James Harley Kennan SC (25 February 1946 – 4 August 2010) was an Australian politician and later adjunct professor of law at

Deakin University Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1974, the university was named after Alfred Deakin, the second Prime Minister of Australia. Its main campuses are in Melbourne's Burwood suburb, Geelong Waurn Ponds, ...

. Kennan earned a Master of Laws from the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

. He was a member of parliament between 1982 and 1993, initially in the

Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Co ...

, and then in the Legislative Assembly as the member for

Broadmeadows Broadmeadows is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Hume local government area. Broadmeadows recorded a population of 12,524 at the 2021 census. Broadmeadow ...

and was Deputy Premier of Victoria from 1990 to 1992. After the defeat of the Labor Party Government at the 1992 state election, and the later retirement of leader

Joan Kirner Joan Elizabeth Kirner (née Hood; 20 June 1938 – 1 June 2015) was an Australian politician who was the 42nd Premier of Victoria, serving from 1990 to 1992. A Labor Party member of the Parliament of Victoria from 1982 to 1994, she was a mem ...

in March 1993 he became the Leader of the Opposition until his shock retirement from Parliament three months later. He was succeeded as leader and member for Broadmeadows by a former member of the Legislative Council,

John Brumby John Mansfield Brumby (born 21 April 1953) is the current Chancellor of La Trobe University and former Victorian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became leader of the Victorian Labor Party and premier ...

. Kennan is the last ALP leader who did not become Premier. He worked as a Senior Counsel in the Victorian legal system, most notably representing Jack Thomas at his re-trial on terrorism charges in late 2008.

Death

Kennan died on 4 August 2010, aged 64, after a battle with cancer.

References

1946 births 2010 deaths Members of the Victorian Legislative Council Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria Australian barristers Deputy Premiers of Victoria University of Melbourne alumni Deakin University faculty Recipients of the Centenary Medal Deaths from cancer in Victoria (Australia) People educated at Scotch College, Melbourne Leaders of the Opposition in Victoria (Australia) Australian Senior Counsel Attorneys-General of Victoria Melbourne Law School alumni Politicians from Melbourne {{Australia-Labor-Victoria-MP-stub