About Katy

Katy Gallagher was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a Labor Member for Molonglo in November 2001, and joined the Stanhope Ministry in December 2002. In the 2004 election, Katy was re-elected to the electorate of Molonglo and was elevated to Deputy Chief Minister in 2006.

Before her election, Katy worked for five years as an organiser for the Community and Public Sector Union, representing the industrial interests of employees in the Commonwealth public sector. Prior to this, Katy worked for People First ACT, an organisation providing advocacy and support to individuals with an intellectual disability and was a project worker for Woden Community Service, in a community life skills project, working with children with disabilities.

As Minister for Children, Youth and Family Support, Katy oversaw the review and reinvigoration of child protection services for ACT's children and young people. The rigorous reforms arising from the Vardon Review into the Territories Children and Young People, has ensured that the government has the enhanced focus and capacity it requires in order to give children and young people the best opportunity in which to flourish.

Katy has overseen the planning for the largest and most ambitious overhaul of the ACT Health System which has allocated $300 million to begin the work. The redevelopment will take at least eight years to deliver and is likely to cost in excess of $1 billion once complete. This plan is more than just new buildings – it’s about ensuring that people can access the right care in the right place, that we adopt a multidisciplinary approach to care, that workforces are redesigned, and that we utilise new and emerging technologies to assist us to deliver a more efficient, productive and cost effective health system.