Kyam Joseph Maher is an Australian politician and lawyer who has been Attorney-General of South Australia and the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council since March 2022. He was appointed to a casual vacancy in the South Australian Legislative Council for the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party on 17 October 2012. He previously served in the Cabinet of South Australia between 2015 and 2018 and was the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council between 2016 and 2018.
Kyam Maher MLC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 51st Attorney-General of South Australia | |
| Assumed office 24 March 2022 | |
| Premier | Peter Malinauskas |
| Preceded by | Vickie Chapman |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (2022–present) Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation (2015–2018) | |
| Assumed office 24 March 2022 | |
| Premier | Peter Malinauskas |
| Preceded by | Steven Marshall (separated from position of Premier) |
| In office 3 February 2015 – 18 March 2018 | |
| Premier | Jay Weatherill |
| Preceded by | Ian Hunter |
| Succeeded by | Steven Marshall (as Premier of South Australia) |
| Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector | |
| Assumed office 24 March 2022 | |
| Premier | Peter Malinauskas |
| Preceded by | New position |
| Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council | |
| Assumed office 24 March 2022 | |
| Premier | Peter Malinauskas |
| Preceded by | Rob Lucas |
| In office 18 January 2016 – 18 March 2018 | |
| Premier | Jay Weatherill |
| Preceded by | Gail Gago |
| Succeeded by | Rob Lucas |
| Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation | |
| In office 3 February 2015 – 18 March 2018 | |
| Premier | Jay Weatherill |
| Preceded by | Susan Close |
| Succeeded by | David Pisoni (as Minister for Industry and Skills) |
| Minister for Automotive Transformation | |
| In office 3 February 2015 – 18 March 2018 | |
| Premier | Jay Weatherill |
| Preceded by | Susan Close |
| Succeeded by | David Pisoni (as Minister for Industry and Skills) |
| Member of the South Australian Legislative Council | |
| Assumed office 17 October 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Sneath |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kyam Joseph Maher Littlehampton, South Australia |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party (SA) |
| Spouse | Carmel Maher |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Background
editMaher is of Aboriginal Tasmanian descent.[1] He grew up in Mount Gambier and attended Grant High School there. He does not consider that he experienced the disadvantage and racism that is common for many Aboriginal people in Australia. He left Mount Gambier to study law and economics at the University of Adelaide.[2]
Maher was a lawyer and political staffer before becoming South Australian state secretary of the Australian Labor Party.[3] In 2006, Maher was an inaugural committee member of the Progressive Labour Education Association Inc (PLEA), a joint-venture training organisation operated by the ALP Socialist Left faction and aligned unions United Voice (then the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union) and the Australian Services Union.[4]
Political career
editMaher was appointed to the South Australian Legislative Council in 2012 to replace outgoing MLC Bob Sneath. Maher was re-elected from fourth position on the Labor ticket at the 2014 election.[5]
In February 2015 he was appointed to cabinet and, between 2015 and the 2018 state election, Maher served as minister in the Labor Weatherill Ministry in a range of portfolios including manufacturing and innovation, automotive transformation, Aboriginal affairs and reconciliation;[6] and employment and science and information economy.[7] Maher was the first Aboriginal South Australian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.[8]
On 18 January 2016 Maher was appointed as the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council in the Weatherill government.[9]
After Labor won government at the 2022 state election, Maher was appointed Attorney-General in the Malinauskas ministry on 24 March, as well as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector.[10][11] He also became Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council for the second time. Maher was the first initiated Aboriginal man in the nation's history to be appointed in the Attorney-General position.[12]
References
edit- ^ Smith, Douglas (25 March 2022). "Meet Kyam Maher, South Australia's first Aboriginal Attorney-General". NITV. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ Dowdell, Andrew (13 May 2017). "Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Minister Kyam Maher starting to reconnect with indigenous heritage". Sunday Mail. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- ^ Harmsen, Nick (2 October 2012). "ALP secretary set for seat in Parliament". ABC News. ABC.
- ^ "What is the Progressive Labour Education Association (PLEA)?". Progressive Left Unions and Sub-Branches (PLUS). Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ^ 2014 SA Legislative Council results: Antony Green ABC
- ^ "SA ministry reshuffle: Rau gets child protection task, Kyam Maher moved into Cabinet, Katrine Hildyard elevated". ABC News. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ^ Cabinet of South Australia: Premier.sa.gov.au Archived 21 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Kyam Maher, the first South Australian Aboriginal government minister for Aboriginal affairs during 2015-18". AdelaideAZ. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- ^ "Reshuffle, Peter Malinauskas and Leesa Vlahos join Jay Weatherill's Cabinet". The Advertiser. 18 January 2016.
- ^ Richards, Stephanie (24 March 2022). "Brock's back: Independent among new faces in 'diverse' Labor cabinet". In Daily. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ Harmsen, Nick; Dayman, Isabel (24 March 2022). "New South Australian cabinet sworn in, with independent Geoff Brock making surprise comeback". ABC News. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "New SA Premier names new cabinet with women and Independents coming out on top". 9News. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
External links
edit- "Maher, Kyam". Members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
- Parliamentary Profile: SA Labor website