Allison Ritchie
Encyclopedia
Allison Maree Ritchie was an Australian Labor Party
politician in the Tasmanian Legislative Council
(upper house) from 2001 to 2009. She was a member of the Hobart based seat of Pembroke
. She was elected on 5 May 2001 at age 26; she was the youngest person ever to be elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council
. She married soon after; being the only member of Tasmanian parliament to marry (for the first time) while in office. She was re-elected at the 2007 election.
Ritchie grew up in the Hobart eastern suburbs attending Mornington Primary School, Warrane High School, Clarence High School, Rosny College and the University of Tasmania
. Joining the Australian Labor Party
at age 14. As an active member of the Labor party
she worked in the state branch as an administrative officer from 1996 until her election.
Ms Ritchie spent 9.5 weeks as Minister for Planning and Workplace Relations (18 September 2008 to 24 November 2008) but resigned due to ill health.
Amidst controversy over possible nepotism
involving staff appointments, Ms Ritchie announced her resignation from parliament on 20 June 2009.
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
politician in the Tasmanian Legislative Council
Tasmanian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the House of Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart...
(upper house) from 2001 to 2009. She was a member of the Hobart based seat of Pembroke
Electoral division of Pembroke
The Electoral Division of Pembroke is one of the 15 electorates or 'seats' in the Tasmanian Legislative Council or upper house. It is located on Hobart's Eastern Shore and includes a number of suburbs; Risdon Vale, Geilston Bay, Rose Bay, Lindisfarne, Warrane, Mornington, Bellerive, Howrah and...
. She was elected on 5 May 2001 at age 26; she was the youngest person ever to be elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council
Tasmanian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the House of Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart...
. She married soon after; being the only member of Tasmanian parliament to marry (for the first time) while in office. She was re-elected at the 2007 election.
Ritchie grew up in the Hobart eastern suburbs attending Mornington Primary School, Warrane High School, Clarence High School, Rosny College and the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
. Joining the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
at age 14. As an active member of the Labor party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
she worked in the state branch as an administrative officer from 1996 until her election.
Ms Ritchie spent 9.5 weeks as Minister for Planning and Workplace Relations (18 September 2008 to 24 November 2008) but resigned due to ill health.
Amidst controversy over possible nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
involving staff appointments, Ms Ritchie announced her resignation from parliament on 20 June 2009.