Bridget McKenzie

Senator
Bridget McKenzie

McKenzie in July 2014
Senator for Victoria
Assumed office
1 July 2011
Personal details
Born (1969-12-27) 27 December 1969
Alexandra, Victoria, Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party The Nationals
Residence Ballarat, Victoria
Occupation Federal Senator
Profession Politician

Bridget McKenzie (born 27 December 1969) is an Australian politician and The Nationals member for Victoria in the Australian Senate.[1] She was elected to the Australian Senate representing Victoria at the 2010 federal election.[2] She is the National Party’s only Victorian senator.[3]

McKenzie attended Deakin University, where she showed her political pragmatism by becoming President of the student union[4] as the head of a multipartisan ticket made up of a mixture of independents, Labor, Liberal, and Green members, where she spearheaded a nonpartisan, student-led campaign against then Prime Minister John Howard's cuts to higher education and funding for student unions. She remains an Honorary Life Member of the student union for her efforts.

After graduating, she was employed as a teacher and later lectured at Monash University.

She lives in Ballarat, Victoria after having previously lived in the Melbourne suburb of Elwood for which she received unwanted media scrutiny when it was revealed she did not live anywhere near her regional electoral office in Bendigo, but instead prefers a socially-progressive inner-city lifestyle to the rural lifestyle she purports to represent. [5]

Senator McKenzie is adamantly opposed to gay marriage,[6] despite the deep personal hurt which her stance causes her gay brother, who wrote a letter to a local regional paper, the Bendigo Advertiser, to express his dismay.[7] She is also known to party at gay bars in and around her home suburb of Elwood (and in neighbouring St Kilda, the home of Pride March),[8] and having gay and lesbian friends who are also dismayed at her decision to vote against marriage equality.

Senator McKenzie is also a champion of guns and firearms, proclaims she enjoys shooting for sport, and opposed a ban on a particular type of lever-action shotgun.[9]

Her ancestors were Scottish.[10]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=207825
  2. ↑ "Senate Results - Victoria - 2010 Federal Election". Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  3. ↑ http://thestar.com.au/?p=3900
  4. ↑ http://www.bridgetmckenzie.com.au/Media/In-the-News/ID/694/AUSTRALIAN-WOMEN-ONLINE-Women-in-Politics-Bridget-McKenzie-National-Party-Senator-for-Victoria
  5. ↑ http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/the-guntoting-gay-marriageopposing-nationals-senatorwho-lives-in-the-inner-city-20160203-gml8ic.html
  6. ↑ http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/3136550/mckenzie-against-same-sex-marriage-supports-conscience-vote/
  7. ↑ http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/letter-from-alastair-mckenzie-on-his-sister-nationals-senator-bridget-mckenzies-samesex-marriage-stance-20150612-ghn3kj.html
  8. ↑ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-south/coy-act-from-victorian-senator-bridget-mckenzie-at-pride-night-party-in-st-kilda/news-story/823bf8658e0b47ca1ea57c19440e6528
  9. ↑ http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/meet-bridget-mckenzie-the-turnbull-government-senator-out-to-change-your-mind-about-guns-20151025-gkhubu.html
  10. ↑ http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Senators/First_Speeches/First_Speeches/Bridget_McKenzie_Senator_for_Victoria

External Links

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