Gayle Tierney

Gayle Anne Tierney is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council since November 2006, representing Western Victoria Region.[1]

The Honourable

Gayle Tierney

MLC
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council
Assumed office
25 November 2006
ConstituencyWestern Victoria Region
Personal details
Political partyLabor Party
Alma materFlinders University

Tierney studied politics and Asian studies at Flinders University, before entering the trade union movement. During the early 1980s she worked for Australia Asia Worker Links, promoting research and study tours in South Korea, the Philippines, Japan and Hong Kong, focusing on union, human, indigenous and women's rights in those countries, and encouraging Australian companies active in Asia to maintain proper standards of care.

Following her period at AAWL Tierney was a Federal Industrial Officer with the Australian Public Service Association and held that position until joining the Vehicle Builders Union in 1989.

Tierney was the first woman to become State Secretary of the traditionally male-dominated Vehicle Division of the Automotive, Metals and Engineering Union (now part of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union), serving in that role from 1993 to 2006, and serving as its Federal President from 2000 to 2006. Tierney also served on the executive of the Australian Council of Trade Unions from 2000 to 2006.[2][3]

Tierney entered politics ahead of the 2006 state election, winning the second position on the Labor ticket for the reconstituted Western Victoria Region, thus ensuring her election to parliament. [4] Tierney was elected from the second position, and was appointed deputy chair of the Rural and Regional Committee in 2007.[5]

On 9 November 2016, Tierney was appointed as Minister for Corrections and Minister for Training and Skills, replacing Steve Herbert who resigned from the Andrews Ministry.[6]

In March 2018 Tierney was implicated in the ‘rorts for votes’ scandal as one of 21 Labor Members misusing taxpayer money to fund the Labor election campaign in the 2014 State Election. According to the Ombudsman's report $20,559 was deliberately misused for campaigning purposes.[7]

References
  1. http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/id/1623
  2. Backhouse, Megan. "First Woman Chief of Car Workers' Union Relishes 'Cutting Edge'". The Age, 29 March 1993.
  3. "Parliamentary Handbook: Gayle Tierney". Parliament of Victoria Retrieved on 2 April 2009.
  4. Tomazin, Farrah. "Bracks defends state seat choices". The Age, 18 March 2006.
  5. "Parliamentary Handbook: Gayle Tierney". Parliament of Victoria Retrieved on 2 April 2009.
  6. "Victorian minister 'pays the price' after ferrying dogs in government car". ABC News. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  7. "Victorian Labor misused $388,000 of taxpayer funds in 2014 election: report". Australian Financial Review. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by
Steve Herbert		 Minister for Corrections
2016–2018		 Succeeded by
Ben Carroll
Minister for Training and Skills
2016–present		 Incumbent
New title Minister for Higher Education
2018–present
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