Jacinta Collins
Encyclopedia
Jacinta Mary Ann Collins (born 4 September 1962), is an Australian Labor Party
(ALP) member of the Australian Senate
. She served from May 1995 to 2005, and again from May 2008, representing the state of Victoria
.
Born in Melbourne, Victoria, and educated at Monash University
and La Trobe University
, Collins was Social Welfare Officer and Research Officer and then National Industrial Officer with the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association before entering politics. She was appointed to the Senate to fill a casual vacancy caused by the death of Senator Olive Zakharov
. She was parliamentary secretary to the shadow minister for industrial relations
and employment, training and population from October 1998 to November 2001. She was the shadow minister for children and youth from July 2003 to October 2004.
Senator Collins was defeated at the 2004 election, losing her seat to Steve Fielding
of the Family First
party. In 2006 she was preselected for the number one spot on the Labor ticket in Victoria for the 2007 federal election, replacing Senator Robert Ray
, who did not contest the election. She was elected, and her term was due to start on 1 July 2008 when Ray's term expired, but he resigned on 5 May 2008 and Collins was appointed to the casual vacancy and sworn into the Senate later that month.
Senator Collins was promoted to the Executive of the Gillard Government when she was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations on 14 September 2010.
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...
(ALP) member 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,...
. She served from May 1995 to 2005, and again from May 2008, representing the state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
Born in Melbourne, Victoria, and educated 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....
and La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
, Collins was Social Welfare Officer and Research Officer and then National Industrial Officer with the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association before entering politics. She was appointed to the Senate to fill a casual vacancy caused by the death of Senator Olive Zakharov
Olive Zakharov
Alice Olive Zakharov was an Australian politician. Zakharov was elected as an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian Senate relatively late in life, in 1983....
. She was parliamentary secretary to the shadow minister for industrial relations
Labor relations
Industrial relations is a multidisciplinary field that studies the employment relationship. Industrial relations is increasingly being called employment relations because of the importance of non-industrial employment relationships. Many outsiders also equate industrial relations to labour relations...
and employment, training and population from October 1998 to November 2001. She was the shadow minister for children and youth from July 2003 to October 2004.
Senator Collins was defeated at the 2004 election, losing her seat to Steve Fielding
Steve Fielding
Steven "Steve" Fielding , was a Senator representing the state of Victoria and the federal parliamentary leader of the Family First Party in Australia. Elected to the Senate at the 2004 federal election on two percent of the Victorian vote, he failed to gain re-election at the 2010 federal election...
of the Family First
Family First Party
The Family First Party is a socially conservative minor political party in Australia. It has two members in the South Australian Legislative Council...
party. In 2006 she was preselected for the number one spot on the Labor ticket in Victoria for the 2007 federal election, replacing Senator Robert Ray
Robert Ray (Australian politician)
Robert Francis Ray , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Senate from July 1981 to May 2008, representing the state of Victoria....
, who did not contest the election. She was elected, and her term was due to start on 1 July 2008 when Ray's term expired, but he resigned on 5 May 2008 and Collins was appointed to the casual vacancy and sworn into the Senate later that month.
Senator Collins was promoted to the Executive of the Gillard Government when she was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations on 14 September 2010.