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Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC (born 2 March 1948 ), Australian politician, was Premier of Victoria from 1992 to 1999 . He was born in Melbourne and educated at Scotch College , Melbourne. He dropped out of the Australian National University after one year of an economics degree, and worked in retailing. In 1968 he was Conscripted into the Australian Army , and served in Malaysia and Singapore . He returned to civilian life and went into advertising, forming his own company, KNF, in 1971 . In 1972 he married Felicity Kellar, with whom he had four children. LIBERAL LEADER Kennett was elected Liberal MP for Burwood in 1976 , and in 1981 he became Minister for Housing, Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in the government of Dick Hamer . When the Liberals were defeated in 1982 he was elected Leader of the Liberal Party, despite being the youngest member of the outgoing Cabinet. He was an aggressive Opposition Leader, and was much criticised for his "bull-in-a-china-shop" style and his populist anti-government rhetoric. The Labor government of . Toward the end of its second term the government had endured some loss in support and the Liberals were considered a good chance of winning the . PREMIER Kennett won the October 1992 election in a landslide as a result of the public's complete disillusionment with the Labor government, which was held responsible for the state's economic and budgetary crisis. The Liberals had substantial majorities in both houses of the state Parliament and were able to pass any legislation they desired. In office Kennett immediately instituted one of the most radical budget-cutting and privatisation programs undertaken by any government in an effort to save the State's economy. Some of the government functions which the Kennett government privatised in whole or in part were: prisons, gas and electricity production and supply, hospitals, ambulance services, trams, trains and buses, water supply and government laboratories. Fifty-thousand public servants were retrenched in the process. As well, 350 government schools were closed, 7,000 teaching jobs removed. At the same time, positive reforms were made in state education including self-management, increased use of technology and greater emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills. Severe cuts were made in the community, health, education and welfare sectors. Rural rail services were cut, and police numbers were slashed, despite the Liberals' traditional support for more police. The government forced through amalgamations of local councils, and also reduced their powers. Industrial relations reforms reduced the influence of the trade unions. Early legislation amending the Parliamentary Committees Act included provisions creating the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee , previously sought by small-l liberals and parliamentary reformers. These policies succeeded in restoring Victoria's budget to surplus, for example the multibillion dollar sale of gas and electricity assets saw Victoria's debt plummet. Victoria's credit rating was upgraded to AAA. Though investment and population growth resumed unemployment was to remain above the national average for the entirety of his premiership. Critics pointed out that the Kennett government was claiming credit for external factors such as improving national economic indicators, and that states that had not undergone similar radical reforms also saw economic improvement. The social cost of the Kennett reforms was considered high by many commentators, academics and those who suffered economically and provoked a campaign of demonstrations by trade unions and community groups. The Kennett government also embarked on a series of high-profile projects, such as restoring Parliament House and building a new Melbourne Museum and a new Melbourne Exhibition Centre (commonly known as "Jeff's shed"). The most controversial of these was the Crown Casino , an enormous gambling and entertainment centre in the heart of Melbourne. While initial plans for a casino had been made under the Labor government, the tender process and construction occurred under Kennett. There were many allegations of corruption in the tendering process for the casino, but no impropriety was ever proved. Kennett's prestige remained high through his first term, and in 1996 he was re-elected with his majority almost intact. During his second term, however, the public began to tire of what was seen as his arrogant and confrontationist style. The government's sharp cuts to government services were particularly resented in country Victoria, where the Liberals and their allies the National Party held almost all the seats. Kennett's legislation reducing the powers of the independent Auditor-General aroused much opposition. A leading Melbourne daily newspaper, '' The Age '', which had supported Kennett in 1992 and 1996 , turned against him. While Labor remained weak and leaderless, it offered little challenge to Kennett's dominance of Victorian politics. But in mid 1999 Labor replaced its leader, John Brumby , with Steve Bracks , who came from Ballarat and was popular in rural areas. Nevertheless Kennett entered the 1999 election campaign fully expecting to win, and most commentators and opinion polls agreed. On the morning of the election a leading political journalist, Ewen Hannan , predicted that "Labor supporters will be crying into their beers tonight." FALL FROM POWER Instead, the Liberals lost 13 seats to Labor, most of them in regional centres such as Ballarat and Bendigo , and to three Independents in rural areas. The final result was: Labor with 42 seats, the Liberals and Nationals with 43, and three Independents. Both parties negotiated with the three independents (Russell Savage, Craig Ingram and Susan Davies). Labor was successful after signing a Charter pledging to restore services to rural areas and promising Parliamentary reforms. Kennett had offered similar pledges but with Susan Davies a long-term Labor Party member and Savage refusing to support the Liberals while Kennett remained leader, the Liberal offer was doomed. The defeat of the Kennett Government was almost totally unexpected, and was regretted by those who had admired the government's bold reforms, which had restored Victoria's fiscal credibility, stemmed the fall in its population growth rate and revived its economic growth. Critics argued that Kennett's radical programme had damaged the social infrastructure through the reduction in government services, particularly in regional areas, and that this, added to the perception of some that Kennett was arrogant, had led to his downfall. Kennett's supporters urged the Liberal Party to force a vote of "no confidence" on the floor of the Parliament in a last-ditched effort to force Savage and Ingram to support the Liberal Government. However with the Liberal Party divided on kennett's future role, Kennett resigned as Leader of the Liberal Party and from Parliament and said he wished to have no further involvement in politics. In the following by-election, the ALP defeated the Liberal Party. He separated from his wife, although they later reconciled. He spent some time as a radio broadcaster with Melbourne radio station 3AK . He campaigned for greater recognition of Clinical Depression , as Chairman of Beyond Blue. After the Liberals' second election defeat in 2002 , there were renewed rumours that Kennett was planning a comeback to politics, but these do not appear to have had any substance. As of April 2006, there are renewed rumours of a return to state politics. {Link without Title} OTHER ACTIVITIES Kennett currently chairs Beyondblue (the National Depression Initiative), a body that was largely formed by the efforts of the Victorian State Government. In 2005 Kennett received Australia's highest civilian honour, when he was made a Companion of the Order Of Australia (AC). In 2005 Kennett was made Vice President of his beloved Hawthorn Football Club , and in a ceremony on December 14 , 2005 , he officially took over the presidency from Ian Dicker . In December 2005, Kennett had hip replacement surgery. In 2006 he was attacked while celebrating his son's birthday in a Richmond bar. The attacker is awaiting trial. EXTERNAL LINKS
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