Latest news with #MichelleAnanda-Rajah

AU Financial Review
5 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Labor MPs urge time limit on welfare debts after $1.1b reboot
Labor MPs Alicia Payne and Michelle Ananda-Rajah have called on their own government to legislate a time limit on recovering welfare debts, a move that could wipe up to $1 billion in historic debts. The Australian Financial Review revealed this week the Albanese government is considering forgiving 160,000 historical debts despite a court ruling they could be recalculated and recouped.


The Advertiser
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
MP whose seat was abolished ends up moving houses
A federal MP whose electorate was abolished before voters went to the polls is returning to parliament, after picking up a seat in the Senate. Labor's Michelle Ananda-Rajah won the final Senate spot for Victoria in the wake of the federal election, as the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the six senators for the state on Wednesday. She will be one of three Labor senators elected in Victoria, alongside Raff Ciccone and Jess Walsh. Senior Liberals James Paterson and Jane Hume were also voted back in, as was Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May. Ms Ananda-Rajah was elected to parliament in 2022 for the seat of Higgins in Melbourne, becoming the first Labor MP to win the former blue ribbon electorate. But Higgins was abolished by the electoral commission ahead of the May 3 election due to a redistribution, leaving her without a spot in the lower house. She was placed in the third slot on Labor's Senate ticket for Victoria, and was considered unlikely to win. However, the national swing to Labor led to the party winning three Victorian Senate seats in an election for the first time since 2007. It comes as a partial recount in the Melbourne-based seat of Goldstein gets underway on Wednesday. The electoral commission will recount all first preferences on ballot papers, as well as any informal votes. Liberal Tim Wilson was ahead of independent MP Zoe Daniel by 260 votes at the end of counting and preference distribution. Ms Daniel submitted a request for a full recount to the electoral commission on Saturday. The recount in the Sydney seat of Bradfield is also ongoing, with Liberal Gisele Kapterain leading independent Nicolette Boele by just 14 votes, as ballot papers are scrutinised again. A federal MP whose electorate was abolished before voters went to the polls is returning to parliament, after picking up a seat in the Senate. Labor's Michelle Ananda-Rajah won the final Senate spot for Victoria in the wake of the federal election, as the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the six senators for the state on Wednesday. She will be one of three Labor senators elected in Victoria, alongside Raff Ciccone and Jess Walsh. Senior Liberals James Paterson and Jane Hume were also voted back in, as was Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May. Ms Ananda-Rajah was elected to parliament in 2022 for the seat of Higgins in Melbourne, becoming the first Labor MP to win the former blue ribbon electorate. But Higgins was abolished by the electoral commission ahead of the May 3 election due to a redistribution, leaving her without a spot in the lower house. She was placed in the third slot on Labor's Senate ticket for Victoria, and was considered unlikely to win. However, the national swing to Labor led to the party winning three Victorian Senate seats in an election for the first time since 2007. It comes as a partial recount in the Melbourne-based seat of Goldstein gets underway on Wednesday. The electoral commission will recount all first preferences on ballot papers, as well as any informal votes. Liberal Tim Wilson was ahead of independent MP Zoe Daniel by 260 votes at the end of counting and preference distribution. Ms Daniel submitted a request for a full recount to the electoral commission on Saturday. The recount in the Sydney seat of Bradfield is also ongoing, with Liberal Gisele Kapterain leading independent Nicolette Boele by just 14 votes, as ballot papers are scrutinised again. A federal MP whose electorate was abolished before voters went to the polls is returning to parliament, after picking up a seat in the Senate. Labor's Michelle Ananda-Rajah won the final Senate spot for Victoria in the wake of the federal election, as the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the six senators for the state on Wednesday. She will be one of three Labor senators elected in Victoria, alongside Raff Ciccone and Jess Walsh. Senior Liberals James Paterson and Jane Hume were also voted back in, as was Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May. Ms Ananda-Rajah was elected to parliament in 2022 for the seat of Higgins in Melbourne, becoming the first Labor MP to win the former blue ribbon electorate. But Higgins was abolished by the electoral commission ahead of the May 3 election due to a redistribution, leaving her without a spot in the lower house. She was placed in the third slot on Labor's Senate ticket for Victoria, and was considered unlikely to win. However, the national swing to Labor led to the party winning three Victorian Senate seats in an election for the first time since 2007. It comes as a partial recount in the Melbourne-based seat of Goldstein gets underway on Wednesday. The electoral commission will recount all first preferences on ballot papers, as well as any informal votes. Liberal Tim Wilson was ahead of independent MP Zoe Daniel by 260 votes at the end of counting and preference distribution. Ms Daniel submitted a request for a full recount to the electoral commission on Saturday. The recount in the Sydney seat of Bradfield is also ongoing, with Liberal Gisele Kapterain leading independent Nicolette Boele by just 14 votes, as ballot papers are scrutinised again. A federal MP whose electorate was abolished before voters went to the polls is returning to parliament, after picking up a seat in the Senate. Labor's Michelle Ananda-Rajah won the final Senate spot for Victoria in the wake of the federal election, as the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the six senators for the state on Wednesday. She will be one of three Labor senators elected in Victoria, alongside Raff Ciccone and Jess Walsh. Senior Liberals James Paterson and Jane Hume were also voted back in, as was Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May. Ms Ananda-Rajah was elected to parliament in 2022 for the seat of Higgins in Melbourne, becoming the first Labor MP to win the former blue ribbon electorate. But Higgins was abolished by the electoral commission ahead of the May 3 election due to a redistribution, leaving her without a spot in the lower house. She was placed in the third slot on Labor's Senate ticket for Victoria, and was considered unlikely to win. However, the national swing to Labor led to the party winning three Victorian Senate seats in an election for the first time since 2007. It comes as a partial recount in the Melbourne-based seat of Goldstein gets underway on Wednesday. The electoral commission will recount all first preferences on ballot papers, as well as any informal votes. Liberal Tim Wilson was ahead of independent MP Zoe Daniel by 260 votes at the end of counting and preference distribution. Ms Daniel submitted a request for a full recount to the electoral commission on Saturday. The recount in the Sydney seat of Bradfield is also ongoing, with Liberal Gisele Kapterain leading independent Nicolette Boele by just 14 votes, as ballot papers are scrutinised again.


