Eloise Rafia "Ella" Haddad is an Australian politician. She was first elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the Labor Party in the Division of Denison at the 2018 state election.[1]

Ella Haddad
Member of the Tasmanian Parliament
for Clark
Assumed office
28 September 2018
Member of the Tasmanian Parliament
for Denison
In office
3 March 2018 – 28 September 2018
Personal details
Political partyLabor Party
Alma materUniversity of Tasmania
Occupationpolitician
Websitewww.ellahaddad.com

Early life and education

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Haddad graduated with degrees in arts and law from the University of Tasmania before working in the electorate office of the former federal member for Denison, Duncan Kerr. Haddad also worked for several Labor members of the Tasmanian parliament as a legal and policy adviser. These included roles in the offices of former Attorneys-General of Tasmania, Judy Jackson and her successor, Steve Kons, Lisa Singh when she was a member of the Tasmanian parliament, and Rebecca White MP. She has served as Secretary of the Tasmanian branch of the International Commission of Jurists, including participating in international conferences. Haddad has also served as president of the Tasmanian branch of the Fabian Society, a think tank researching progressive political ideas and public policy reform. Haddad commenced further study as a postgraduate student at the University of Tasmania.[2]

Haddad served on the boards of several Tasmanian community organisations over many years including the Tasmanian Council of Social Services (TasCOSS), Women's Health Tasmania (then Hobart Women's Health Centre), TasCAHRD, TasDeaf and Ten Lives Cat Centre (then the Hobart Cat Centre).[3]

Political career (2018–present)

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At the 2018 Tasmanian state election, Haddad was elected to the seat of Denison, alongside Scott Bacon with a swing to the Tasmanian Labor Party in the seat of 8.1%.[4] Following the renaming of the seat to Clark, Haddad re-contested the 2021 Tasmanian state election and held her seat with a 4.4% swing. In the subsequent opposition ministry reshuffle, Haddad was chosen as Shadow Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Shadow Minister for Corrections, Shadow Minister for Housing, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Shadow Minister for Equality.[5]

Since Haddad's election to parliament, she has focussed on taking a progressive stance on policy positions such as law reform,[6] housing[7][8] and transgenderism.[9][10][11]

As the Labor Party's shadow attorney-general, Haddad has drafted legislation to progressively change transgender rights in Tasmania. This has included drafting an act of parliament that has allowed Tasmanians to choose whether they would like their gender on their birth certificate.[12][13]

In February 2024, Haddad was shortlisted for the 2023 McKinnon Prize in the category of State and Territory Political Leader of the Year.[14]

Haddad was reelected in the 2024 Tasmanian election as the first candidate to reach the quota in Clark, and subsequently received the health portfolio in Labor leader Dean Winter's shadow ministry.[15]

References

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  1. ^ Green, Antony (2018). "Denison". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Ella Haddad" (PDF). Faculty of Law Alumni. University of Tasmania. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Parliament of Tasmania - Ella Haddad MP Inaugural Speech". Faculty of Law Alumni. Tasmanian Parliament. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  4. ^ Antony Green (March 2018). "Denison - TAS Election 2018". ABC News. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  5. ^ "People: Ella Haddad". Tasmanian Labor Party. April 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Review of the Tasmania Law Reform Institute" (PDF). Faculty of Law Alumni. University of Adelaide. June 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  7. ^ Sandy Powell (13 October 2022). "MP Ella Haddad says Tasmanians on housing brink amid rising water". The Advocate. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  8. ^ Blair Richards (12 May 2023). "Samantha's application for public housing is one of 4603 currently on the Tasmanian waiting list". The Mercury. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  9. ^ Rhiana Whitson (21 November 2018). "Tasmania poised to become first state to have gender optional on birth certificates". ABC News. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  10. ^ Matthew Denham (25 April 2023). "Tasmanian Labor pledges to extend hate laws to transphobia and homophobia". The Australian. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  11. ^ Alexandra Humphries (2 April 2018). "Ella Haddad". The Mercury. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  12. ^ Rhiana Whitson (21 November 2018). "Tasmania poised to become first state to have gender optional on birth certificates". ABC News. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  13. ^ Martine Delany (22 November 2018). "Talking Point: Taking a stand against myths and misunderstandings". The Mercury. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  14. ^ Charlie Moore, Anil Lambert, Horton Advisory (8 February 2024). "New McKinnon Prize shortlist reflects changing face of Australian political leadership". McKinnon Prize. Retrieved 20 June 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "Clark - TAS Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
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