Linda Kirk
Encyclopedia
Linda Jean Kirk is an Australian politician. She was a Labor
member of the Australian Senate
from 2002 to 2008, representing the state of South Australia
.
Kirk was born in Adelaide
. She joined the Australian Labor Party
in 1988 while studying as an undergraduate at the University of Adelaide
. In 1990 she graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Law and a degree in Economics. She was awarded four scholarships to undertake a Master of Laws degree at the University of Cambridge
which she completed in 1993.
Before taking her seat in the Senate, Kirk worked as a solicitor at a leading Adelaide commercial law firm, as a Lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law at the University of Adelaide, and as an Industrial Officer at the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA) in South Australia. She was an Australian Republican Movement
delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention in 1998, and served a term as a Councillor of the Adelaide City Council.
Kirk was Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate, the Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs sub-committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT), a member of the Human Rights sub-committee of JSCFADT and a long-standing member of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee. She has been the Deputy Chair of the Joint Migration Committee and a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties.
Her policy interests focus on legal and constitutional issues, foreign affairs and international relations, refugees and migration, human rights, and the protection of women and children. She is the Convenor of Parliamentarians Against Child Abuse and a former Deputy Chair of the Status of Women Committee of the Federal Caucus.
Kirk maintains a strong interest in constitutional law and scholarship, and is currently completing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in law at the Australian National University
.
Kirk served only one term in the Senate after being defeated for Labor Party preselection by Don Farrell
ahead of the 2007 federal election. Kirk ascribed her loss to her support for stem cell
research and her support for Kevin Rudd
in the 2006 leadership contest, both of which were against the wishes of her faction. It marked a role reversal from six years earlier, when she defeated incumbent Senator Chris Schacht
for preselection.
Following her retirement from politics, Kirk was appointed to the Refugee Review Tribunal, where she serves as a Senior Member.
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...
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,...
from 2002 to 2008, representing the state of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
Kirk was born in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. She joined 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...
in 1988 while studying as an undergraduate at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
. In 1990 she graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Law and a degree in Economics. She was awarded four scholarships to undertake a Master of Laws degree at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
which she completed in 1993.
Before taking her seat in the Senate, Kirk worked as a solicitor at a leading Adelaide commercial law firm, as a Lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law at the University of Adelaide, and as an Industrial Officer at the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA) in South Australia. She was an Australian Republican Movement
Australian Republican Movement
The Australian Republican Movement is a non-partisan lobby group advocating constitutional change in Australia to a republican form of government, from a constitutional monarchy.-Foundation:...
delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention in 1998, and served a term as a Councillor of the Adelaide City Council.
Kirk was Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate, the Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs sub-committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT), a member of the Human Rights sub-committee of JSCFADT and a long-standing member of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee. She has been the Deputy Chair of the Joint Migration Committee and a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties.
Her policy interests focus on legal and constitutional issues, foreign affairs and international relations, refugees and migration, human rights, and the protection of women and children. She is the Convenor of Parliamentarians Against Child Abuse and a former Deputy Chair of the Status of Women Committee of the Federal Caucus.
Kirk maintains a strong interest in constitutional law and scholarship, and is currently completing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in law at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
.
Kirk served only one term in the Senate after being defeated for Labor Party preselection by Don Farrell
Don Farrell
Donald Edward Farrell is an Australian politician and former trade union leader. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since 1 July 2008, representing the state of South Australia. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water on 14 September 2010...
ahead of the 2007 federal election. Kirk ascribed her loss to her support for stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
research and her support for Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
in the 2006 leadership contest, both of which were against the wishes of her faction. It marked a role reversal from six years earlier, when she defeated incumbent Senator Chris Schacht
Chris Schacht
Christopher Cleland Schacht is a former Australian politician and member of the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party . He was born in Melbourne and educated at the University of Adelaide and Wattle Park Teachers College.Schacht's political career started as a state party official...
for preselection.
Following her retirement from politics, Kirk was appointed to the Refugee Review Tribunal, where she serves as a Senior Member.