Kelly Joy Hoare (; 1 July 1963 – 21 March 2024) was an Australian politician. She was a member of the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007, representing the New South Wales seat of Charlton for the Australian Labor Party (ALP). She succeeded her father Bob Brown in federal parliament.
Early life
Hoare was born on 1 July 1963 in Deniliquin, New South Wales. She was one of two children born to Elizabeth Joy () and Robert James Brown. Her father, a school principal, was elected to state parliament in 1978 and to federal parliament in 1980, becoming a federal government minister. She was also a distant descendant of Henry Turner, one of the founders of the ALP.
Hoare completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Canberra. She was a public servant before entering politics, working as an auditor in the Department of Defence and later in the employment department where she was responsible for unemployed people with special needs. She then worked as an electorate officer for her father. She was a public opponent of the proposed Anvil Hill Coal Mine.
Prior to the 2007 federal election, Hoare was successfully challenged for ALP preselection by high-profile trade unionist Greg Combet. Her removal as the endorsed candidate was acrimonious. She publicly threatened to sue the ALP for unfair dismissal, and she stated that her removal would lead to her family losing its house as she was the sole breadwinner. After being replaced by Combet, allegations of sexual misconduct against Hoare were leaked to the Murdoch media. In her final speech to parliament in June 2007, she stated she was "disgusted by the vile way in which I have been treated by people from whom I should have been able to expect greater decency, loyalty and support" and that there was "nothing voluntary about my departure from this parliament". She died on 21 March 2024.
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