A sometimes controversial figure, particularly as public transport minister, and a magnet for criticism about the performance of Melbourne's metropolitan rail system, Kosky presided over the largest increases to public transport patronage in 50 years in Victoria when a substantial infrastructure deficit had been created over that period due to a bias towards funding for roads.
On 18 January 2010, Lynne Kosky announced her intention to resign from Parliament immediately, citing "significant health problems in her family".
In her final year of studies, she had a placement at Sunshine High School, where she met her future husband, teacher Jim Williamson.
[citation needed] Contact with Joan Kirner, a female parliamentarian, inspired Kosky to join the Labor Party in 1985, and work as a government policy advisor and a year later she was elected to the City of Footscray council, becoming Mayor in 1988.
When the ALP, now led by Steve Bracks, defeated Jeff Kennett's Liberal government in the 1999 state election, Kosky was awarded the equivalent ministry as [[Minister for Post Compulsory Education, Training and Employment]].
Education and training enables individuals to contribute to Australian society by adding to our national prosperity, participating in our democratic processes and strengthening the cohesive and egalitarian nature of our communities.
The successful provision of quality education and training for all is the critical requirement of all modern democracies to enable their citizens to flourish personally and to maximise economic, social and cultural opportunity.
While it was reviewed in 1958, there has never been a fundamental revision of the Act that provides the regulation of all schooling in Victoria," "This is an historic opportunity for a public consultation process on education and training legislation.
Informed by the views expressed and our own policy research, this Bill represents the aspirations and expectations of the community for an education and training system set in the 21st century in the following ways: Following the return of the Bracks government in the 2006 election, it was rumoured among the Victorian ALP factions that Kosky would be promoted to Deputy Premier.
[9] Lynne Kosky came under fire in April 2007 when an email was leaked to the media in which she asked her parliamentary colleagues not to forward on complaints from their constituents about Melbourne's public transport system.
Foreshadowed earlier this year in the Premier's Annual Statement of Government Intentions, the introduction of this Bill is timely, as it coincides with the largest expansion of the bus network in decades and significant patronage growth on both metropolitan and regional buses.
The Bill is by no means a response to failure in the safety performance of Victoria's bus sector – the industry in fact compares well with Australian and international trends.
We must do all we can to avoid these sorts of tragedies and this Bill aims to ensure that the bus industry's good safety record in this state is maintained and improved into the future.
There were calls from the public and the opposition for Kosky to resign after hundreds of cancellations happened in peak hour during a heat wave.
It also recognises that our transport system should be planned and delivered in a way that considers the broader social, economic and environmental impacts both now and in the future."
Kosky was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2011, and had been undergoing treatment when she contracted toxic shock syndrome following surgery.