Amanda Bresnan
Encyclopedia
Amanda Bresnan is an Australia
n politician and a member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
. Bresnan was elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Brindabella
for the ACT Greens
at the 2008 election
and studied at Griffith University
. She moved to Canberra to work in policy development in the public and community sectors. Initially, Bresnan entered the ACT Government's Graduate Program and later became a senior policy officer in ACT Health
. She went on to become policy manager for the Consumers’ Health Forum of Australia and the director of policy at the Mental Health Council of Australia
.
in the 2004 ACT Election
representing the ACT Greens. She was unsuccessful in winning a seat in the multi-member electorate. However, the Greens' lead candidate, Deb Foskey
, was elected.
In the 2007 Australian federal election, Bresnan ran for the House of Representatives
seat of Canberra
, again representing the Australian Greens
. The candidature of Bresnan and Meredith Hunter
for the House of Representatives was part of an extensive campaign in the ACT to elect Kerrie Tucker
end coalition control of the Australian Senate
immediately after the election, as territory Senators take their place at this time as opposed to their state counterparts in the following July. The ACT holds two seats with only three-year terms, so a larger quota than normal is required for election. Despite a swing of 5.1 percent to the Greens on 21.5 percent, their best result in any state or territory, the party fell narrowly short.
In June 2008, the ACT Greens announced that Bresnan would again stand for election, this time in Brindabella, at the upcoming election. Independent polling released in October suggested the Green vote had doubled to tripled since the last election at the expense of Labor, with the Liberal vote remaining relatively unchanged. Commentators predicted the Greens would hold the balance of power
and decide who forms government. The Greens stated they were willing to court both major parties. At the close of counting on election night, with 82.1 per cent of the vote counted, Labor had obtained 37.6 per cent of the vote across the ACT, with the Liberals at 31.1 per cent and the Greens at 15.8 per cent. Swings were recorded against both the Labor (-9.3 per cent) and Liberal (-3.7 per cent) parties with a +6.6 per cent swing towards the Greens. This resulted in the election of Bresnan, Meredith Hunter
, Shane Rattenbury
and Caroline Le Couteur
.
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 a member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory...
. Bresnan was elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Brindabella
Brindabella electorate
The Brindabella electorate is one of the three electorates for the unicameral 17-member Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. It has five seats, and is the largest of the electorates in geographic area.-History:...
for the ACT Greens
ACT Greens
The ACT Greens is a green political party located in the Australian Capital Territory, and a member of the federation of the Australian Greens....
at the 2008 election
Australian Capital Territory general election, 2008
Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 18 October 2008. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Zed Seselja. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
Early life and education
Amanda Bresnan was raised in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and studied at Griffith University
Griffith University
Griffith University is a public, coeducational, research university located in the southeastern region of the Australian state of Queensland. The university has five satellite campuses located in the Gold Coast, Logan City and in the Brisbane suburbs of Mount Gravatt, Nathan and South Bank. Current...
. She moved to Canberra to work in policy development in the public and community sectors. Initially, Bresnan entered the ACT Government's Graduate Program and later became a senior policy officer in ACT Health
Health department
A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their own...
. She went on to become policy manager for the Consumers’ Health Forum of Australia and the director of policy at the Mental Health Council of Australia
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
.
Political career
Bresnan ran for election for the electorate of MolongloMolonglo electorate
The Molonglo electorate is one of the three electorates for the unicameral 17-member Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. It has seven seats, and is the largest of the electorates in terms of population.-History:...
in the 2004 ACT Election
Australian Capital Territory general election, 2004
Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 16 October 2004. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Brendan Smyth. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
representing the ACT Greens. She was unsuccessful in winning a seat in the multi-member electorate. However, the Greens' lead candidate, Deb Foskey
Deb Foskey
Deb Foskey is a former Australian politician with the ACT Greens. She was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in the 2004 election for the electorate of Molonglo, in which she served until her retirement in 2008.-Early life:Foskey was born in rural East Gippsland,...
, was elected.
In the 2007 Australian federal election, Bresnan ran for the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of Canberra
Division of Canberra
The Division of Canberra is an Australian Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory. The division was created in 1974 from the southern half of the old Division of Australian Capital Territory...
, again representing the Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
. The candidature of Bresnan and Meredith Hunter
Meredith Hunter
Meredith Curly Hunter was a male spectator at the Altamont Free Concert. During the performance by The Rolling Stones, Hunter pulled out a gun after being punched by a Hells Angel and was then stabbed to death by a Hells Angel serving as a security guard...
for the House of Representatives was part of an extensive campaign in the ACT to elect Kerrie Tucker
Kerrie Tucker
Kerrie Robyn Tucker , former Australian politician, environmental and human rights activist, was a member of the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the multi-member electorate of Molonglo for the ACT Greens between 1995 and 2001...
end coalition control of the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
immediately after the election, as territory Senators take their place at this time as opposed to their state counterparts in the following July. The ACT holds two seats with only three-year terms, so a larger quota than normal is required for election. Despite a swing of 5.1 percent to the Greens on 21.5 percent, their best result in any state or territory, the party fell narrowly short.
In June 2008, the ACT Greens announced that Bresnan would again stand for election, this time in Brindabella, at the upcoming election. Independent polling released in October suggested the Green vote had doubled to tripled since the last election at the expense of Labor, with the Liberal vote remaining relatively unchanged. Commentators predicted the Greens would hold the balance of power
Balance of power (parliament)
In parliamentary politics, the term balance of power sometimes describes the pragmatic mechanism exercised by a minor political party or other grouping whose guaranteed support may enable an otherwise minority government to obtain and hold office...
and decide who forms government. The Greens stated they were willing to court both major parties. At the close of counting on election night, with 82.1 per cent of the vote counted, Labor had obtained 37.6 per cent of the vote across the ACT, with the Liberals at 31.1 per cent and the Greens at 15.8 per cent. Swings were recorded against both the Labor (-9.3 per cent) and Liberal (-3.7 per cent) parties with a +6.6 per cent swing towards the Greens. This resulted in the election of Bresnan, Meredith Hunter
Meredith Hunter (Australian politician)
Meredith Hunter , Australian politician, is a member of the multi-member unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Ginninderra for the ACT Greens since 2008...
, Shane Rattenbury
Shane Rattenbury
Shane Rattenbury , Australian politician and Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly, is a member of the multi-member unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Molonglo for the ACT Greens since 2008...
and Caroline Le Couteur
Caroline Le Couteur
Caroline Le Couteur , an Australian politician, was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Molonglo for the ACT Greens at the 2008 election- Life before election :...
.
Parliamentary career
Bresnan holds the portfolios of Health, Mental Health, Transport, Disability, Housing, Ageing, Multicultural Affairs, Industrial Relations and Corrections. She is also the ACT Greens' Party Whip.See also
- Australian Capital Territory general election, 2008Australian Capital Territory general election, 2008Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 18 October 2008. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Zed Seselja. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
- Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 2008–2012Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 2008–2012This is a list of members of the seventh Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, as elected at and subsequent to the 18 October 2008 election.- Notes :...