Karen Struthers (born 19 February 1963) is an Australian politician who served in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 1998 to 2012.

Karen Struthers
Minister for Community Services of Queensland
In office
26 March 2009 – 26 March 2012
PremierAnna Bligh
Preceded byLindy Nelson-Carr (Communities)
Succeeded byTracy Davis (Communities)
Minister for Housing of Queensland
In office
26 March 2009 – 26 March 2012
PremierAnna Bligh
Preceded byRobert Schwarten
Succeeded byBruce Flegg
Minister for Women of Queensland
In office
26 March 2009 – 26 March 2012
PremierAnna Bligh
Preceded byMargaret Keech
Succeeded byTracy Davis (as Minister for Communities)
Member of the Queensland Parliament for Algester
Archerfield (1998–2001)
In office
13 June 1998 – 24 March 2012
Preceded byLen Ardill
Succeeded byAnthony Shorten
Personal details
Born (1963-02-19) 19 February 1963 (age 61)
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Political partyLabor Party
Children1
Alma materUniversity of Queensland, Griffith University

Early life and career

edit

Before she was elected Struthers was an Assistant Director of the Queensland Council of Social Service.[1]

Member of parliament

edit

She first entered Parliament at the 1998 election, winning the seat of Archerfield after the retirement of sitting member Len Ardill.[2]

Archerfield was abolished in a redistribution ahead of the 2001 state election, and Struthers followed most of her constituents into the new seat of Algester,[3] which she held until her defeat in the 2012 election.

Beattie Ministry

edit

She was promoted to the front bench on 12 February 2004 as Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier (Multicultural Affairs) and Minister for Trade. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Employment, Training and Industrial Relations on 28 July 2005 and became Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health on 13 September 2006.

Bligh Ministry

edit

In March 2009, she was promoted to the Cabinet as Minister for Community Services and Housing and Minister for Women.[4]

Struthers was one of several Labor MPs in previously safe seats who were swept out in the massive Liberal National landslide of 2012, losing to LNP challenger Anthony Shorten on a swing of over 18 percent—enough to turn the seat from safe Labor to safe LNP in one stroke. In a measure of the backlash against Labor that year, Struthers had seen off a challenge from Shorten in 2009, taking 59 percent of the two-party vote.

Personal life

edit

She has one son.

References

edit
  1. ^ "FORMER MEMBER DETAILS Struthers, Karen Lee". Queensland Parliamentary Website. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  2. ^ Riggert, E (15 June 1998). "New MP can't wait to report for duty". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane, Australia. p. 8.
  3. ^ Green, Anthony. "Algester". ABC Elections: 2009 Queensland Election. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  4. ^ Odgers, Rosemary; Lion, Patrick (25 March 2009). "Eight new faces in Cabinet clean-out – Ministers told to get runs on the board". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane, Australia. p. 4.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Archerfield
1998–2001
Abolished
New seat Member for Algester
2001–2012
Succeeded by