USU members at Federal Parliament recently elected a new delegate team. The increase in membership across Parliamentary workplaces represented an opportunity to expand the delegate team from two to four. The new team has already hit the ground running representing members in meetings with the Department of Finance. We look forward to working with the new to improve the culture of Parliament as well as the pay and condition of members.
Here is the new team:
I currently work in the ministerial office of Chris Bowen MP and have previously held a range of roles in both federal and state electorate offices.
I am excited to be one of your delegates and continue building our collective power in the workplace as we undergo the classification review and move towards the next round of EA bargaining in 2027 (which will be here before we know it!).
As a young staffer at the start of my career, it’s important to me that union values and solidarity in are instilled in the next generation of staffers and I look forward to further fostering this in my role as a delegate. I also want to continue to make this workplace safer for young women to work in, and look forward to continuing the work of the amazing women who have come before us.
I also understand the challenges staff face at work and stressful nature of the job, especially for frontline electorate staff, and want to make sure we are standing up for our rights and have the appropriate supports in place to help staff manage these challenges.
Coming from a union family, I believe in the principles of solidarity and social justice. I know the importance of a strong united membership and have seen firsthand how empowering workers through campaigning for better wages and conditions can make a difference to working people, their families and the broader community. As a mother with 2 daughters, I am passionate about gender equality, job security and safe well-paying jobs and am driven to achieve better opportunities and outcomes for their future.
Regardless of where you work and what you do; all workers need strong unions and delegates supporting them.
I want to ensure that staff are recognised for the complex work they do, and have the support that they need to undertake their important work.
The fact remains that many of our electorate office staff would receive a fairer remuneration package if they were working in the private sector, or for another level of government.
Our staff come into these workplaces because they are passionate about our Labour movement, supporting their bosses, and improving the lives of Australians. At the very least, they should feel safe, supported and be fairly compensated at work.
In my time as a delegate, we have come a long way in terms of fixing the culture in Parliamentary workplaces and advancing the pay and conditions of staff, but there is a lot of work still to do.
I am a USU delegate because I believe that we are all stronger and better off together as members of our union, and I want to ensure that the full diversity of roles and experiences across the parliamentary workplace is represented and advocated for. It’s important that electorate office staff, part time, and casual staff all have their concerns heard, as their needs are often different from other staff.
I am proud to be part of our wonderful workplace delegates team and am eager to work with colleagues to help make our workplaces the best they can be!
