Biography
Anna Burke MP
Deputy Speaker - House of Representatives
Federal Member for Chisholm
Anna Burke was first elected as the Federal Member for Chisholm at the 1998 Federal Election, having joined the Australian Labor Party 10 years earlier.
As the Member for Chisholm, Anna represents residents of Box Hill, Mount Waverley, and parts of Ashwood, Burwood, Chadstone, Clayton, Glen Waverley, Oakleigh, Mont Albert, Syndal and Surrey Hills.
Anna was elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives following the 2007 election.
Anna’s motto is “I’m here to help”, and she believes in doing everything she can to assist members of the local community, no matter how big or small their problems or concerns.
Many Australians from across the country know Anna for her highly successful campaign to protect people from unwanted telemarketing calls. In 2005, she moved a Private Member’s Bill in Federal Parliament to create a national ‘Do Not Call’ list, which pressured the former Government into adopting her policy.
She has also been active in several other local and national campaigns, and has been widely praised for her efforts to raise awareness of anaphylaxis, and of eating disorders.
Anna has been an active member of many parliamentary committees during her political career, in the role of Deputy Chair of the Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services and Deputy Chair of the Privileges Committee. She was also Deputy Chair of the House Economics, Finance and Public Administration Committee.
She was previously Chair of the ALP's Marginal Seats Members’ group and of the Waste Watch Committee.
Currently Anna is on the National Capital and External Territories Committee, and the Liaison Committee of Chairs and Deputy Chairs. In addition to this she also sits on the Caucus Committee for Climate Change, Environment, Heritage and The Arts, and the Caucus Economics Committee.
Anna was born in 1966 in Melbourne. She and her four siblings were raised in Ashwood, which is part of the electorate Anna now represents.
She has a Bachelor of Arts (honours) degree from Monash University and a Master of Commerce (honours) from the University of Melbourne.
Prior to entering Parliament, Anna worked for several years as a national industrial officer for the Finance Sector Union, where she represented the workers in the banking, finance and insurance industries. Her role was to achieve improved pay and conditions for workers in these industries through leading enterprise bargaining negotiations, appearing in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, and to assist and advise other union staff about the relevant legislation and workplace processes. Prior to working at the FSU she worked in human relations for VicRoads, and the Victorian Institute of Technology (now Victoria University). However, Anna’s first job was selling popcorn and fairy floss at the Chadstone shopping centre.
Anna is married to Steve, and they have two young children, Madeleine and John. They live in Box Hill South.
|
