Election results 2019: The 26 new MPs set to enter Parliament
A Winter Olympian, a beef farmer, an ex-cop and a midwife walk into Parliament. These are the 26 new MPs changing the face of Australian politics.
Federal Election
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Meet Australia’s newest politicians.
A group of 26 new MPs from across the country are set to descend on Canberra as the freshman class of the 46th parliament this week.
It’s a complete change to one fifth of the House of Representatives.
The newcomers include a Winter Olympian, a beef farmer, a paediatrician and a former university vice-chancellor.
Also among their ranks include three former soldiers, a child psychologist, a former TAFE teacher, an ex-cop and a midwife — injecting some real-world experience into parliament.
A former staffer to John Howard, a premier’s chief, a diplomat and a number of local mayors also bring some prior political experience.
At least 60 per cent of newcomers are women, boosting the number of female MPs to record levels.
But while the new blood will refresh Australia’s parliament, the nation has also lost a generation of political giants including Tony Abbott, Julie Bishop, Christopher Pyne, Wayne Swan and Jenny Macklin.
Victoria has seen the biggest change, with eight new MPs set to represent the state.
NSW and Queensland have also seen a dramatic change, with at least six and five new MPs each.
Tasmania, Western Australia, and the ACT also have a few fresh faces, while the NT will have some new talent in the Senate.
MEET THE NEW MPS FOR EACH STATE
QUEENSLAND
Longman
Terry Young, Liberal
Liberal candidate Terry Young has won the Queensland seat of Longman from Labor’s Susan Lamb, who had only won the electorate back last year in a by-election caused by her dual citizenship.
Before entering politics, Young was a small-business owner who operated two Drummond Golf franchises and previously a Good Guys franchise.
The 51-year-old father-of-four says he’s passionate about fighting for small business, workers and his local community.
Herbert
Phillip Thompson, Liberal
War veteran Phillip Thompson has won back the Queensland seat of Herbert for the Liberals, defeating Labor’s Cathy O’Toole.
The 31-year-old former soldier, who was wounded in Afghanistan and has represented Australia at the Invictus Games, is a big advocated for veterans and mental health.
He was named Queensland’s Young Australian of the Year in 2018.
Lilley
Anika Wells, Labor
Anika Wells will replace former Treasurer Wayne Swan in the Queensland seat of Lilley.
Wells is a lawyer, mother-of-one and a keen runner who attends the local Chermside parkrun on Saturday’s.
She has worked for law firm Maurice Blackburn for the past four years and before that was a political staffer.
Moncrieff
Angie Bell, Liberal
Marketing expert Angie Bell will replace former Trade Minister Steven Ciobo as the Liberal MP for the Gold Coast seat of Moncrieff.
Bell has been president and vice president of LNP Women in Queensland since 2016.
She has worked as a marketing professional for the National Retail Association and is the author of a book that’s part of the marketing curriculum at Griffith University and at the Copenhagen Business School.
Ryan
Julian Simmonds, Liberal
Julian Simmonds will replace Jane Prentice as the Liberal MP for Ryan.
The 34-year-old father-of-one was chairman of the powerful Brisbane City Planning Committee before defeating Prentice in a bitter preselection battle last year.
He’s been a city councillor since 2010.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Warringah
Zali Steggall, independent
Winter Olympian and barrister Steggall defeated Tony Abbott to become the local member for Warringah in Sydney’s northern beaches.
The 45-year-old was born in Manly in Sydney but spent part of her childhood in France, where she became a champion skier.
She was Australia’s first winter Olympic medallist and went on to become a barrister after retiring from skiing in 2002.
Wentworth
Dave Sharma, Liberal
Former Australian diplomat Dave Sharma will follow in Malcolm Turnbull’s footsteps to become the Member for Wentworth after narrowly defeating independent Kerryn Phelps.
It was second time lucky for the father-of-three, who lost his first attempt to pick up the seat at last year’s by-election to replace the former prime minister.
Sharma became Australia’s Ambassador to Israel at the age of 37, after serving as a diplomat in Papua New Guinea.
Gilmore
Fiona Phillips, Labor
Former TAFE teacher Fiona Phillips has won back the ultra-marginal South Coast seat of Gilmore for Labor, defeating Liberal candidate Warren Mundine.
Phillips got involved in politics by campaigning to keep Nowra’s community pool open and first ran for Labor in the 2016 election.
The mum-of-four worked as a TAFE teacher for 14 years before focusing on politics.
Reid
Fiona Martin, Liberal
Child psychologist Fiona Martin was a very late replacement for retiring incumbent Craig Laundy in Reid but has managed to win back the seat for the Liberal Party.
Dr Martin founded the Sydney Psychology Centre 13 years ago and in recent years she has focused on improving the social functioning of young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
She’s also an adviser for children’s road safety organisation Little Blue Dinosaur.
Lindsay
Melissa McIntosh, Liberal
Melissa McIntosh has won back Lindsay for the Liberals, defeating former state Labor MP Diane Beamer to claim the seat.
The mum-of-three is no stranger to Parliament House as a former staffer for John Howard.
She has also worked in marketing and public relations in the private sector.
Cowper
Pat Conaghan, Nationals
Ex-cop and lawyer Patrick Conaghan has defied expectations to win back the regional NSW seat of Cowper for the Nationals, defeating high-profile independent Rob Oakeshott.
