Ellie Whiteaker
Ellie Whiteaker | |
|---|---|
| Senator-elect for Western Australia | |
| Assuming office 1 July 2025 | |
| Succeeding | Louise Pratt |
| Secretary of the WA Labor Party | |
| Assumed office 11 July 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Picton |
| Deputy secretary of the WA Labor Party | |
| In office 2018 – 11 July 2022 | |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Labor |
| Other political affiliations | Labor Left |
| Spouse | David Scaife |
Eleanor Elizabeth Margaret Whiteaker is an Australian politician who is the Senator-elect for Western Australia, having been elected in the 2025 federal election. Her six-year term will begin on 1 July 2025.
Prior to her election to the Senate, she is the first female Party Secretary of the WA State Branch of the Australian Labor Party since July 2022, having served as its deputy secretary previously since 2018.
Early life
[edit]Whiteaker was born in Kalamunda, Western Australia. As a small child she moved with her family to Kalgoorlie, where she completed her primary school education. Whiteaker attended high school at Comet Bay College, in Rockingham's Secret Harbour.[1]
She initially attended the University of Western Australia, but completed her studies at Monash University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 2018.[2][3] While a student, she was president of WA Young Labor.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]Whiteaker formerly worked as a campaign organiser for UnionsWA, as an organiser for the AMWU, and as an adviser to Senator Louise Pratt.[4]
In 2018, she was elected Assistant State Secretary to the WA State Branch of the Labor Party.[citation needed] She was re-elected in 2021. She assumed position of State Secretary upon resignation of the incumbent Tim Picton in the WA Labor state executive on 11 July 2022.[5][6][7] She also became the WA Labor Party's first female party secretary.[8]
In 2024, Whiteaker was preselected as a WA Labor candidate for the Australian Senate in the 2025 federal election and was selected for the number one spot on the ticket.[9][10][11] She was successfuly elected and will begin her term on 1 July 2025.[12]
Political views
[edit]Whiteaker is affiliated with the AMWU and is part of the Labor Left. [citation needed]
Personal life
[edit]She is married to David Scaife, the state MLA for Cockburn.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Dr Sally Talbot (16 June 2009). "YMCA Youth Parliament - Adjournment Debate" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. p5019b-5020a. Western Australia: Legislative Council.
- ^ Maynard, Gabrielle (April 2012). "UWA ARTS UNION MOCK PARLIAMENT" (PDF). State (UWA Politics Club publication). p. 43. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ "Graduate Search Facility - Monash University". graduate-search.monash.edu. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Valedictory: 26 Mar 2025: Senate debates (OpenAustralia.org)". www.openaustralia.org.au. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "The WA Labor party appointment 123 years in the making". The West Australian. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "WA Labor State Executive last night said farewell to outgoing State Secretary Tim Picton and elected Ellie Whiteaker to the position. Ellie has served previously as Assistant State Secretary for the last four and a half years and is the first woman in WA Labor's history to be elected State Secretary". Facebook. WA Labor. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "COVID-positive WA premier announces funding for construction workers in video speech to Labor conference". ABC News. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ Law, Peter (13 July 2022). "Ellie Whiteaker speaks about her landmark WA Labor State secretary appointment". The West Australian.
- ^ Canales, Sarah Basford; Evershed, Nick (10 April 2025). "Gender politics: will the 2025 election send more female MPs to Australia's parliament?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Labor name Whiteaker to lead Senate ticket". www.businessnews.com.au. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Labor state secretary front runner to replace Louise Pratt". The West Australian. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Western Australia Senators decided". Australian Electoral Commission. 29 May 2025.
- ^ admin (15 December 2022). "Interview with David Scaife, MLA for Cockburn". Fremantle Shipping News. Retrieved 19 June 2023.