Jana Stewart
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Senator
| image = Jana Stewart 2019.jpg
| caption = Stewart in 2019
| name = Jana Stewart
| honorific-suffix =
| office1 = Senator for Victoria
| term_start1 = 6 April 2022
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = Kimberley Kitching
| successor1 =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1987|8|27}}
| birth_place = Preston, Victoria, Australia
| party = Labor
| alma_mater = La Trobe University
| website = {{URL|https://janastewart.com.au/}}
| occupation = Family therapist
University lecturer
Policy adviser
}}
Jana Naretha Anne Stewart (born 27 August 1987) is an Australian politician and former public servant. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and was appointed as a Senator for Victoria in April 2022, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Kimberley Kitching.
Early life and education
Stewart is an Aboriginal Australian of the Muthi Muthi and Wamba-Wamba peoples.{{cite news |date=6 April 2022 |title=Indigenous woman Jana Stewart confirmed as Kimberley Kitching's Senate replacement |publisher=SBS News |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/indigenous-woman-jana-stewart-to-be-confirmed-as-kimberley-kitchings-senate-replacement/7m5p142te |accessdate=6 April 2022 |archive-date=6 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406031048/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/indigenous-woman-jana-stewart-to-be-confirmed-as-kimberley-kitchings-senate-replacement/7m5p142te |url-status=live }} Her great-grandmother Alice Kelly was a custodian of Lake Mungo in New South Wales and was involved in negotiations over the Lake Mungo remains.{{cite news|url=https://nit.com.au/election-special-jana-stewarts-proving-stereotypes-about-aboriginal-women-wrong/|title=Election Special: Jana Stewart's proving stereotypes about Aboriginal women wrong|newspaper=National Indigenous Times|date=8 May 2019|first=Hannah|last=Cross|accessdate=6 April 2022|archive-date=3 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403034742/https://nit.com.au/election-special-jana-stewarts-proving-stereotypes-about-aboriginal-women-wrong/|url-status=dead}}
Stewart was born in 1987{{cite web | last=Costa | first=Jedda | title=Forget the 'teal independent wave', the 2022 federal election sees record Indigenous representation | website=ABC News | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=31 May 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-31/record-indigenous-reps-in-parliament-after-2022-election/101110224 | access-date=31 May 2022 | archive-date=31 May 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531000414/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-31/record-indigenous-reps-in-parliament-after-2022-election/101110224 | url-status=live }} and grew up in Melbourne and Swan Hill, Victoria.{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/history-making-opportunity-jana-stewart-sworn-in-as-kitching-s-senate-replacement-20220406-p5ab7l.html|title='History-making opportunity': Jana Stewart sworn in as Kitching's Senate replacement|newspaper=The Age|date=6 April 2022|first=Sumeyya|last=Ilanbey|access-date=6 April 2022|archive-date=20 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220420051503/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/history-making-opportunity-jana-stewart-sworn-in-as-kitching-s-senate-replacement-20220406-p5ab7l.html|url-status=live}} She is the oldest of six children and experienced family violence as a child. She attended "at least a dozen" primary schools, and was the only Indigenous student at her high school to finish year 12. She completed a master's degree in clinical family therapy at La Trobe University.{{cite news| url=https://www.emilyslist.org.au/2019_federal_election_all_candidates| title=Australia endorsed candidates for the 2019 federal election| publisher=Emily's List Australia| access-date=6 April 2022| archive-date=6 April 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406122319/https://www.emilyslist.org.au/2019_federal_election_all_candidates| url-status=live}}
Career
Prior to entering politics, Stewart worked as a family therapist, university lecturer, and policy adviser on Aboriginal affairs and child protection. She worked for Victorian state Aboriginal affairs minister Natalie Hutchins on treaty negotiations. She was a later a deputy secretary of the Victorian Department of Justice focusing on Stolen Generations reparations.{{cite news |date=28 March 2022 |title=Labor's Victorian Senate selections unopposed |newspaper=The Australian |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/labors-victorian-senate-selections-unopposed/news-story/27288a20926c3ce1ad0e85f2c9c7adf9 |url-access=subscription |access-date=6 April 2022 |archive-date=14 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914144653/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/labors-victorian-senate-selections-unopposed/news-story/27288a20926c3ce1ad0e85f2c9c7adf9 |url-status=live }}
= Career prior to Senate =
Stewart is a member of the Labor Unity faction and is associated with the Transport Workers' Union.
