Allison Ritchie - Member of Legislative Council
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer
Member for Pembroke
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Electorate Office: Suite 3/90 Clarence Street Bellerive, Tasmania, 7018. Tel: (03) 6233 2351 Fax: (03) 6244 8392 Email: allison.ritchie@parliament.tas.gov.au Web: http://www.allisonritchie.com |
Allison was born in 1974 in Hobart, Tasmania. She grew up on the Eastern Shore where she attended Mornington Primary School, Warrane and Clarence High Schools, Rosny College and the University of Tasmania.
Allison joined the Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Labor Party at the age of 14 years.
Prior to entering the Tasmanian Parliament, Allison was employed for three years with Hobart computer company Management Technology and then for five years as an Administrative Officer with the Tasmanian Branch of the ALP. During that time, Allison also worked for the ALP National Secretariat in Canberra.
Allison was first elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council on 5 May 2001 in the seat of Pembroke and at the age of 26, she became the youngest person ever elected to the Tasmanian Upper House. In 2006 Allison was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer and was re-elected to the seat of Pembroke for her second term on 5 May 2007.
Allison is married to husband, David Cowle, and is the mother of thier 4 year old son, Darcy.
In December 2002, Allison became the first woman to have a child while being a sitting member of the Tasmanian Upper House with the birth of her son, Darcy.
Allison is well known for her highly effective grassroots work on the Eastern Shore and in 2002 opened an electorate office to service her electorate. This office is now located at Suite 3/90 Clarence Street, Bellerive. Allison is motivated by civic interests that include parliamentary reform, social justice, parity for Tasmanian workers, equity issues for women, law and order and services for people with disabilities.
During her election campaign, Allison was supported by and is a founding member of Emily's List - an organisation that seeks to promote the election of female candidates to parliaments across the country by providing financial support and leadership.
Allison has spent most of her life growing up and living on the Eastern Shore and is passionate about providing the best possible service for the people she represents.
Parliamentary Positions
- Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer
- Member of Budget Sub Committee
- Member of Estimates Committee
- Member of the Government Business Enterprise Scrutiny Committee A
- Member and Deputy Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Community Development
Civic Interests
- Supporter of Oakdale Services Tasmania Board
- Member of the Lindisfarne Historical Society
- Patron and Member of the Ridson Vale Neighbourhood Centre
- Member of the Lindisfarne Rowing Club
- Patron and Member of the Association for Children with Disability (Tas) Inc
- Registered Friend of the Tasmanian Association of Community Houses
- Supporter of the Tranmere and Howrah Playgroups
- Supporter of the Warrane Senior Citizens Club
- Supporter of the Elders Community Group
- Supporter of Noise Tasmania
- Supporter of many Neighbourhood Watches on the Eastern Shore
- Patron of the Wildcats Gymnastics Club
- Member of the Little Footprints Auxiliary
- Member of the Lindisfarne Tennis Club
- Vice Patron of the Eastern Suburbs Athletics Club
- Member of the Australian Group on Drug Law Reform
- Member of the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development Australia
- Patron of the Bellerive Police and Community Youth Club
- Patron of the Geilston Bay Tennis Club
- Patron of the Eastside Table Tennis League
- Patron of the Clarence RSLA Ladies Auxiliary
- Member of the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania
- Convenor of the Tasmanian Left
- Board Member of the Rosny Childrens Choir
Australian Labor Party Involvement
- Current Secretary - Risdon Vale Branch of the ALP
- Formerly Secretary & Branch member of the Warrane/Mornington Branch
- Member of the Education & Technology Platform Committee
- Member of the Health, Women and Youth Platform Committee
- Member of the Government & Infrastructure Platform Committee
- Member of the Wellington Campaign team in 2000
- Member of the Rumney Campaign team in 1999
- State ALP Conference Delegate 1999 to 2006
- ALP National Conference Delegate 2004 and 2007
- Southern Convenor - Labor Women's Network in 1999
- Member of the campaign team for the Lindsay Federal By-election 1996
- Former Convenor and current member of Emily's List