Matt Kean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt Kean
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Kean in 2017
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| Chair of the Climate Change Authority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 1 August 2024 |
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| Appointed by | Anthony Albanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Grant King | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 9 August 2022 – 26 March 2023 |
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| Leader | Dominic Perrottet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Stuart Ayres | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Natalie Ward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Hornsby |
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| In office 26 March 2011 – 2 August 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Judy Hopwood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | James Wallace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 September 1981 Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Political party | Liberal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Pennant Hills | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Technology Sydney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Politician | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Matthew John Kean (born 16 September 1981) is a former Australian politician. He is now the Chair of the Climate Change Authority, an organisation that advises the Australian government on climate issues.
Before this, Kean had a long career in the government of New South Wales. He was the state's Treasurer from 2021 to 2023, which meant he was in charge of the state's money. He was also the Minister for Energy and the Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party. From 2011 to 2024, he represented the area of Hornsby in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Matt Kean grew up near Berowra. He went to high school at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview. After high school, he earned a Bachelor of Business degree from the University of Technology, Sydney. He later studied to become a chartered accountant.
Even in university, Kean was interested in politics. He was elected to the Student Representative Council. He joined the Liberal Party in 2001 and later became the vice-president of the NSW Young Liberals, a group for young party members.
Before becoming a politician himself, he worked as an adviser for other politicians. He also worked for a short time as an accountant at the company PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Political Career in New South Wales
Entering Parliament
In 2011, Kean was chosen by the Liberal Party to run for the seat of Hornsby after the previous member retired. He won the election and became a member of the New South Wales Parliament.
In his first speech, Kean spoke about the importance of mental health. He called for the government to spend more money on suicide prevention programs. He also worked with the Black Dog Institute to host yearly forums for students about mental health.
Serving as a Minister
From 2017 to 2023, Kean held several important government jobs called ministries. A minister is a politician in charge of a specific government department.
- Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation (2017–2019): In this role, he worked on new ideas and making rules fairer.
- Minister for Energy and Environment (2019–2021): He was in charge of the state's energy supply and protecting the environment.
- Treasurer and Minister for Energy (2021–2023): As Treasurer, he managed the state's budget. He continued to oversee energy policy as well.
As Energy Minister, Kean worked on a plan for New South Wales to use less coal for electricity. The state has a goal to reach "net zero emissions" by 2050. This means it will not add any more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than it removes.
Kean is known as a "moderate" Liberal. In politics, this means his views are often in the center, not on the far left or far right. He was seen as the leader of the moderate group within the NSW Liberal Party.
In June 2024, Kean announced he was leaving the New South Wales Parliament to work in the private sector.
Career After Politics
Shortly after leaving state politics, Kean was appointed to a national role. In June 2024, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made him the chair of the Climate Change Authority. This group gives expert advice to the Australian government on how to deal with climate change.
In his new role, Kean has shared his thoughts on different energy sources. He has said he is skeptical about using nuclear power in Australia. This is different from the view of the federal Coalition, which has supported exploring nuclear energy.
In August 2024, Kean also took on a senior role at Wollemi Capital, a company that invests in climate-focused projects.
See also
- First Berejiklian ministry
- Second Berejiklian ministry
- First Perrottet ministry
- Second Perrottet ministry
