Ged Kearney is the Federal Member for Cooper. Ged has served in the parliament since March 2018, when she was elected in a by-election. She is the first woman to hold the seat.
Ged is the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care.
Ged started her working life as a nurse and rose to become Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing Federation. From 2010, Ged served as the president of the ACTU – the peak body of Australia’s union movement – where she fought for better conditions for Australian workers.
Ged’s working life – from nurse to president of the ACTU to parliamentarian – has been about fighting for the rights of others.
She is a strong voice for social justice, workers’ rights and universal healthcare inside Labor and the parliament. Ged is a passionate advocate for the environment and throughout her career she has supported a humane response to refugees.
Ged was born and raised in Melbourne and lived in Cooper for over 25 years. Ged has 4 children, 2 stepdaughters and 4 much-loved grandchildren.