Anne McEwen
Encyclopedia
Anne McEwen is a Labor
member of the Australian Senate
, representing South Australia
.
, South Australia, and attended St Joseph’s Primary School, Hectorville
, and St Aloysius College
in the city. The daughter of a school teacher mother and an accountant father, after leaving school Anne went on to work in clerical and administrative positions within both the private and public sectors.
During the 1980s, Anne undertook tertiary study as a mature age entry student at the University of Adelaide
, graduating in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Politics and English Literature.
, Anne became a workplace delegate for her union, the Federated Clerks’ Union. After a brief period of working for the National Tertiary Education Union, Anne joined the Federated Clerks’ Union (later to become known as the Australian Services Union
) as an Industrial Officer/Organiser in 1993. In 2002, Anne was elected Secretary of the South Australian and Northern Territory branch of the Australian Services Union (ASU). In 2003, Anne was awarded the Centenary Medal
for her services to trade unionism as the Secretary of the ASU SA+NT.
In 2005, Anne became President of the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP).
. Her term in the Senate began on 1 July 2005. Anne was then re-elected for a second term in the 2010 Federal Election.
Anne made her maiden speech to the Senate on 9 August 2005. Currently, she holds the position of Chief Government Whip
in the Senate. Additionally, Anne is an active member of a number of Senate committees
including the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade; Procedure Committee; and Joint House Committee. Anne is also the Chair of the Selection of Bills Committee. On top of Committee work, Anne is a member of a number of Parliamentary groups, including the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, and she is Secretary of the Australia/Papua New Guinea Parliamentary Friendship Group.
During her time in Federal Parliament, Anne has been particularly active on issues regarding refugees, workplace relations, higher education, Australia’s indigenous population, and veterans’ affairs. Currently, Anne is the duty senator for the Federal electorates of Sturt
and Barker
in South Australia.
, where her father served as a member of the 2/27th AIF Battalion during WW2. She has also completed Shaggy Ridge
in Papua New Guinea and the Sandakan Death March in Borneo, both important sites of Australia’s wartime history.
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
, representing South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
Early life
Anne was born in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia, and attended St Joseph’s Primary School, Hectorville
Hectorville, South Australia
Hectorville is a small lower middle class suburb of Adelaide in the City of Campbelltown. It is one of eight suburbs within the City of Campbelltown.The first house in Hectorville was built by Price Maurice in 1849 next to Fourth Creek...
, and St Aloysius College
St Aloysius College, Adelaide
St Aloysius College is a Catholic, day school for girls, situated in Adelaide, South Australia.St Aloysius College, also known as "SAC", was established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1880, and educates over 950 students from Reception to Year 12....
in the city. The daughter of a school teacher mother and an accountant father, after leaving school Anne went on to work in clerical and administrative positions within both the private and public sectors.
During the 1980s, Anne undertook tertiary study as a mature age entry student at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
, graduating in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Politics and English Literature.
Career
In the late 1980s, while working in administration within the University of Adelaide’s Student UnionStudents' Association of the University of Adelaide
The Students' Association of the University of Adelaide commonly referred to as the SAUA was a Students' Representative Council like body that existed for students at the University of Adelaide from 1973 until 2007. It was one of a number of student organisations at the university affiliated to...
, Anne became a workplace delegate for her union, the Federated Clerks’ Union. After a brief period of working for the National Tertiary Education Union, Anne joined the Federated Clerks’ Union (later to become known as the Australian Services Union
Australian Services Union
The Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union, which operates under the trading name of the Australian Services Union or ASU, is a trade union that represents members in a variety of industries.-Union history:...
) as an Industrial Officer/Organiser in 1993. In 2002, Anne was elected Secretary of the South Australian and Northern Territory branch of the Australian Services Union (ASU). In 2003, Anne was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for her services to trade unionism as the Secretary of the ASU SA+NT.
In 2005, Anne became President of the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP).
Political career
Anne was elected Senator for South Australia in the October 2004 Federal Election, replacing retiring senator, Nick BolkusNick Bolkus
Nick Bolkus is a former Australian Labor Party politician. He was a member of the Senate from July 1981 to 2005, representing the state of South Australia.-Early career:...
. Her term in the Senate began on 1 July 2005. Anne was then re-elected for a second term in the 2010 Federal Election.
Anne made her maiden speech to the Senate on 9 August 2005. Currently, she holds the position of Chief Government Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
in the Senate. Additionally, Anne is an active member of a number of Senate committees
Australian Senate committees
This article is about committees of the Senate. For consideration of bills 'in committee', see Committee of the WholeThe committees of the Australian Senate are committees of Senators, established by the Australian Senate, for purposes determined by that body...
including the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade; Procedure Committee; and Joint House Committee. Anne is also the Chair of the Selection of Bills Committee. On top of Committee work, Anne is a member of a number of Parliamentary groups, including the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, and she is Secretary of the Australia/Papua New Guinea Parliamentary Friendship Group.
During her time in Federal Parliament, Anne has been particularly active on issues regarding refugees, workplace relations, higher education, Australia’s indigenous population, and veterans’ affairs. Currently, Anne is the duty senator for the Federal electorates of Sturt
Division of Sturt
The Division of Sturt is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia.First proclaimed for the 1949 election, Sturt was named for Captain Charles Sturt, nineteenth century explorer and the first European to discover the Murray River...
and Barker
Division of Barker
The Division of Barker is an Australian Electoral Division in the south-east of South Australia.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Collet Barker, an early explorer of the region at the mouth of the Murray River...
in South Australia.
Life outside of politics
In her spare time, Anne enjoys trekking and bushwalking, and has thrice completed walking the Kokoda TrackKokoda Track
The Kokoda Trail or Track is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland — in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea...
, where her father served as a member of the 2/27th AIF Battalion during WW2. She has also completed Shaggy Ridge
Shaggy Ridge
Shaggy Ridge is a 6.5 kilometre -long, razorback ridge in the Finisterre Range, in north eastern Papua New Guinea. Its highest point is 1,494 metres above sea level...
in Papua New Guinea and the Sandakan Death March in Borneo, both important sites of Australia’s wartime history.