Karen McKeown

Karen McKeown MP
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Penrith
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 March 2023
Preceded by	Stuart Ayres
Mayor of Penrith
In office September 2015 – 26 September 2016
Preceded by	Ross Fowler
Succeeded by	John Thain
In office 28 September 2020 – 13 January 2022
Preceded by	Ross Fowler
Succeeded by	Tricia Hitchen
Member of the City of Penrith Council for South Ward
Incumbent
Assumed office 2004
Personal details
Political party	Labor
Spouse	Brendan[1]
Residence	Leonay[2]
Occupation	Politician

Karen Anne McKeown OAM is an Australian politician who is the member for Penrith in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. She was previously mayor of Penrith.

Career

McKeown graduated from Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in management with double sub-majors in law and employee relations.^[3] She also holds an executive certificate for elected members from University of Technology Sydney and a labour law certificate from the University of Sydney^[4] and she is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees.^[3]

McKeown is vice president of the Australian Local Government Women's Association NSW, a councillor on Hawkesbury River County Council, director of Penrith Performing and Visual Arts, a member of the Penrith CBD Corporation Board and Local Traffic Committee, chair of Council's Resilience and Multicultural Committees, a director of Local Government NSW and Australian Local Government Association, and deputy chair of Active Super.^[3]

Politics

McKeown was elected to Penrith City Council in 2004 and was deputy mayor from 2006 to 2007 before serving as mayor from 2015 to 2016. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party and was announced as the party's endorsed candidate for the NSW state seat of Penrith for the 2019 New South Wales state election but was defeated by the incumbent member Stuart Ayres.^[5][6]

McKeown returned to the position of deputy mayor in 2019, until acceding to the position of mayor in 2020.^[3] She was succeeded in that position by Tricia Hitchen in 2022.^[7] She was announced as the Labor candidate for the state seat of Penrith at the 2023 election^[1][8] and subsequently won the seat over sitting member Stuart Ayres.

Personal life

McKeown has four children and resides in Leonay with her husband Brendan.^[1]

References

1. "Karen McKeown – Candidate for Penrith". NSW Labor. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
2. "Candidates – The Legislative Assembly District of Penrith". elections.nsw.gov.au. New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
3. "Mayor and Councillors – Penrith City Council". www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au. City of Penrith. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
4. "Karen McKeown". NSW Labor. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
5. "Penrith: First Preference Votes". 2019 NSW election results. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
6. "Penrith: Distribution of Preferences". 2019 NSW election results. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
7. "History made as new Council appoints Mayor, Deputy Mayor". www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au. City of Penrith. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
8. Feszczuk, Emily (18 January 2023). "Penrith is "ready for change", says Labor candidate Karen McKeown". The Western Weekender. Retrieved 6 March 2023.

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Stuart Ayres	Member for Penrith 2023–present	Incumbent
Civic offices
Preceded by Ross Fowler	Mayor of Penrith 2015–2016	Succeeded by John Thain
	Mayor of Penrith 2020–2022	Succeeded by Tricia Hitchen