At the 2019 federal election she was preselected for the House of Representatives seat of Kooyong. She placed third, with 17 percent of the vote on a negative swing of four points, behind incumbent federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Greens candidate Julian Burnside.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2019/guide/kooy|title=Kooyong|publisher=ABC Elections|access-date=6 April 2022|archive-date=21 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521142223/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2019/guide/kooy|url-status=live}}
In late 2021, Stewart won ALP preselection for the seat of Pascoe Vale at the 2022 Victorian state election. She withdrew following her nomination to the Senate in March 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/jana-stewart-emerges-as-frontrunner-to-replace-the-late-kimberley-kitching/news-story/1e833dfd7cd3ef88ed21aaaf75c8666c|title=Jana Stewart emerges as frontrunner to replace the late Kimberley Kitching|date=23 March 2022|access-date=6 April 2022|newspaper=Herald Sun|url-access=subscription|archive-date=14 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914144652/https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/jana-stewart-emerges-as-frontrunner-to-replace-the-late-kimberley-kitching/news-story/1e833dfd7cd3ef88ed21aaaf75c8666c|url-status=live}}
=Senate career=
In March 2022, Stewart was nominated to fill a casual vacancy in the Senate caused by the death of Victorian senator Kimberley Kitching. She also won ALP preselection for the Senate ticket at the 2022 federal election.{{cite web|url=https://7news.com.au/politics/scramble-to-finalise-election-candidates-c-6228318|title=Labor finalise crucial election candidates|publisher=7News|date=28 March 2022|access-date=7 April 2022|archive-date=28 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328070309/https://7news.com.au/politics/scramble-to-finalise-election-candidates-c-6228318|url-status=live}}
She was officially appointed to the Senate at a joint sitting of the Victorian Parliament on 6 April 2022. However, the Senate did not sit between her appointment and the imminent election.{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/daily-hansard/Assembly_2022/Legislative_Assembly_2022-04-06.pdf|title=Legislative Assembly Daily Hansard|publisher=Parliament of Victoria|page=133|date=6 April 2022|access-date=7 April 2022|archive-date=22 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422132752/https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/daily-hansard/Assembly_2022/Legislative_Assembly_2022-04-06.pdf|url-status=live}}
Stewart took her seat after the 2022 federal election. She is the youngest Aboriginal woman to serve in the federal parliament.
On 28 February 2024, Stewart was elected chair of the federal parliament Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, a position previously held by Pat Dodson.{{Cite news |last=Remeikis |first=Amy |date=2024-02-28 |title=Australia politics live: government aiming to outlaw sale of vapes from 1 July, Butler says; RBA scuffle brewing |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2024/feb/28/australia-politics-live-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton-question-time-byelection-dunkley-health-insurance-premiums-cost-of-living-interest-rates |access-date=2024-02-28 |work=The Guardian |language=en-AU |issn=0261-3077}}
Personal life
Jana is partnered with Marcus Stewart, former co-chair of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.{{Cite web |last=Visentin |first=Lisa |date=2022-09-26 |title=Leaked email reveals Greens staffer 'scared and in shock' after Lidia Thorpe's 'truly awful' outburst |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/leaked-email-reveals-greens-staffer-scared-and-in-shock-after-lidia-thorpe-s-truly-awful-outburst-20220905-p5bfdn.html |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=L |first=Maddie |date=2022-06-21 |title=Marcus Stewart |url=https://www.firstpeoplesvic.org/members/marcus-stewart/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria |language=en-AU |archive-date=25 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225152554/https://www.firstpeoplesvic.org/members/marcus-stewart/ |url-status=live }}
She and her partner have two children, Jude and Ari.{{cite tweet |last=Stewart |first=Marcus |author-link=Marcus Stewart |user=marcusbstewart |number=1103823298759020545 |date=8 March 2019 |title=To celebrate #IWD2019 I would like to honour my fearless wife @JanaforKooyong – an incredible mother to our son Jude and a true champion for change & equality in our community as a proud Mutthi Mutthi & Wamba Wamba woman. https://t.co/hEcGORrjZR |language=en |access-date=26 February 2023}}{{cite tweet |last=Stewart |first=Jana |author-link=Jana Stewart |user=JanaStewartVIC |number=1562371922486530052 |date=24 August 2022 |title=Introducing our newest and littlest love, Ari Stewart ❤️ @marcusbstewart #auspol https://t.co/aBAmwFk0LE |language=en |access-date=26 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824093153/https://twitter.com/JanaStewartVIC/status/1562371922486530052 |archive-date=24 August 2022 |url-status=live}}
References
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External links
- {{commons category-inline}}
{{Australian Senators}}
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Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Labor Right politicians
Category:Members of the Australian Senate for Victoria
Category:Indigenous Australian politicians
Category:La Trobe University alumni
Category:Public servants of Victoria (state)