Jeffrey Kennett (b. 1948) was premier of Victoria from 1992 to 1999. He entered politics from a career in advertising, winning the state seat of Burwood for the Liberal Party in 1976. He led the opposition from 1982 to 1989, surviving four challenges, and regained the leadership in 1992 when the Liberals won with an overwhelming majority. His premiership began amidst union and community protests, but Kennett maintained his commitment to rejuvenation of the inner city and a program of cuts to public spending and incentives to business. Projects such as the $1.8 billion CityLink tollway, the huge exhibition centre known as 'Jeff's Shed' and the Docklands refurbishment generated the regional and rural disaffection that led to the Government's election loss in September 1999. Kennett has since edited a volume of poems for dog lovers, and briefly hosted a Melbourne drivetime radio show.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2002
© Hugh Stewart
Hugh Stewart (1 portrait)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
Over the last five years the National Portrait Gallery has developed a collection of portrait photographs that reflects both the strength and diversity of Australian achievement as well as the talents of our photographers.
This is the first major exhibition to examine photographic portraiture in Australia, from its beginnings in the early 1840s to the present day
