Alistair Harkness
Encyclopedia
Dr Alistair Harkness is an Australia
n politician, and was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for the Australian Labor Party
.
where he attended Frankston Heights Primary School. After completing high school at Mentone Grammar School, he was accepted to study at Monash University
. In 1996, he graduated with a Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Arts, and received first class honours the following year. He went on to complete a PhD in political science
, which he was awarded in 2005. His research on Victorian state politics and policy has been widely published.
Prior to entering Parliament, his career included working for former Premier Steve Bracks
in his first term as Premier; as a lecturing associate at Monash University teaching in Australian politics, policy making and police studies; and on the galvanizing and paint lines at BHP
Westernport. He supported himself prior to these roles in a variety of occupations, including as a sales assistant at Big W (Karingal).
Harkness married his wife, Tawny, in 2006, with whom he has one daughter.
in the 2002 Victorian State Elections. At just 28 years old, this made him the youngest member in the Victorian Parliament. During his first term, he was a member of the Parliamentary Roads Safety Committee. He was re-elected at the 2006 election and served on the Parliamentary Education Committee. In office, Harkness listed his key areas of interest as road safety, education and the environment. He was defeated in 2010.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, and was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
.
Early life
Dr Harkness grew up in Frankston, VictoriaFrankston, Victoria
Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
where he attended Frankston Heights Primary School. After completing high school at Mentone Grammar School, he was accepted to study at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
. In 1996, he graduated with a Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Arts, and received first class honours the following year. He went on to complete a PhD in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, which he was awarded in 2005. His research on Victorian state politics and policy has been widely published.
Prior to entering Parliament, his career included working for former Premier Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
in his first term as Premier; as a lecturing associate at Monash University teaching in Australian politics, policy making and police studies; and on the galvanizing and paint lines at BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
Westernport. He supported himself prior to these roles in a variety of occupations, including as a sales assistant at Big W (Karingal).
Harkness married his wife, Tawny, in 2006, with whom he has one daughter.
Political career
Harkness was elected as the Member for FrankstonElectoral district of Frankston
The Electoral district of Frankston is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It is currently based around the suburbs of Frankston and Frankston South south east of Melbourne....
in the 2002 Victorian State Elections. At just 28 years old, this made him the youngest member in the Victorian Parliament. During his first term, he was a member of the Parliamentary Roads Safety Committee. He was re-elected at the 2006 election and served on the Parliamentary Education Committee. In office, Harkness listed his key areas of interest as road safety, education and the environment. He was defeated in 2010.