigation did find that the government had treated the implosion too much like a "public show." It also found that warnings about possible dangers were not taken seriously enough.
Bruce Stadium Project
In October 2000, Kate Carnell resigned from her role as Chief Minister. This happened because of problems with a project to redevelop Bruce Stadium.
The project was planned to cost $27.3 million, with some money from the government and some from private companies. However, the project ended up costing $82 million, and the government had to pay for all of it. An audit found that the original cost estimate was not properly checked. It also found that no private money was ever offered for the project.
Resignation from Politics
Kate Carnell resigned as Chief Minister on October 17, 2000. She stepped down before a vote could be held to remove her from office. Gary Humphries took over as Chief Minister after her.
Years later, in 2012, Kate Carnell said she took responsibility for the financial issues with the stadium project. She explained that even though she didn't know about the problems at the time, they happened in her area of government responsibility.
Life After Politics
After leaving her role as Chief Minister, Kate Carnell continued to work in many important positions.
- She was elected to the board of NRMA, a large Australian company, in 2001.
- She led the National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI) for three years.
- From 2006 to 2008, she was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Australian General Practice Network.
- In 2008, she became the CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council.
- She was the CEO of beyondblue, a non-profit organization focused on mental health, from 2012 to 2014.
- From 2016, she was the first Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO). This role helps small businesses and families with their problems.
In 2006, she was given an award called Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). This award recognized her important contributions to the Australian Capital Territory.
In 2007, Kate Carnell married her long-term partner, Ray Kiley, in Canberra.
In 2013, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Canberra. This is a special award from a university.
In 2019, she was named one of the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence for her work in public policy.
In 2023, she helped start a group called Liberals for Yes. This group supports the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, which is a proposal to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a direct voice to the Australian Parliament.
Personal Life
Kate Carnell has a daughter named Clare. Clare is one of the people who started the Independents for Canberra party.
See also
- First Carnell Ministry
- Second Carnell Ministry
- List of female heads of government in Australia
