Luke Edmunds
 | This article may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view. (April 2025) |
Luke Edmunds | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council for Pembroke | |
| Assumed office 10 September 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Jo Siejka |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Labor (since 2006) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
Luke Matthew Edmunds (born 7 December 1981) is an Australian politician who was first elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council as the Labor member for Pembroke at the 2022 Pembroke state by-election, replacing retiring incumbent Jo Siejka.[1]
Personal life
[edit]Edmunds rents a home with his wife and three children in Bellerive on Hobart's Eastern Shore.[2] He was raised in Launceston, and worked as a journalist for all three of Tasmania's major newspapers: The Examiner, The Mercury and The Advocate, where he was Sports Editor.[3] Edmunds attended Mowbray Primary School, Brooks High School and Newstead College, and studied arts at the University of Tasmania.[4]
Political career
[edit]A lifelong Labor supporter, Edmunds’ first memory of politics was watching the 1993 Australian Federal Election on television, where Prime Minister Paul Keating captured his attention, as retold in his first speech to Parliament.[5] Edmunds first joined the Party in 2006.[6]
Edmunds was elected to Clarence City Council at the 2018 Tasmanian Local Government Elections.[7] “People are telling me they want Council focused on delivering the basics like good roads, getting our rubbish and recycling right, and investing in our green spaces,” he said during his campaign.[8]
In 2022 Edmunds was endorsed by the Labor Party to run in the Pembroke state by-election. He delivered a strong victory, securing a 63.33% majority after distribution of preferences.[9] As the Member for Pembroke Edmunds has praised health workers,[10] fought for funding to support children with hearing loss,[11] stood up for local councils against forced amalgamations[12] – a policy later abandoned by the State Liberal Government,[13] and launched a parliamentary inquiry into Tasmanian power prices.[14]
Edmunds has announced he will recontest the seat of Pembroke at the 2025 periodic Legislative Council election,[15] to be held on 24 May 2025.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ Sato, Kenji (13 September 2022). "Labor's Luke Edmunds officially declared victor in Pembroke by-election". The Mercury. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Bonham, Kevin (12 August 2022). "Legislative Council 2022: Pembroke By-Election". Dr Kevin Bonham. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Maloney, Matt (14 September 2022). "Former Tasmanian journalist Luke Edmunds elected to the seat of Pembroke". The Examiner. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Parliament of Tasmania - Hon. Luke Edmunds MLC Inaugural Speech". Parliament of Tasmania. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Parliament of Tasmania - Hon. Luke Edmunds MLC Inaugural Speech". Parliament of Tasmania. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ Maloney, Matt (17 November 2022). "Pembroke Labor MLC Luke Edmunds delivers maiden speech to Legislative Council". The Examiner. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ "Clarence City Council Progressive Results". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ "Edmunds to run in councll elections". Eastern Shore Sun. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ "2022 Legislative Council by-election results - Pembroke". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ Killick, David (21 October 2022). "Labor MP Luke Edmunds praises health workers after health scare". Mercury. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ "7 Nightly News Tasmania". YouTube. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ Appleton, Molly (6 July 2023). "Northern Midlands rejects forced council amalgamations in Tasmania". The Examiner. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ Dalton, Stephanie (16 July 2023). "Tasmanian government: No forced council mergers not election ploy". The Examiner. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ Killick, David (28 August 2023). "A parliamentary inquiry will look into Tasmania's rising power prices". Mercury. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ Bailey, Sue (3 November 2024). "Luke Edmunds endorsed by Labor to run again in upper house". Mercury. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ "Legislative Council Elections 2025". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2 April 2025.