Summary
Glenn Sterle (born 3 January 1960) is an Australian politician.[1] A former trade union organiser, he has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian Senate since 2005, representing the state of Western Australia.[2]
Glenn Sterle | |
|---|---|
 Sterle in 2021 | |
| Senator for Western Australia | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2005 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 January 1960 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Labor (since 1991) |
| Occupation | Union organiser |
| Website | www |
Early life edit
Sterle was born in Melbourne on 3 January 1960.[3] His father was born in Yugoslavia and arrived in Australia as a refugee after World War II, while his mother was born in the United Kingdom.[4]
Sterle grew up in the Perth suburb of Langford.[2] He attended Thornlie Senior High School, but dropped out at the age of 17 to work as a furniture removalist.[5] Three years later, he founded his own business operating road trains throughout northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory. He spent fourteen years working as an owner-operator before giving up his business to take on a position as an organiser with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) in 1991.[5]
Labour movement edit
Aside from working as a TWU organiser, Sterle served on his local branch committee, and was ultimately elected to the union's federal council in 1998, remaining in all three positions until his election to the Senate in 2004. His time with the union included a brief stint as acting state secretary in 1998 and an integral role in a major airline strike in the state in 2000. It was also during this period that Sterle received the Centenary Medal, in 2003, for services to training in the transport industry.[6]
Politics edit
Sterle's involvement with the union prompted him to join the Australian Labor Party in 1991, and in 1999, he was elected as a delegate to the party's state conference. He served as the ALP's transport policy convener in 2000, and was a delegate to the party's national conference in 2002 and 2004.[7] He subsequently decided to make a bid to enter parliament, and in the lead-up to the 2004 federal election, challenged the preselection of veteran senator and former cabinet minister Peter Cook. Cook was determined to remain in parliament,[8] but withdrew from the ballot of their shared Centre Faction when it became clear that Sterle had achieved enough support to win.[9] As a result, Sterle gained the second position on the party's Senate ticket and was easily elected.[10]
Senate edit
Sterle's term began on 1 July 2005. He has served on a variety of Senate and joint-house committees, notably Rural and Regional Affairs, and Transport: Legislation and References. He served as a temporary Chair of Committees from 12 November 2013 to 9 May 2016.[3]
Sterle was appointed Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety in Bill Shorten's shadow ministry in June 2018, and retained the position in the Anthony Albanese's shadow ministry after the 2019 election.[3]
References edit
- ^ "The 42nd Parliament Senators and Members, by Date of Birth". 17 September 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009.
- ^ a b "Glenn Sterle, Senator for Western Australia First Speech". 16 August 2005. Archived from the original on 9 May 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ a b c Senator Glenn Sterle (official website) at Parliament of Australia
- ^ Martin, Sarah; Butterly, Nick (25 November 2017). "Coalition Government draws up hit-list of Labor pollies under dual-citizenship cloud". The West Australian. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Glenn Sterle - Senator for Western Australia". Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ "IR Choiced for the Future" (PDF). 26 October 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ Kevin Andrews. "2004 Who's Who Guide to the ALP Conference". Retrieved 26 January 2010.
- ^ "WA Senator dropped by Labor faction". ABC News. 14 November 2004. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
- ^ Antony Green (24 September 2004). "2004 Federal Election Senate Western Australia". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
- ^ "Greens win fourth Senate seat". ABC News Online. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
External links edit
- Summary of parliamentary voting for Senator Glenn Sterle on TheyVoteForYou.org.au