West Australian
28-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
MP whose seat was abolished ends up moving houses
A federal MP whose electorate was abolished before voters went to the polls is returning to parliament, after picking up a seat in the Senate. Labor's Michelle Ananda-Rajah won the final Senate spot for Victoria in the wake of the federal election, as the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the six senators for the state on Wednesday. She will be one of three Labor senators elected in Victoria, alongside Raff Ciccone and Jess Walsh. Senior Liberals James Paterson and Jane Hume were also voted back in, as was Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May. Ms Ananda-Rajah was elected to parliament in 2022 for the seat of Higgins in Melbourne, becoming the first Labor MP to win the former blue ribbon electorate. But Higgins was abolished by the electoral commission ahead of the May 3 election due to a redistribution, leaving her without a spot in the lower house. She was placed in the third slot on Labor's Senate ticket for Victoria, and was considered unlikely to win. However, the national swing to Labor led to the party winning three Victorian Senate seats in an election for the first time since 2007. It comes as a partial recount in the Melbourne-based seat of Goldstein gets underway on Wednesday. The electoral commission will recount all first preferences on ballot papers, as well as any informal votes. Liberal Tim Wilson was ahead of independent MP Zoe Daniel by 260 votes at the end of counting and preference distribution. Ms Daniel submitted a request for a full recount to the electoral commission on Saturday. The recount in the Sydney seat of Bradfield is also ongoing, with Liberal Gisele Kapterain leading independent Nicolette Boele by just 14 votes, as ballot papers are scrutinised again.


Perth Now
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
MP whose seat was abolished ends up moving houses
A federal MP whose electorate was abolished before voters went to the polls is returning to parliament, after picking up a seat in the Senate. Labor's Michelle Ananda-Rajah won the final Senate spot for Victoria in the wake of the federal election, as the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the six senators for the state on Wednesday. She will be one of three Labor senators elected in Victoria, alongside Raff Ciccone and Jess Walsh. Senior Liberals James Paterson and Jane Hume were also voted back in, as was Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May. Ms Ananda-Rajah was elected to parliament in 2022 for the seat of Higgins in Melbourne, becoming the first Labor MP to win the former blue ribbon electorate. But Higgins was abolished by the electoral commission ahead of the May 3 election due to a redistribution, leaving her without a spot in the lower house. She was placed in the third slot on Labor's Senate ticket for Victoria, and was considered unlikely to win. However, the national swing to Labor led to the party winning three Victorian Senate seats in an election for the first time since 2007. It comes as a partial recount in the Melbourne-based seat of Goldstein gets underway on Wednesday. The electoral commission will recount all first preferences on ballot papers, as well as any informal votes. Liberal Tim Wilson was ahead of independent MP Zoe Daniel by 260 votes at the end of counting and preference distribution. Ms Daniel submitted a request for a full recount to the electoral commission on Saturday. The recount in the Sydney seat of Bradfield is also ongoing, with Liberal Gisele Kapterain leading independent Nicolette Boele by just 14 votes, as ballot papers are scrutinised again.


Perth Now
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Labor to increase Senate numbers after landslide win
Labor is set to have an easier path to implementing its second-term agenda, picking up several Senate seats at the federal election. Fresh from its increased majority in the lower house, Labor looks likely to pick up three more seats at the coalition's expense, with gains in NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Of the 76 senate seats, Labor stands on 28 seats, the coalition on 26, while the Greens are on 11 and the remainder being won by independents and minor parties. With roughly one-third of the vote counted, five Senate seats still remain up for grabs. While Labor will still need to negotiate with the crossbench to pass laws in the upper house, they would only have to win support of the Greens to get over the line of 39 seats needed for a majority. With Labor set to win three of the six seats up for grabs in NSW, deputy Nationals leader Perin Davey is in danger of losing her spot in parliament. The increased turnout for Labor will also mean the party will claim a third seat in Victoria, paving the way for Michelle Ananda-Rajah to return to Canberra. Ms Ananda-Rajah was elected to the lower house in 2022, but ran in the upper house in 2025 after her Victorian seat of Higgins was abolished in a redistribution. Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie is also facing a tight battle for her own re-election, with a challenge against Labor for the final seat in the Apple Isle. After up-ending the political establishment in 2022, independent ACT senator David Pocock has been returned to the upper house, but this time receiving the most votes in the national capital. One Nation's Malcolm Roberts is also in a close contest to win the sixth and final slot in the Senate for Queensland.