Sonya Kilkenny

The Honourable
Sonya Kilkenny
MP
56th Attorney-General of Victoria
Incumbent
Assumed office
19 December 2024
PremierJacinta Allan
Ben Carroll
Preceded byJaclyn Symes
Minister for Planning
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 December 2022
PremierDaniel Andrews
Jacinta Allan
Ben Carroll
Preceded byLizzie Blandthorn
Minister for Prevention of Family Violence
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 August 2026
PremierBen Carroll
Preceded byMelissa Horne
Other ministerial offices
Minister for Finance
In office
15 April 2026 – 4 August 2026
PremierJacinta Allan
Preceded byDanny Pearson
Succeeded byEnver Erdogan
Minister for Violence Reduction
In office
15 April 2026 – 4 August 2026
PremierJacinta Allan
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister for the Suburbs
In office
2 October 2023 – 19 December 2024
PremierJacinta Allan
Preceded byRos Spence (as Minister for Suburban Development)
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister for Outdoor Recreation
In office
5 December 2022 – 2 October 2023
PremierDaniel Andrews
Jacinta Allan
Preceded byHerself (as Minister for Fishing and Boating)
Succeeded bySteve Dimopoulos
Minister for Youth JusticeMinister for CorrectionsMinister for Victim Support
In office
4 July 2022 – 5 December 2022
PremierDaniel Andrews
Preceded byNatalie Hutchins
Succeeded byEnver Erdogan
Minister for Fishing and Boating
In office
4 July 2022 – 5 December 2022
PremierDaniel Andrews
Preceded byMelissa Horne
Succeeded byHerself (as Minister for Outdoor Recreation)
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Carrum
Incumbent
Assumed office
29 November 2014
Preceded byDonna Bauer
Personal details
Born (1969-05-15) 15 May 1969
Sydney, Australia
PartyLabor
Children1
EducationUniversity of New South Wales
University of Melbourne
ProfessionCommercial lawyer

Sonya Kilkenny (born 15 May 1969) is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since November 2014, representing the Electoral district of Carrum.

Kilkenny was born in Sydney, and attended schools in Hong Kong and the United States before returning to Australia. She graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws, and later with a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne. She has worked as a legal officer or lawyer for organisations such as the Kimberley Land Council and the Australian Children's Television Foundation, and served on the boards of the Back to Back Theatre company and the National Theatre in St Kilda.[1] Just prior to her election, she was head of the legal dispute resolution team at the ANZ Banking Group.[2]

Kilkenny lives in her electorate of Carrum.[3]

Politics

Kilkenny contested the federal Division of Dunkley for Labor at the 2013 federal election, losing to incumbent Liberal Member Bruce Billson.[4]

Kilkenny first entered parliament at the 2014 Victorian state election when she narrowly won the seat off the Liberal incumbent, before holding the seat at the 2018 Victorian state election with an 11.2 per cent swing, one of the biggest swings in the election.[5]

Kilkenny served on the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee and was an Acting Speaker in the Legislative Assembly.[6]

On 29 November 2018, Kilkenny was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and in 2020 appointed Cabinet Secretary.[7]

Kilkenny (right) talks with Minister for Housing Harriet Shing at a Melbourne Press Club event in October 2024

Kilkenny was appointed as Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support and Minister for Fishing and Boating as part of a June 2022 cabinet reshuffle.[8] She was sworn in on 4 July,[9] a week after the rest of the cabinet, due to isolating after contracting COVID-19.[10]

After holding her seat at the 2022 Victorian state election[11] Kilkenny was sworn in as the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Outdoor Recreation in December 2022.[12]

In October 2023, Kilkenny was appointed as Minister for the Suburbs, in addition to continuing as Planning Minister.[13]

In December 2024, Kilkenny was sworn in as the 56th Attorney-General of Victoria, in addition to continuing as Minister for Planning.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "ANMT Annual Report 2013" (PDF). nationaltheatre.org.au. Australian National Memorial Theatre. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  2. ↑ "Sonya Kilkenny / Labor / Carrum". UNIPOLLWATCH. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. ↑ "Carrum Results". ABC News. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "VIC DIVISION - DUNKLEY". AEC Virtual Tally Room – Election 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  5. ↑ "Carrum - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)".
  6. ↑ "Members: Sonya Kilkenny (Carrum)". People in Parliament. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Member Profile - Ms Sonya Kilkenny".
  8. ↑ "Statement On New Ministry". Premier of Victoria. 25 June 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022.
  9. ↑ "Ministers of the Crown (per GG2022S352)" (PDF). Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 7 July 2022. p. 1-2.
  10. ↑ "Vic govt ministry sworn in after reshuffle". 7News. 27 June 2022.
  11. ↑ "Carrum - VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results - ABC News". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "New Cabinet to Keep Doing What Matters | Premier of Victoria".
  13. ↑ "Jacinta Allan reveals new Victorian Labor cabinet". www.theage.com.au. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "A Strong And Focused Team To Build Homes And Help Families | Premier". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
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