MEDIA RELEASE
SENATOR SUE LINES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA
SENATOR SUE LINES ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Following a ballot of the Senate on Tuesday 26th July, Senator Sue Lines has been elected President of the Australian Senate for the 47th Parliament.
Senator Lines becomes the second only female President of the Senate following the election of Liberal Senator Margaret Reid in 1996. The first ever female Labor President of the Senate since Federation.
In the role of President, Senator Lines will inherit the responsibility of implementing the Jenkins Review. As a survivor of sexual assault Sue takes a particular interest in advancing a safe working culture for Parliament House.
Senator Lines was born in Western Australia and graduated from Armadale Senior High School before obtaining a Bachelor of Education from Murdoch University.
Sue joined the Labor Party in 1983 while studying at university and began working at United Workers Union, formerly United Voice in 1987 as an organiser. In 2000 she became the Assistant Branch Secretary of United Voice WA and then the National Assistant Secretary in 2007. She has also worked as a teacher and a community organiser.
Sue was chosen to fill a casual vacancy in the Senate caused by the resignation of Senator Chris Evans in May 2013. She was re-elected to the Senate at the 2016 Federal Election. In August 2016 she was elected Deputy Senate President. Sue was re-elected again at the 2022 Federal Election and elected President of the Australian Senate in the 47th Parliament on July 26th, 2022.
In her time in the Senate, Sue has represented Australia at the United Nations Women’s Forum in New York City, delivered statements as national delegation leader at the Women Political Leaders – Reykjavik Global Forum, produced reports calling for gender equality at the Inter Parliamentary Union and, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
As a Senator for Western Australia Sue has travelled extensively throughout regional and rural areas meeting in particular with First Nation women, farming groups, Aboriginal corporations, and community leaders.
ENDS
TUESDAY 26 JULY 2022
