Political party Australian Labor Party Name Anne McEwen Education University of Adelaide | Alma mater University of Adelaide Role Australian Senator Party Australian Labor Party | |
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Born 3 August 1954 (age 69)
Adelaide, South Australia ( 1954-08-03 ) Office Australian Senator since 2005 | ||
Anne McEwen (born 3 August 1954) is a Labor Party member of the Australian Senate, representing South Australia.
McEwen was born in Adelaide, 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 McEwen went on to work in clerical and administrative positions within both the private and public sectors.
During the 1980s, McEwen 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. In her spare time, McEwen enjoys trekking and bushwalking.
Political career
In the late 1980s, while working in administration within the Students' Association of the University of Adelaide, McEwen became a workplace delegate for her union, the Federated Clerks' Union. After a brief period of working for the National Tertiary Education Union, McEwen joined the Federated Clerks' Union (later to merge into the Australian Services Union) as an Industrial Officer/Organiser in 1993. In 2002, McEwen was elected Secretary of the South Australian and Northern Territory branch of the Australian Services Union (ASU). In 2003, McEwen was awarded the Centenary Medal for her services to trade unionism as the Secretary of the ASU SA+NT.
In 2005, McEwen became President of the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP).
McEwen was elected Senator for South Australia in the October 2004 federal election, replacing retiring senator Nick Bolkus. Her term in the Senate began on 1 July 2005, and she was re-elected for a second term in the 2010 federal election.
McEwen made her maiden speech to the Senate on 9 August 2005. Previously holding positions such as the Chief Government Whip in the Senate and Chair of the Environment, Communications and the Arts (Legislation) Senate Committee, following the 2013 federal election McEwen is now the Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate. She is also a full member on the Joint Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, as well as a participating member on a number of other Senate committees. McEwen is also 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, McEwen has been particularly active on issues regarding workplace relations, higher education, Australia's indigenous population, and veterans' affairs. Currently, McEwen is the duty senator for the federal electorates of Sturt and Barker in South Australia.