Margaret Majella Keech (born 18 September 1954) is a former

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

Labor Party politician who served as a minister in the

Cabinet of Queensland The Cabinet of Queensland is the chief policy-making group of people within the Government of Queensland in Australia. Composition The Cabinet has the same membership as the Executive Council: the Premier and ministers (including the Deputy Pre ...

, the Government

Whip A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

, and the Member of

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

for

Albert Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Alber ...

between 2001 and 2012.

Early life and career

Prior to entering Parliament, Keech was a language and learning advisor for international students, ranging from kindergartners to post-doctoral students at the

Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a public research university located in the urban coastal city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. QUT is located on two campuses in the Brisbane area viz. Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove. The univ ...

. She also has a small business background and is a member of the Beenleigh Yatala Chamber of Commerce and the

Australian Services Union The Australian Services Union (registered as the Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union) is a trade union representing workers in a variety of industries. The ASU is affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade ...

. In 1981, Keech started the first public playgroup in Beenleigh and later established the popular Sunday craft market in Main St. She was also the co-founder of the local Residents Association and was chair of the Beenleigh Police District Community Consultative Committee. She has a Master of Arts, a Bachelor of Economics, a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics.

Member of parliament

2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...

, she was the first woman elected to represent

in the

Legislative Assembly of Queensland The Legislative Assembly of Queensland is the sole chamber of the unicameral Parliament of Queensland established under the Constitution of Queensland. Elections are held every four years and are done by full preferential voting. The Assembl ...

. She was Labor's Caucus Secretary from 28 March 2001 to February 2004.

Government Minister

Keech served as Minister for Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development in the

Beattie Ministry The Beattie Ministry was a Ministry of the Government of Queensland, led by Labor Premier Peter Beattie. It commenced on 26 June 1998, thirteen days after the Borbidge Ministry, led by Premier Rob Borbidge of the National Party, was defeated at ...

from March 2004, taking on the additional role of Minister for Women in November 2006. When

Anna Bligh Anna Maria Bligh (born 14 July 1960) is a lobbyist and former Australian politician who served as the 37th Premier of Queensland, in office from 2007 to 2012 as leader of the Labor Party. She was the first woman to hold either position. In 2 ...

installed her Ministry in September 2007, Keech was appointed Minister for Child Safety and Women. She was made Government Whip in March 2009, in which role she served until she lost her seat at the

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

Mark Boothman Mark Andrew Boothman (born 6 June 1977) is an Australian Liberal National politician who is the Member of Parliament for Theodore in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, having defeated government whip Margaret Keech to win Albert Albert ...

Post parliamentary career

In July 2020, Keech resigned from the Labor Party to contest the state seat of

Macalister Macalister, MacAlister, MacAllister and their variants are forms of a Gaelic surname which means 'son of Alisdair'. The name originated in Scotland and belonged to a branch of the Clan Donald; they became an independent clan in 1493. From about the ...

as an independent at the

2020 Queensland state election The 2020 Queensland state election was held on 31 October to elect all 93 members to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland. The Labor Party was returned to government for a third-term, led by incumbent premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. With 47 ...

. She was ultimately unsuccessful, finishing third with 10.41% of the vote.

Personal life

Keech and her husband Peter and their three children, James, Joshua and Helen, have lived in Albert since 1980.

References