federal Labor as their candidate for the Bennelong by-election on 16 December. Keneally's candidacy, combined with her high profile status as a former premier, attracted accusations of being a parachute candidate as she lived 800m outside of the electorate at the time. Despite picking up a five percent two-party swing, she lost to the previous incumbent and Liberal candidate John Alexander. Senator and opposition frontbencher, 2018–2022 On 30 January 2018, the Labor Party announced that Keneally would fill the casual vacancy caused by the resignation of New South Wales senator Sam Dastyari, who resigned earlier that month. Keneally was formally appointed to the vacancy on 14 February 2018 and was sworn in as a senator the following day. In June 2018, Keneally stated her opposition to mandatory reporting for Catholic priests who are informed of child sexual abuse in confession; she believes it is not the most effective way to prevent abuse. Keneally also attended the Rambam Israel Fellowship Program in Israel, sponsored by the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council. The lobby group funded "transport, accommodation, meals and other associated costs". After the 2019 federal election, new leader Anthony Albanese expressed his intention to bring Keneally onto the frontbench despite opposition from the NSW Right faction. On 29 May, Ed Husic announced his resignation from the frontbench and endorsed Keneally as his replacement. On 30 May, Labor's deputy leader in the Senate Don Farrell announced his resignation from the position to make way for a gender-balanced leadership team (since 2013, two of the four leadership positions were held by women). Keneally was subsequently announced as the new Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, and Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship in the Albanese shadow cabinet. She resigned from the senate on 13 April 2022. Fowler candidacy, 2022 In September 2021, it was reported that Keneally would seek preselection for the Division of Fowler in the House of Representatives to succeed retiring MP Chris Hayes at the 2022 federal election. This occurred after Tu Le, a Vietnamese-Australian lawyer was endorsed by Hayes. Le was his preferred candidate due to her ability to reflect the multiculturalism of the area and her strong links to the community. The electorate of Fowler includes Sydney suburbs such as Cabramatta and Liverpool which has a population of over 50,000 Asian-Australians. Keneally does not currently live within the electorate and