Kerry Nettle

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Kerry Michelle Nettle
Kerry Nettle
Australian Greens Senator for New South Wales
In office
1 July 2002 – 30 June 2008
Born 24 December 1973 (1973-12-24) (age 34)
Sydney, New South Wales
Nationality Australian Flag of Australia
Political party Australian Greens
Website KerryNettle.org.au

Kerry Michelle Nettle (born 24 December 1973) is an Australian Senator and member of the Australian Greens representing the state of New South Wales. Elected in 2001, despite an increase in votes but a decrease in preferences[1][2] she was not re-elected at the 2007 federal election, her single term expiring in June 2008.

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[edit] Early life

Kerry Nettle was born 24 December 1973, in Sydney, New South Wales, to Edward and Beverley Nettle.[3] She grew up in the suburb of Marsfield,[4] and received her education at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney in Croydon[3] where she was elected school captain in her final year. Following graduation from high school in 1991,[5] Nettle enroled at the University of New South Wales, where she obtained a degree in environmental science[3] and was active in student politics, caucusing with the group known as the Non-Aligned Left (the predecessor of the Grassroots Left). She worked as office coordinator for The Greens (NSW) and then as a youth worker. She joined the Australian Greens in 1998 and was elected to the Australian Senate for New South Wales in November 2001, joining Senator Bob Brown. Her bid for re-election at the Australian federal elections of November 24 2007 was unsuccessful, so her Senate term will expire on June 30, 2008.

Nettle is a social liberal and an environmentalist. She believes in Government ownership of essential services, which include banking, airlines, telecommunications, health and education,[1] and other areas privatised in the last two decades in Australia. She argues that private ownership of these assets is "social theft."[2]

[edit] Policies

Kerry Nettle speaking at a rally during APEC Australia 2007
Kerry Nettle speaking at a rally during APEC Australia 2007

[edit] Immigration and human rights

Senator Nettle strongly supports the right of political refugees and asylum seekers to have a fair process and hearing in Australia. Nettle visited Christmas Island in January 2006 in opposition to the Australian Government's detention of 43 West Papuans that landed on Cape York in January 2006.[3] Kerry has expressed similar concern for the 83 Sri Lankan refugees that are being held in Nauru. [4]

Nettle also fervently campaigned to bring David Hicks back to Australia. For six months, every day that the Australian Senate has been sitting, Senator Nettle has filed a motion to bring David Hicks back to Australia. [5]

[edit] Iraq War

George W Bush addresses the joint sitting of Australian Parliament in 2003
George W Bush addresses the joint sitting of Australian Parliament in 2003

When United States President George W. Bush visited Canberra on 23 October 2003, Nettle and Brown took their opposition to the war in Iraq to the point of interjecting during his address to a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament. They wore signs referring to David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib, two Australian citizens who were then being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, following their apprehension by United States forces in either (this is disputed) Afghanistan or Pakistan. Both Habib and Hicks have since been released.

Bush accepted the interjections with good humour, but the Speaker of the House, Neil Andrew, formally "named" Nettle and Brown and they were suspended from the Parliament for 24 hours. Nettle tried to hand Bush a letter from Habib's wife but was stopped by Liberal MPs and Senators who jostled her and prevented her from approaching Bush. Liberal Senator Ross Lightfoot allegedly told Nettle to "Fuck off and die."[6]

[edit] Israel/Palestine conflict

Senator Nettle visited Israel and Palestine in January 2007, where she examined "what impact the construction of the separation wall and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has on communities in Palestine and Israel". [7] Nettle spoke with both Israelis and Palestinians in an effort to understand and ameliorate conflicts between both groups.

[edit] Education

Senator Nettle remains an ardent advocate of increased public education and higher education funding. Specifically, Nettle has also "identified the need for $7 billion in public education spending across the lifelong spectrum of education, from preschool through to university and TAFE tertiary education."[8]

[edit] Women's rights

Senator Nettle supports gender equality, as well as a women's reproductive rights.[9] During a debate on the abortion drug RU486 in February 2006, Senator Nettle wore a t-shirt into parliament bearing the slogan "Mr Abbott get your rosaries off my ovaries", in reference to the Catholic faith of Health Minister Tony Abbott.

[edit] References

  1. ^ AEC: When: Past Electoral Events
  2. ^ Senate State First Preferences By Group
  3. ^ a b c "NETTLE Kerry". Who's Who in Australia Live!. (2006-11-17). Ed. Suzannah Pearce. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd. Retrieved on 2007-09-30. 
  4. ^ Biography (PDF). Senator Kerry Nettle. The Greens (2003). Retrieved on 2007-10-16.
  5. ^ Aurora Australis: The Magazine of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney, February 1991 .

[edit] See also

[edit] External links