De-Anne Kelly

Who is De-Anne Kelly?

De-Anne Margaret Kelly, was an Australian politician. She was a National Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 until November 2007, representing the Division of Dawson, Queensland. She was also the first female member of the National Party to win a seat in the House of Representatives. She was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, and was educated at the University of Queensland. She was a business proprietor, cattle producer and sugar-cane farmer before entering politics.

Kelly was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade between October 2003 and October 2004, at which time she was appointed Minister for Veterans' Affairs. She gained the additional position of Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence in November 2004, but was demoted to Parliamentary Secretary in January 2006. Kelly served in this position until September 2009, when she was reappointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services.

At the 2007 general election, Kelly was defeated in her seat of Dawson by Labor candidate James Bidgood, with a swing against her of more than thirteen per cent. The loss of Dawson was unexpected by most commentators.