Janelle Saffin
Encyclopedia
Janelle Anne Saffin is an Australia
n politician. She has been an Australian Labor Party
member of the Australian House of Representatives
since November 2007, representing the electorate of Page
. She previously served as a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
from 1995 to 2003.
Saffin was born into a working-class family in Ipswich
in Queensland
. She left school at thirteen, and worked in a range of unskilled jobs before gaining her Intermediate Certificate
at TAFE
. She moved to Lismore
at the age of 24, and began working as the co-ordinator of a women's refuge. She also established a domestic violence liaison committee with the local police, which was the first of its kind outside Sydney. She later gained a teaching qualification at the Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education, and taught for a period before deciding to retrain as a lawyer and gaining a degree by correspondence from Macquarie University
.
She ran as the Labor candidate for the seat of Lismore
at the 1991 state election
, but was defeated by incumbent National Party MP Barry Rixon
. Four years later, she contested and won preselection for the eighth and last winnable position on the Labor ticket for the Legislative Council at the 1995 state election
. Labor's victory at the election thus saw her comfortably elected, albeit on preferences, on election day.
Saffin was well liked in her base region of northern New South Wales during her term, and established a reputation as an effective advocate for regional areas. She was associated with the Socialist Left faction of the party throughout her term, and was involved in advocating for progressive causes both inside and outside of parliament. She took a particular interest in the fate of East Timor
and Burma, and was an official observer for the International Commission of Jurists
at the 1999 independence referendum in East Timor. She was actively involved in feminist causes, and was one of only two Australian representatives at the Global Forum of Women Political Leaders in Manila
in 2000. She also worked as an anti-nuclear campaigner, being involved in the campaigns against French nuclear testing in the Pacific and uranium mining at Jabiluka
. She attempted to gain Labor preselection for a second term before the 2003 state election
, but missed out on one of her faction's three winnable positions, instead choosing to retire.
Saffin had met East Timorese foreign minister José Ramos-Horta a number of times as an MP, and in 2004, having left politics, she moved to East Timor
to take up a position as Ramos-Horta's chief political and legal advisor. She served in the role for three years assisting in the rebuilding of the country, staying with Ramos-Horta through his election first to Prime Minister
and then President
in 2007. She resigned in early 2007, choosing to return to Australia for "family reasons" and contest preselection for the National Party held federal seat of Page
, based around her hometown of Lismore. She faced a difficult preselection contest against right faction candidate and local mayor Ian Tiley, but emerged successful.
Saffin then faced a difficult contest in the general election against new National Party candidate Chris Gulaptis
, with previous member Ian Causley
having decided to retire at the election. Causley had held the seat with a 5.5% margin, which saw the possibility of victory initially considered unlikely. However, as Labor continued to poll well in the seat, they began to supply more resources to the campaign, with the party's assistant secretary declaring Page to be a "target seat" in September. She campaigned heavily on industrial relations, health and housing affordability, and received a 2PP swing of 7.8%, beating the Nationals candidate on Greens preferences. This resulted in Page being one of the first seats nationally to be declared on election night.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. She has been an 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...
member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
since November 2007, representing the electorate of Page
Division of Page
The Division of Page is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the far north-east of the state, adjoining the border with Queensland and the coast of the Pacific Ocean...
. She previously served as a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
from 1995 to 2003.
Saffin was born into a working-class family in Ipswich
Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. She left school at thirteen, and worked in a range of unskilled jobs before gaining her Intermediate Certificate
Intermediate Certificate
The Intermediate Certificate was a certificate awarded in Australia for the successful completion of three years of high school. This was at around age 14 — what is called Year 9 today. Currently students in New South Wales can leave school at age 15. Apparently this has been the case since...
at TAFE
Technical and Further Education
In Australia, training and further education or TAFE institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses, mostly qualifying courses under the National Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/Australian Quality Training Framework...
. She moved to Lismore
Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...
at the age of 24, and began working as the co-ordinator of a women's refuge. She also established a domestic violence liaison committee with the local police, which was the first of its kind outside Sydney. She later gained a teaching qualification at the Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education, and taught for a period before deciding to retrain as a lawyer and gaining a degree by correspondence from Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
.
