resides in Scotland Island in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney. The push for a white American-born woman who has no connections to a safe Labor seat primarily made up of people of Asian or Middle Eastern background, including a large proportion of recent migrants and refugees, has been criticised by Labor MPs such as Anne Aly and Peter Khalil. Others, including former prime minister Paul Keating, supported Keneally, who was installed by party leadership without a pre-selection ballot. Independent Dai Le, a Vietnamese refugee and former Liberal Party councilor, nominated in response to the controversy, and defeated Keneally in one of only two Labor losses at the 2022 federal election. Personal life Keneally is married to former Mayor of Botany Bay, Ben Keneally; together they have two sons. A daughter died at birth. Her husband is the nephew of Australian writer Thomas Keneally. Keneally is the patron of the Stillbirth Foundation Australia. Keneally and her family previously lived in Pagewood, within the electorate of Heffron which she represented in state parliament. In 2016, Keneally and her husband sold their home and moved across Sydney to a rented home in Hunters Hill. Together they own a $1.8 million home on the isolated Scotland Island on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and a townhouse in Wollstonecraft purchased for $1.3 million in 2016. Keneally and her family moved to Liverpool prior to contesting the local seat of Fowler at the 2022 federal election. In late 2022, Keneally was appointed as chief executive officer of the Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation, which raises funds to help provide all children with access to the best possible healthcare. Keneally is ketogenic. Publications See also Keneally ministry 2011 New South Wales state election List of female heads of government in Australia References External links Australian Senate – Senator the Hon Kristina Keneally Personal website – kristinakeneally.com.au |- |- |- |- |- |- |- 1968 births American emigrants to Australia Australian chief executives Australian Roman Catholics Australian feminists Living people Marquette University alumni Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Naturalised citizens of Australia People from the Las Vegas Valley Politicians from Toledo, Ohio Former United States citizens Politicians from Sydney Premiers of New South Wales University of Dayton alumni Australian sports executives and administrators Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia Labor Right