Maria Vamvakinou

Maria Vamvakinou (Greek: Μαρία Βαμβακινού) (born 4 January 1959) is an Australian politician. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has served in the House of Representatives since the 2001 federal election, representing the Division of Calwell in Victoria.[2]

Maria Vamvakinou

MP
Vamvakinou in 2005
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Calwell
Assumed office
10 November 2001
Preceded byAndrew Theophanous
Personal details
Born (1959-01-04) 4 January 1959
Lefkada, Greece
CitizenshipAustralian
Greek (1959–2000)[1]
Political partyLabor
Spouse(s)Michalis S. Michael
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
OccupationTeacher
Politician

Early life

Vamvakinou was born in Lefkada, Greece, an island in the Ionian Sea. She and her family arrived in Australia in 1963 at the age of four, settling in Melbourne.[3] She renounced her Greek citizenship in 2000 prior to standing for parliament.[4] Vamvakinou was educated at public schools in Carlton and Brunswick before going on to attend Princes Hill High School.[3]

Vamvakinou completed a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Greek and political science at the University of Melbourne.[5] She went on to complete a diploma in education and worked as a high school teacher from 1982 to 1987,[6] teaching Greek.[3]

Politics

Vamvakinou held office in the Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch) and worked as a political staffer for a number of years before entering parliament herself. She worked as an electorate officer to Andrew Theophanous (1988, 1990), executive assistant to Joan Kirner (1989), personal secretary to Andrew McCutcheon (1991), and electorate officer to Senator Kim Carr (1993–2001). She also served on the Northcote City Council from 1990 to 1992.[6]

Parliament

Vamvakinou was elected to parliament at the 2001 federal election, regaining the Division of Calwell for the ALP against the incumbent MP Andrew Theophanous, who had resigned from the party in 2000 to sit as an independent.[7] She is the first woman born in Greece to serve in federal parliament.[8] She has been re-elected on six further occasions, most recently at the 2019 federal election.[6]

Vamvakinou has served on numerous House and joint committees during her time in parliament, including as chair of the House Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Innovation from 2008 to 2010. She has also served on the Speaker's panel from 2010 to 2013 and again from 2016.[6] She is a member of the ALP's Socialist Left faction.[9]

Personal life

Vamvakinou is married to Dr Michalis S. Michael, and has two children.[5] As of 2016 she lived in Northcote, which lies outside her electorate.[10]

References
  1. Lewis, Rosie; Hutchinson, Samantha (21 August 2017). "Bill Shorten won't produce UK citizenship renunciation proof". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  2. "Biography for VAMVAKINOU, Maria". ParlInfo. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  3. "Maiden speech". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 13 February 2002. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  4. Lewis, Rosie (15 August 2017). "Labor MPs embroiled in dual citizenship fiasco release statements". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  5. "Maria Vamvakinou Profile". Maria Vamvakinou Federal Member for Calwell. 2007. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  6. "Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  7. "Calwell". Federal Election 2013. ABC. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  8. "Maria Vamvakinou". Australian Labor Party. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  9. Birnbauer, William (27 February 2005). "MP leaked donor details: ex-mayor". The Age. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  10. "Election 2016: The 12 local MPs who don't live in the seats they're trying to win". The Age. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Andrew Theophanous		 Member for Calwell
2001–present		 Incumbent
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