Jodi McKay

Early years and background

McKay began her career as a journalist before entering the private sector in corporate communications and marketing. McKay also served on the Board of Hunter Medical Research Institute, The University of Newcastle Research Associates and Hunter Manufacturers' Association prior to entering politics.

Political career

McKay was installed as Labor's candidate for Newcastle over the sitting member Bryce Gaudry, after Premier Morris Iemma intervened to ensure her selection. McKay had been lined up to become the Liberal Party candidate for Port Stephens.

The subsequent election became a tight three-way contest between McKay, Gaudry (who ran as an independent) and the independent Newcastle Lord Mayor John Tate; with McKay winning on Gaudry's preferences.

In 2008, McKay was appointed to cabinet as the Minister for Tourism and Minister for the Hunter and immediately distanced herself from the style of her predecessor Michael Costa and committed to greater engagement with local government and community groups. Her appointment was welcomed by local tourism and business groups including the Hunter Chamber of Commerce. McKay was also appointed as the Minister for Science and Medical Research, Minister assisting on Health, Minister for Commerce, Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Women. McKay was re-installed as Labor's candidate in 2011. The likely winner of a rank and file pre-selection was Tim Crakanthorp. At the 2011 election, Labor recorded a 31.0% share of the primary vote at the polls to the Liberal's 36.4% and Tate's 11.5% and the Greens 14.6%. On a two-party preferred basis this translated into 52.4% for the Liberal's Tim Owen and 47.6% for McKay, who conceded defeat.

In April 2008 the NSW Greens were critical of McKay for failing to declare a political donation from a property developer group (Buildev, which is owned by Nathan Tinkler) to help pay for printing costs during her campaign. Buildev declared $50,000 in electoral returns to McKay. McKay declared a $1,000 donation from Buildev. The donor was at the time seeking support from the Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, for a development at Medowie, near Newcastle Airport. McKay denied knowledge of the donation. The donation was made to Labor's New South Wales head office. In light of the donation McKay said she would refuse to meet with the developer throughout her tenure as a Member of Parliament and as a Minister. Subsequent to her political career, in 2014 McKay gave evidence before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that she was asked to accept an alleged bribe and reported the matter to the NSW Police, the ICAC and the Election Funding Authority. McKay told the Independent Commission Against Corruption that Tinkler had offered to bankroll her 2011 election campaign, in exchange for her support of $1 billion coal loader project. Ms McKay gave evidence that she reported Mr Tinkler's alleged bribe offer to police, ICAC, the Electoral Commission and the Electoral Funding Authority. McKay told him she could not accept his money because he was a banned donor. ICAC inquiry revealed that after McKay knocked backed the ‘‘bribe’’, Tinkler’s Buildev company, Ms McKay’s colleague and senior Labor MP Joe Tripodi and former Labor staffer Ann Wills were involved in a pamphlet smear campaign that she believes contributed to her election loss. McKay was in tears in the ICAC witness box as confirmation of what she had long suspected came to light.

Career during political hiatus

McKay held an executive role with Family Planning NSW and was a non-executive director of both Australian Science Innovations and Epilepsy Action Australia.

After the first ICAC hearing, McKay said she would never return to politics. In October 2014 McKay was installed as the Labor candidate for the seat of Strathfield for the next state election; and was quoted following her endorsement that she realised "if you want change, it has to come from within." The likely winner of a rank and file pre-selection was John Faker. In January 2015, even though she was not a member of Parliament, Luke Foley appointed McKay to the shadow ministry as opposition planning spokeswoman.