According to reports from The Sydney Morning Herald, Former New South Wales MP Jeremy Kinross has died suddenly while on holiday in Thailand, in what local authorities believe was a tragic choking accident.
The 65-year-old, who served as the Liberal Party member for the Sydney seat of Gordon in the 1990s, was found unconscious outside a supermarket near his accommodation in Cape Panwa, Phuket, on Saturday night. He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Thai police have not yet released a formal statement but said medical staff believed Kinross had choked on corn kernels. His exact cause of death remains unclear.
The circumstances surrounding his final moments remain uncertain, with police saying he was found alone and unresponsive by a passerby outside the store, about 10 kilometres south of Phuket City. It is not yet known how long he had been in Thailand.
Kinross entered public life after a successful career as a chartered accountant and barrister. He joined the Liberal Party in 1986 and was elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly in 1992, where he represented Gordon for more than six years. When his seat was abolished in a 1999 redistribution, Kinross chose not to contest preselection in a neighbouring electorate.
In later years, he turned his professional focus to consultancy work, specialising in strategic relationships and change. Known for his energetic style and colourful personality, he once described himself as “forthright, outgoing and dynamic”, a sentiment echoed by those who knew him.
News of his death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from former colleagues and friends.
NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman said he was deeply saddened by the news. “He was a very larger-than-life character, someone who was a bon vivant at the dining table, someone who was amusing company,” Speakman said. “Those who knew him will miss him very much.”
Davidson MP Matt Cross also paid tribute, recalling Kinross’s support during his own campaign in 2023.
“On a personal note, when Jeremy learned I was the new Liberal Party candidate, he joined the campaign trail,” Cross said. “His advice to me was simple but powerful: ‘Make every day count’. Jeremy will be missed by his family and friends. The public service of Jeremy will always be a part of our history.”
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