The father-of-two was a police officer for 12 years before becoming a solicitor and then opening his own law firm.
Conaghan was also a local councillor in North Sydney for almost six years in the early 2000s.
VICTORIA
Chisholm
Liberal candidate Gladys Liu has won the seat of Chisholm.
Ms Liu was a speech pathologist and later a special adviser to Victorian Premiers Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine on Chinese Affairs before running for politics.
She will replace outgoing independent Julia Banks, who defected from the Liberal Party last year.
Her Labor rival Jennifer Yang was a candidate in the running to lord mayor of Melbourne in 2018 and was previously the mayor of Melbourne council area Manningham.
Indi
Helen Haines, independent
Helen Haines has made Australian political history by being the first independent to replace another independent.
Cathy McGowan’s chosen successor as the Member for Indi was a midwife and a nurse, who grew up on a dairy farm in Eurack in regional Victoria.
The mother-of-three lives with her husband Phil on their beef farm outside of Wangaratta.
Corangamite
Libby Coker, Labor
Labor’s Libby Coker won the regional Victorian seat of Corangamite off Liberal MP Sarah Henderson.
Coker is no stranger to politics, having previously been the mayor of the Surf Coast Shire and before that as a teacher and a journalist.
She has lived on the Surf Coast for 30 years and has two young daughters.
Dunkley
Peta Murphy, Labor
Peta Murphy has won the seat of Dunkley from Liberal MP Chris Crewther in her second bid to enter federal politics.
Murphy ran against Crewther in 2016 and was helped across the line this time by a redistribution that turned the seat notionally Labor.
She previously worked as a criminal defence lawyer.
Higgins
Katie Allen, Liberal
Katie Allen is set to take over from Minister for Women Kelly O’Dwyer as the Member for Higgins.
Dr Allen is a leading food allergy expert and paediatric gastroenterologist working at the Royal Children’s hospital in Melbourne.
The mum-of-four also attempted to run for the seat of Prahan at last year’s state election but fell short.
Mallee
Anne Webster, Nationals
Anne Webster has retained the regional Victorian seat of Mallee for the Nationals, taking over from Andrew Broad who quit politics over the so-called ‘sugar baby’ scandal.
Dr Webster, who has a PhD in sociology on adoption, is the founder of a community organisation that supports young mothers.
She has lived in Mildura for four decades and this year won Mildura’s Citizen of the Year award.
Macnamara
Josh Burns, Labor
Josh Burns has won the seat of Macnamara, taking over from the former Labor member Michael Danby.
Burns has worked as a senior adviser to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and previously ran for the state seat of Caulfield in 2014.
He’s also a new father, welcoming a little girl in June last year.
Jagajaga
Kate Thwaites, Labor
Labor’s Kate Thwaites will take over from former boss Jenny Macklin as the Member for Jagajaga.
Thwaites worked as staffer for Macklin but was previously an ABC television and radio reporter.
She’s also a new mum to a baby girl.
TASMANIA
Bass
Bridget Archer, Liberal
Liberal candidate Bridget Archer has won the seat of Bass from Labor's Ross Hart.
Archer is the mayor of George Town council, and has been a councillor since 2009.
She is also a beef and sheep farmer and a mum to five children aged three to 14.
Braddon
Gavin Pearce, Liberal
Liberal newcomer Gavin Pearce has won the seat of Braddon off Labor MP Justine Keay.
Pearce is a beef farmer and farming lobbyist, whose family has lived in Tasmania since the 1850s.
He is also a former soldier.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Sturt
James Stevens, Liberal
James Stevens takes over as the Member for Sturt from Christopher Pyne, who held the seat for 26 years.
Stevens was chief of staff to South Australian Premier Steven Marshall before resigning to run for the Liberals in Sturt.
The 36-year-old also worked in the wool industry for the Michell Group.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Stirling
Vince Connelly, Liberal
Vince Connelly will take over from Liberal frontbencher Michael Keenan in the Perth seat of Stirling.
Connelly was a soldier who served on peace keeping missions to East Timor and the Solomon Islands before dipping into politics as a staffer for Julie Bishop and as the vice-president of the Liberal Party’s Stirling division.
He also works at Woodside as a risk management adviser.
Curtin
Celia Hammond, Liberal
Julie Bishop’s leafy seat of Curtin in Perth’s western suburbs will remain in Liberal hands, after former University of Notre Dame Vice Chancellor Celia Hammond took over as the local MP.
Hammond won a hotly contested preselection battle to become the Liberal’s candidate after Bishop opted to quit politics in February.
Professor Hammond, a mother-of-three, was Vice Chancellor of Notre Dame for more than a decade.
ACT
Canberra
Alicia Payne, Labor
Economist Alicia Payne will take over from Labor’s Gai Brodtmann as the Member for Canberra.
Payne grew up in Canberra, and has worked as a researcher at the University of Canberra’s NATSEM social and economic modelling centre before working at Treasury.
She’s also a new mum to a baby son.
Bean
David Smith, Labor
David Smith will switch from the Senate to the House of Representatives in the new electorate of Bean.
He initially entered parliament to replace Senator Katy Gallagher, who was ousted last May over dual citizenship issues.
Before that, Smith was a director of the ACT Branch of Professionals Australia, a union representing engineers, scientists, architects and other professions.
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