Stephen Jones (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Patrick Jones is an Australia
n politician representing the Labor Party
. He was elected to represent the federal seat of Throsby
, New South Wales in 2010.
. His father, Mark, was a teacher at TAFE and his mother, Margaret, worked as a School Assistant.
Stephen attended St Brigid’s Primary School, Gwynneville, before attending Edmund Rice College in Wollongong, where he was School Captain and graduated as Dux.
Stephen completed a Bachelor of Arts (History and Politics) at the University of Wollongong
, and then completed a Bachelor of Laws at Macquarie University.
Stephen joined the Community and Public Sector Union
(CPSU) in 1993 working in various roles, including the NSW Branch Secretary and Secretary of the Communications Division. He was seconded to the Australian Council of Trade Unions
(ACTU) in 2004, working on securing compensation for asbestos disease victims of James Hardie
. He was elected as National Secretary of the CPSU in 2005.
Prior to working as a union official, Stephen spent many years as a youth advocate in Campbelltown
, NSW. His work was primarily with children who had developmental disabilities and later with adults who had suffered spinal cord injury.
Stephen is currently a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics, and the Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications.
On 15 November 2010, in response to a motion
concerning same-sex marriage
moved by Adam Bandt
MP
, Federal Member for Melbourne
(Greens
) in the House of Representative, Stephen moved, as an amendment:
This amendment was successful and was the version subsequently endorsed by the House of Representatives, the first such motion adopted in the lower house on same-sex marriage.
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 representing the 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...
. He was elected to represent the federal seat of Throsby
Division of Throsby
The Division of Throsby is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. It covers eastern Wingecarribee Shire, extending from Exeter, Lake Yarrunga and Upper Kangaroo Valley in the south to Aylmerton, Alpine, the Avon Dam, Lake Avon, Dombarton, and Kembla Grange in the north to the Pacific...
, New South Wales in 2010.
Early years and background
Stephen Jones was one of five children (siblings are Maree, Luke, Adam and Amanda) who grew up in Wollongong, New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. His father, Mark, was a teacher at TAFE and his mother, Margaret, worked as a School Assistant.
Stephen attended St Brigid’s Primary School, Gwynneville, before attending Edmund Rice College in Wollongong, where he was School Captain and graduated as Dux.
Stephen completed a Bachelor of Arts (History and Politics) at the University of Wollongong
University of Wollongong
The University of Wollongong is a public university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney...
, and then completed a Bachelor of Laws at Macquarie University.
Stephen joined the Community and Public Sector Union
Community and Public Sector Union
The Community and Public Sector Union is a national trade union in Australia.- History of The CPSU :...
(CPSU) in 1993 working in various roles, including the NSW Branch Secretary and Secretary of the Communications Division. He was seconded to the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
(ACTU) in 2004, working on securing compensation for asbestos disease victims of James Hardie
James Hardie
James Hardie Industries Ltd. is an industrial building materials company headquartered in Ireland and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange which specialises in fibre cement products. James Hardie manufactures and develops technologies, materials and processes for the production of building...
. He was elected as National Secretary of the CPSU in 2005.
Prior to working as a union official, Stephen spent many years as a youth advocate in Campbelltown
Campbelltown
Campbelltown can refer to:Places in Australia:*Towns/suburbs:**Campbelltown, New South Wales**Campbelltown, South Australia**Campbell Town, Tasmania*Government areas:**Electoral district of Campbelltown, state electoral district in New South Wales...
, NSW. His work was primarily with children who had developmental disabilities and later with adults who had suffered spinal cord injury.
Political career
Following the resignation of Jennie George as Member for Throsby, Stepehen Jones gained preselection for the seat. Jones was endorsed as Labor candidate following the intervention of the Labor Party national executive. As a result, local Labor branches were stripped of their entitlement to endorse a local candidate. He successfully gained the seat at the 2010 federal election.Stephen is currently a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics, and the Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications.
On 15 November 2010, in response to a motion
Motion (parliamentary procedure)
In parliamentary procedure, a motion is a formal proposal by a member of a deliberative assembly that the assembly take certain action. In a parliament, this is also called a parliamentary motion and includes legislative motions, budgetary motions, supplementary budgetary motions, and petitionary...
concerning same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
moved by Adam Bandt
Adam Bandt
Adam Paul Bandt is an Australian politician and former industrial lawyer. Bandt was elected to the Australian House of Representatives in the 2010 Australian federal election for the Division of Melbourne...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, Federal Member for Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
(Greens
Greens
Greens may refer to:*Leaf vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spring greens, winter greens, spinach, etc.-Politics:Supranational* Green politics* Green party, political parties adhering to Green politics* Global Greens...
) in the House of Representative, Stephen moved, as an amendment:
- That all the words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words: “this House calls on all parliamentarians, consistent with their duties as representatives, to gauge their constituents’ views on ways to achieve equal treatment for same sex couples including marriage”
This amendment was successful and was the version subsequently endorsed by the House of Representatives, the first such motion adopted in the lower house on same-sex marriage.