Kerrynne Liddle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kerrynne Liddle
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Liddle c. 2019
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| Senator for South Australia | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2022 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 October 1967 Alice Springs, Northern Territory |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Other political affiliations |
Labor (2006–2007) |
| Alma mater | University of South Australia University of Adelaide |
| Occupation | Journalist Politician |
Kerrynne Liddle, born on October 7, 1967, is an Australian politician. She made history as the first Indigenous federal member of parliament from South Australia. She is an Arrernte woman and a member of the Liberal Party. She was elected to the Senate for South Australia in the 2022 federal election. Her term as a Senator began on July 1, 2022. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a journalist and a manager in different companies.
Early Life and Education
Kerrynne Liddle was born in Alice Springs, a town in the Northern Territory. She is one of five children. Her parents, Geoff and Jean Liddle, are both from the Arrernte community. Her father worked in construction, and her mother was a nurse who later helped high school students.
Kerrynne's family has a history of breaking barriers. Her sister, Leanne, was the first Indigenous woman to become a police officer in South Australia. Her aunt, Lorraine Liddle, was the first Indigenous person to become a barrister (a type of lawyer) in the Northern Territory.
Kerrynne went to a public high school in Alice Springs. She also studied at Katherine Rural College and later at Roseworthy Agricultural College. In her early career, she worked as a jillaroo, which is a trainee on a cattle or sheep station. As an adult student, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in management from the University of South Australia. She also completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Adelaide.
Career Before Politics
Kerrynne Liddle had a diverse career before entering politics. She worked as a journalist for the ABC, which is Australia's national broadcaster, on both radio and television. She also worked for Channel 7 Adelaide.
Later, she started her own public relations business in Adelaide called Precise Media Management. Public relations involves managing how a person or company is seen by the public. In 2010, she was part of a group that reviewed how the Australian government invested in Indigenous broadcasting and media.
In 2011, Kerrynne became the Aboriginal participation manager for Santos Limited, a large energy company. She also worked for Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. There, she was a manager at the Ayers Rock Resort, which is a major tourist destination. She was in charge of over 1000 staff members, including 400 Indigenous employees.
Kerrynne also served on the boards of several important organizations. These included the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, the South Australian Housing Trust, and Indigenous Business Australia. She also served on the councils of the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia.
Political Journey
Kerrynne Liddle first joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 2006. However, she later explained that she was only a member for about a year and attended just one meeting. She then joined the Liberal Party.
In 2016, she was chosen to be a candidate for the Liberal Party in the Senate election for South Australia. She later worked for Senator Anne Ruston as a staff member starting in 2019.
In February 2021, Kerrynne was again chosen by the Liberal Party to be a candidate for the Senate in the 2022 election. She was elected to the Senate for a six-year term that began on July 1, 2022.
Her election was a significant moment. She is the first Indigenous Australian to be elected to represent South Australia in the Senate. She is also the first Indigenous woman to win a parliamentary seat in South Australia at either the state or federal level. Kerrynne Liddle is a member of the Centrist group within the Liberal Party.
