23 Facts About Jodi McKay

Jodi Leyanne McKay was born on 16 August 1969 and is an Australian former politician who was the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of New South Wales from June 2019 until May 2021.

Jodi McKay previously served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing Strathfield for the Labor Party from 2015 to 2021.

Between 2008 and 2011, Jodi McKay held a number of junior ministerial responsibilities in the Rees and Keneally governments, including serving as the Minister for the Hunter, Tourism, Small Business, Science and Medical Research, Commerce, and Women, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health.

On 17 October 2021, Jodi McKay announced she would resign from the parliament, which triggered a by-election in her seat of Strathfield.

Jodi McKay subsequently became National Chair of the Australia India Business Council.

Jodi McKay began her career as a journalist, eventually becoming a news anchor for NBN Television.

Jodi McKay later entered the private sector in corporate communications and marketing.

Jodi McKay served on the Board of Hunter Medical Research Institute, the University of Newcastle Research Associates and Hunter Manufacturers' Association, prior to entering politics.

In 2011, following a controversial proposal by another Tinkler company, Newcastle Ports, to build a coal loader at the port, Jodi McKay declined to meet company representatives, citing her need to remain uninvolved in the process.

In September 2008, Jodi McKay was appointed to cabinet as the Minister for Tourism and Minister for the Hunter.

Jodi McKay immediately distanced herself from the style of her predecessor Michael Costa, and committed to greater engagement with local government and community groups.

Jodi McKay's appointment was welcomed by local tourism and business groups, including the Hunter Chamber of Commerce.

Jodi McKay was appointed as the Minister for Science and Medical Research, Minister assisting on Health, Minister for Commerce, Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Women.

In 2011, Jodi McKay was reaffirmed as the Labor candidate for Newcastle by the party's national executive.

In 2014, Jodi McKay gave evidence before the Independent Commission Against Corruption that she was asked to accept an alleged bribe and reported the matter to the NSW Police, the ICAC and the Election Funding Authority.

Ms Jodi McKay gave evidence that she reported Mr Tinkler's alleged bribe offer to police, ICAC, the Electoral Commission and the Electoral Funding Authority.

Jodi McKay told him she could not accept his money because he was a banned donor.

The ICAC inquiry revealed that after Jodi McKay knocked back the alleged bribe, Tinkler's Buildev company, her colleague and senior Labor MP Joe Tripodi, and former Labor staffer Ann Wills, were involved in a pamphlet smear campaign that she believed contributed to her election loss.

However, in October 2014, Jodi McKay was installed as the Labor candidate for the seat of Strathfield for the next state election and, following her endorsement, was quoted as saying that she realised "if you want change, it has to come from within".

At the 2015 state election, Jodi McKay was elected as the member for Strathfield with an 8.2-point swing to Labor.

Jodi McKay thereby became the 39th NSW Leader of the Opposition, marking the first time that the premier and opposition leader in New South Wales were both women.

Jodi McKay was offered a frontbench position by Minns in his shadow ministry but she declined.

On 17 October 2021, Jodi McKay announced that she had advised the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly of her intention to resign as member for Strathfield, which would trigger a by-election to fill the vacancy.