Gavin Wayne Jennings was born on 18 April 1957 and is an Australian politician.
15 Facts About Gavin Jennings
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Gavin Jennings was a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1999 to 2020, representing Melbourne Province and then the South Eastern Metropolitan Region.
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Gavin Jennings was Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council and Special Minister of State in the Andrews Ministry from 2014 to 2020.
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Gavin Jennings previously served as Cabinet Secretary, Minister for Aged Care, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Community Services, Minister for Environment and Climate Change and Minister for Innovation in the Bracks Ministry and Brumby Ministry.
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Gavin Jennings had been Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council from 1999 to 2010.
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Gavin Jennings studied at Beaufort High School and Monash University, attaining degrees in arts and social work.
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Gavin Jennings worked at various times as a factory worker, actuarial clerk, actor, social worker and policy analyst.
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Gavin Jennings was employed as an adviser to Cain government minister Kay Setches between 1988 and 1990, and then to Premiers John Cain and Joan Kirner between 1990 and 1992.
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Gavin Jennings won preselection for the safe Labor Legislative Council seat of Melbourne Province in advance of the 1999 state election, and was thus easily elected.
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Gavin Jennings was immediately appointed as Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.
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Gavin Jennings was promoted to the ministry after the 2002 state election, serving as Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.
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Gavin Jennings was shifted from the aged care to the community services portfolio after the 2006 state election.
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Gavin Jennings received a significant promotion in the wake of John Brumby's accession to the premiership in August 2007, receiving the portfolios of the environment and climate change, and innovation.
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On 25 May 2016, the Legislative Council passed a contempt motion against Gavin Jennings, effectively suspending him from parliament for up to six months, unless he released documents to the Upper House relating to the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.
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In March 2020, Gavin Jennings announced that he was resigning from the Victorian Parliament.