Jodeen Carney

Jodeen Terese Carney is an Australian politician. She was a Country Liberal Party member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from September 2001 to September 2010, representing the Alice Springs-based electorate of Araluen.
She was the Shadow Attorney-General, and Shadow Minister for Justice, Health, Family and Community Services, Business and Industry, Women's Policy, Territory Development, the AustralAsia Railway, Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Central Australia and Defence Support. Until 29 January 2008 she was also the Opposition Leader.
Carney is openly lesbian. She is the first and only LGBT person to have represented the Country Liberal Party in the Legislative Assembly and the first and only LGBT Opposition Leader. She is also the only lesbian and the first LGBT person to have ever been elected to the Legislative Assembly, as well as the first female leader of the Country Liberal Party.
Carney announced her resignation from parliament on 19 August 2010, effective 3 September. She cited health reasons as the primary cause of her resignation.

Biography

Early life

Carney was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and studied at Bendigo High School before commencing a law degree at the University of Melbourne. She graduated in 1989 and moved to Alice Springs the following year in order to do her articles. In 1990, she was admitted to legal practice and worked as a solicitor for the next seven years. In 1997, she opened her own local practice, which she operated until deciding to contest pre-selection for the Legislative Assembly seat of Araluen at the 2001 [Northern Territory legislative election|2001 election]. Carney is openly lesbian and has been in a same-sex relationship for over twenty years.

Career