Contact Grace

Follow Grace on Social Media

About Grace

Your Hardworking Local

Grace Grace was first elected to the Queensland Parliament as the Member for Brisbane Central in 2007 and remained the Member until 2012.

She was re-elected as the Member for Brisbane Central in 2015. In 2017 the electorate of Brisbane Central was renamed ‘McConnel’ and in November 2017 Grace was elected as the first Member for McConnel. Grace was re-elected as the Member for McConnel in 2020 and 2024.

Grace is currently Shadow Minister for Trade, Industrial Relations, Olympic and Paralympic Games and Racing.

Previous Ministerial Responsibilities

Grace was appointed a Minister in the Palaszczuk Labor Government in December 2015 and held the following portfolios:

• Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Minister for Racing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs: 8 Dec 2015 - 11 Dec 2017

• Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations: 12 Dec 2017 - 11 Nov 2020

• Minister for Education, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing: 12 Nov 2020 - 17 Dec 2023

From December 2023 to October 2024 Grace was Minister for State Development and Infrastructure, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing in the Miles Labor Government.

Lifelong local

During her career, Grace has had extensive board experience with organisations including Sunsuper, Energex and the Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund.

She has worked with local community organisations in her electorate including P&Cs, the New Farm Neighbourhood Centre, Teneriffe Progress Association, Queensland Aids Council (QuAC), Fortitude Valley Chamber of Commerce and many others. 

Grace has lived her whole life in her electorate where she and her husband Michael raised their child.

About McConnel

The Electorate of McConnel encompasses Brisbane CBD, Spring Hill, Petrie Terrace, Herston, Kelvin Grove (part of), Bowen Hills, Newstead, Teneriffe, New Farm, Fortitude Valley.

Formerly known as Brisbane Central, it was renamed to McConnel in 2017 in honour of Mary McConnel who established Queensland's first children's hospital, in Spring Hill.

She campaigned for 15 years for funds to build the hospital, and in 1878 was able to oversee its opening. She also founded Queensland's first public school.