She ran as the Labor candidate for the seat of Lismore
Electoral district of Lismore
Lismore is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Thomas George of the National Party of Australia....
at the 1991 state election
New South Wales state election, 1991
Elections to the 50th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 25 May 1991. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
, but was defeated by incumbent National Party MP Barry Rixon
Barry Rixon
Barry William "Bill" Rixon was an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly....
. Four years later, she contested and won preselection for the eighth and last winnable position on the Labor ticket for the Legislative Council at the 1995 state election
New South Wales state election, 1995
Elections to the 51st Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 25 March 1995. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The minority Liberal Party of Australia-led Coalition government of Premier John Fahey was defeated by...
. Labor's victory at the election thus saw her comfortably elected, albeit on preferences, on election day.
Saffin was well liked in her base region of northern New South Wales during her term, and established a reputation as an effective advocate for regional areas. She was associated with the Socialist Left faction of the party throughout her term, and was involved in advocating for progressive causes both inside and outside of parliament. She took a particular interest in the fate of East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
and Burma, and was an official observer for the International Commission of Jurists
International Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists is an international human rights non-governmental organization. The Commission itself is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists , including members of the senior judiciary in Australia, Canada, and South Africa and the former UN High Commissioner for Human...
at the 1999 independence referendum in East Timor. She was actively involved in feminist causes, and was one of only two Australian representatives at the Global Forum of Women Political Leaders in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in 2000. She also worked as an anti-nuclear campaigner, being involved in the campaigns against French nuclear testing in the Pacific and uranium mining at Jabiluka
Jabiluka
Jabiluka is a uranium deposit and mine development in the Northern Territory of Australia that was to have been built on land belonging to the Mirarr Aboriginal people...
. She attempted to gain Labor preselection for a second term before the 2003 state election
New South Wales state election, 2003
Elections to the 53rd Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 22 March 2003. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
, but missed out on one of her faction's three winnable positions, instead choosing to retire.
Saffin had met East Timorese foreign minister José Ramos-Horta a number of times as an MP, and in 2004, having left politics, she moved to East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
to take up a position as Ramos-Horta's chief political and legal advisor. She served in the role for three years assisting in the rebuilding of the country, staying with Ramos-Horta through his election first to Prime Minister
Prime Minister of East Timor
The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste is the head of government in East Timor. The President is the head of state. The Prime Minister is chosen by the political party or alliance of political parties with a majority in the national legislature and is formally appointed by the president...
and then President
President of East Timor
The President of East Timor is the Head of state of the East Timorese republic, elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The role is largely symbolic, though he is able to veto some legislation. Following elections, the president appoints as the prime minister, the leader of the majority party...
in 2007. She resigned in early 2007, choosing to return to Australia for "family reasons" and contest preselection for the National Party held federal seat of Page
Division of Page
The Division of Page is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the far north-east of the state, adjoining the border with Queensland and the coast of the Pacific Ocean...
, based around her hometown of Lismore. She faced a difficult preselection contest against right faction candidate and local mayor Ian Tiley, but emerged successful.
Saffin then faced a difficult contest in the general election against new National Party candidate Chris Gulaptis
Chris Gulaptis
Christopher Gulaptis is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. He has represented Clarence for the National Party of Australia since the Clarence state by-election, 2011....
, with previous member Ian Causley
Ian Causley
Ian Raymond Causley is an Australian politician. He was a National Party member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of Page, New South Wales from 1996 to 2007....
having decided to retire at the election. Causley had held the seat with a 5.5% margin, which saw the possibility of victory initially considered unlikely. However, as Labor continued to poll well in the seat, they began to supply more resources to the campaign, with the party's assistant secretary declaring Page to be a "target seat" in September. She campaigned heavily on industrial relations, health and housing affordability, and received a 2PP swing of 7.8%, beating the Nationals candidate on Greens preferences. This resulted in Page being one of the first seats nationally to be declared on election night.