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Zoe McKenzie (born 2 October 1972) is an Australian Liberal politician who has served in the House of Representatives since May 2022, representing the Division of Flinders in Victoria. McKenzie was an industrial relations lawyer, international trade specialist and board director prior to election to the Parliament of Australia on 21 May 2023.

Early life

Family background

McKenzie was born in Melbourne Australia, educated at Lauriston Girls School in Armadale and attended the University of Melbourne, where she undertook Law and Arts, focusing on French, German and Spanish language studies in her arts degree.

McKenzie was raised by her mother, Ann Shanahan, who practised as a cardio-thoracic surgeon and lawyer, through most of her professional life.

At the age of 15, Zoe undertook an exchange to France, attending school and living with a French family in a small village near Valence.

At University, she worked as a research assistant to Professor Greg Craven and Professor Cheryl Saunders, at the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies and as a part time junior adviser to Attorney General Jan Wade, in the Kennett Government.

Career

McKenzie undertook articles with Corrs Chambers Westgarth and practised in industrial relations law before joining the private office of Federal Attorney General Daryl Williams AM QC, with responsibility for constitutional law, criminal justice and reform of the marriage celebrant scheme.

McKenzie then joined Freehill Hollingdale and Page (later Freehills, now Herbert Smith Freehills) in industrial relations and employment law becoming a Senior Associate with the firm in 2003.

In 2004 she returned to policy work, first becoming an adviser to federal Education, Science and Training Minister Brendan Nelson, with responsibility for vocational education, and later higher education, then working in senior policy and chief of staff roles in the Communications and Arts portfolio.

Upon its election in late 2010, McKenzie worked as a political staffer for the Baillieu Coalition Government with responsibility for education and culture policy issues, before returning to Federal Government on the election of Tony Abbott in 2013, as Chief of Staff to the Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Robb.

McKenzie joined the board of the Australia Council for the Arts in 2016, and the NBN Ltd in 2018, resigning from these roles in late 2021 to contest pre-selection for the seat of Flinders. She has also sat on the Committee for Mornington Peninsula.

Political career

McKenzie replaced Greg Hunt as the Liberal candidate for Flinders in 2021 and was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2022 federal election, standing in the Division of Flinders. McKenzie was successful, with a slight two-party preferred swing in her favour.

McKenzie is aligned with the Centrist faction of the Liberal Party.

McKenzie, and six other Coalition MPs, were reprimanded by the House Speaker Milton Dick after they attempted to physically push past a parliamentary attendant to avoid voting. All seven apologised for their actions on the House floor.

McKenzie visited Israel on a bipartisan parliamentary delegation in December 2023.

Personal life

McKenzie was with Rodrigo Pintos-Lopez from 2013 and they were engaged in 2019 and separated in 2024. She lives in Sorrento in Victoria.

References

1. ^ "Ms Zoe McKenzie MP". APH. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
2. Old Lauristonians (August 2022). "Zoe Mackenzie (1989)". Lauriston Girls' School. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
3. Old Lauristonians (August 2022). "Zoe Mackenzie (1989)". Lauriston Girls' School. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
4. "Zoe McKenzie - First Speech". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
5. "Zoe McKenzie - First Speech". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
6. "Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023; Second Reading". Open Australia. Open Australia Foundation. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
7. "BILLS - Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 - Second Reading". Oarliament of Australia - Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
8. "BILLS - Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 - Second Reading". Oarliament of Australia - Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
9. Barnes, Terry (25 February 2019). "Did the wrong woman get Higgins?". The Spectator Australia. Press Holdings. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
10. "Hon Dr Brendan Nelson AO". Senators and Melbourne. Parliament of Australia. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
11. Barnes, Terry (25 February 2019). "Did the wrong woman get Higgins?". The Spectator Australia. Press Holdings. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
12. Harris, Rob (15 December 2021). "Former prime ministers back Zoe McKenzie for Flinders". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax entertainment. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
13. "Zoe McMenzie". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
14. "Zoe McMenzie". Women's Agenda. Agenda Media. May 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
15. "Zoe McKenzie". Liberal Party of Australia. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
16. Green, Antony (2022). "Flinders (Key Seat) - Federal Election 2022". ABC News. Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
17. Massola, James (8 April 2023). "How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
18. "Liberals apologise for injuring parliamentary attendant in rush to avoid vote". ABC News. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
19. ^ "The private interests of Zoe McKenzie MP". openpolitics.au. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
20. Platt, Keith (13 December 2022). "Politics not fairytales helped shape MP". The Mornington Peninsula News. Mornington Peninsula News Group. Retrieved 8 November 2023.

• Living people
• Women members of the Australian House of Representatives
• Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Flinders
• 21st-century Australian women politicians
• 21st-century Australian politicians
• 1972 births