Sarah Hanson-Young
Encyclopedia
Sarah Coral Hanson-Young (born 23 December 1981) is an Australian politician. She has been a Greens
member of the Australian Senate
since July 2008, representing the state of South Australia
. she is the youngest person ever elected to the Australian Senate.
. She has worked on several community projects in Orbost including the establishment of the Orbost Youth Centre. In 1999 she was awarded the Australia Day
Young Citizen of the Year award for Gippsland
, Victoria.
She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences
from the University of Adelaide
. While studying she was first Environment Officer in 2001/2002 then President in 2002/2003 of the Students' Association of the University of Adelaide
.
In 2004, Hanson-Young worked as a bank teller and from the same year until she took parliamentary office in 2008 she worked for Amnesty International
as Campaign Manager for South Australia and the Northern Territory.
she was studying for a postgraduate law degree.
Prior to her entry into politics, she also worked as media advisor to Mark Parnell
(SA Greens) in the 2006 South Australian election and was a campaigner with Justice for Refugees (SA).
in the 2006 state election
, ranked fourth on the Greens' ticket.
Hanson-Young was elected senator for South Australia at the 2007 federal election. She was the first Greens senator to be elected in that state, the youngest person - at 25 - ever elected to the Australian senate, and the youngest woman elected to federal parliament.
Although the SA Green primary vote was relatively unchanged, preferences from the Australian Labor Party
achieved the required quota to elected a Greens senator.
Hanson-Young's portfolio responsibilities within the Greens include: childcare, education, sexuality, human rights, gender identity and the status of women and youth.
Hanson-Young became the focus of attention on 18 June 2009 when the Senate President ordered the removal of her two-year-old daughter from the Senate chamber during a division. Formal parliamentary procedures do not allow for senators or members to bring their children onto floor of the Senate and House of Representatives chamber. Public reaction on the matter was divided, and ignited a debate on accommodating children and their carers in the workplace.
Hanson-Young challenged Christine Milne
for the Green deputy leadership in October 2010 but was unsuccessful.
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...
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,...
since July 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...
. she is the youngest person ever elected to the Australian Senate.
Early life
Hanson-Young was born in Melbourne, and grew up near Orbost in East GippslandEast Gippsland
East Gippsland is the eastern region of Gippsland, Australia covering 31,740 square kilometres of Victoria. It has a population of 80,114....
. She has worked on several community projects in Orbost including the establishment of the Orbost Youth Centre. In 1999 she was awarded the Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
Young Citizen of the Year award for Gippsland
Gippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
, Victoria.
She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
from 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...
. While studying she was first Environment Officer in 2001/2002 then President in 2002/2003 of the Students' Association of the University of Adelaide
Students' Association of the University of Adelaide
The Students' Association of the University of Adelaide commonly referred to as the SAUA was a Students' Representative Council like body that existed for students at the University of Adelaide from 1973 until 2007. It was one of a number of student organisations at the university affiliated to...
.
In 2004, Hanson-Young worked as a bank teller and from the same year until she took parliamentary office in 2008 she worked for Amnesty International
Amnesty International Australia
Amnesty International Australia is a section of the Amnesty International network, and is part of the global movement promoting and defending human rights and dignity....
as Campaign Manager for South Australia and the Northern Territory.
she was studying for a postgraduate law degree.
Prior to her entry into politics, she also worked as media advisor to Mark Parnell
Mark Parnell
Mark Parnell is an Australian politician and the first SA Greens representative in the South Australian Legislative Council, having won a seat in the 2006 state election. His term will expire in March 2014. Since his election, the Greens position in state political opinion polls has approximately...
(SA Greens) in the 2006 South Australian election and was a campaigner with Justice for Refugees (SA).
Political career
Hanson-Young was a candidate for the South Australian Legislative CouncilSouth Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
in the 2006 state election
South Australian legislative election, 2006
The state election for the 51st Parliament of South Australia was held in the Australian state of South Australia on 18 March 2006, and was conducted by the independent State Electoral Office.-House of Assembly:...
, ranked fourth on the Greens' ticket.
Hanson-Young was elected senator for South Australia at the 2007 federal election. She was the first Greens senator to be elected in that state, the youngest person - at 25 - ever elected to the Australian senate, and the youngest woman elected to federal parliament.
Although the SA Green primary vote was relatively unchanged, preferences from 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...
achieved the required quota to elected a Greens senator.
Hanson-Young's portfolio responsibilities within the Greens include: childcare, education, sexuality, human rights, gender identity and the status of women and youth.
Hanson-Young became the focus of attention on 18 June 2009 when the Senate President ordered the removal of her two-year-old daughter from the Senate chamber during a division. Formal parliamentary procedures do not allow for senators or members to bring their children onto floor of the Senate and House of Representatives chamber. Public reaction on the matter was divided, and ignited a debate on accommodating children and their carers in the workplace.
Hanson-Young challenged Christine Milne
Christine Milne
Christine Anne Milne is an Australian Senator and deputy leader of the Australian Greens.Christine Milne first came to public attention for her role in opposing the building of the Wesley Vale pulp mill near Bass Strait in North Western Tasmania on the basis of its allegedly harmful environmental...
for the Green deputy leadership in October 2010 but was unsuccessful.