Kate Carnell

Anne Katherine Carnell AO (* May 30, 1955 in Brisbane, Queensland) is an Australian politician and former Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory.

Carnell studied pharmacy at the University of Queensland where she graduated in 1976 as Bachelor. In 1977 she and her husband moved to Canberra, where they opened a pharmacy in 1980.

In a liberal home grown, Carnell joined at the age of 15 the Young Liberals. In 1992 she was elected for the Liberal Party of Australia in the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. After she was appointed a year later to the chairman of her party in the Australian Capital Territory, she was elected in 1995 to the Chief Minister of the Territory. These two offices she held until her retirement in 2000. During her time as Chief Minister she campaigned for reforms in drug policy.

Carnell is considered to be pro-choice supporter of republicanism and support in Australia.

In 2006 she was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of Australia.