Michelle Roberts

The Honourable
Michelle Roberts
MLA
Member of the Western Australian Parliament
for Midland
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 December 1996
Preceded by New constituency
Member of the Western Australian Parliament
for Glendalough
In office
19 March 1994 – 14 December 1996
Preceded by Carmen Lawrence
Succeeded by Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born 29 February 1960
Perth, Western Australia
Political party Labor Party
Education University of Western Australia
Profession Teacher

Michelle Hopkins Roberts (née Thomas; born 29 February 1960) is an Australian politician who is the current Labor Party member for the electoral district of Midland in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.

Early life and background

Roberts grew up in Inglewood, in Western Australia. She was educated at Mercedes College and the University of Western Australia. She worked as a teacher at the John Curtin Senior High School from 1983 until 1987, teaching English, Italian and mathematics. She moved to the state public service in 1987, in the Department of Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare, where she worked until her election to the Assembly in 1994.

Roberts began her political activism in 1978, when she joined the Australian Labor Party. In 1986 she was elected to the Perth City Council. She sat on the boards of the East Perth Redevelopment Authority and the Perth Theatre Trust, and was at one point the deputy lord mayor of Perth.

Career

Roberts was first elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly as the member for Glendalough on 19 March 1994 in a by-election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Carmen Lawrence. The seat of Glendalough was subsequently abolished by the redistribution of electoral boundaries prior to the 1996 state election.

Roberts was endorsed by Labor to contest the newly created seat of Midland and was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly on 14 December 1996 as the member for Midland. She was re-elected again at elections in 2001, 2005, 2008 and very narrowly in 2013. A member of Labor's right faction,[1] she is a member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive.

List of portfolios

Roberts has held the following portfolios since her election in 1994 (both shadow and government appointments are listed):[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Ripper promotes leadership rival: analysts". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Hon. Michelle Hopkins Roberts MLA BA, DipEd – Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Preceded by
New seat		 Member for Midland
1996–present 		Incumbent