Josh Dolega
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Josh Dolega
| honorific-prefix = Senator
| image =
| caption =
| office = Senator for Tasmania
| term_start = 27 May 2025
| predecessor = Anne Urquhart
| office1 =
| term_start1 =
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| party = Labor
| otherparty = Labor Left
| occupation = Fitness instructor, tax officer, union official
}}
Josh Dolega is an Australian politician. He is a Senator for Tasmania representing the Labor Party, after he was appointed to the Senate via a joint sitting of the Parliament of Tasmania on 27 May 2025. He replaces Anne Urquhart, who had resigned from the Senate to successfully contest the Division of Braddon at the 2025 federal election earlier that month.
Early career
Prior to entering federal parliament, Dolega was a group fitness instructor at Devonport Aquatic Centre, and then as a tax officer for the Australian Taxation Office at Burnie for more than a decade, before becoming the work health and safety lead organiser at the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).
Political career
Senator Anne Urquhart resigned from the Senate in March 2025 to contest the Division of Braddon at the May 2025 federal election, and was successfully-elected to Braddon. Her resignation created a casual vacancy in the Senate. At the time, the two-year administration of Tasmanian Labor by the National Executive had ended, but a new state administrative committee had not yet been appointed, so Urquhart's casual vacancy in the Senate would still be chosen by the National Executive.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-21/josh-dolega-front-runner-to-replace-anne-urquhart-in-senate/105317910|title=Union organiser Josh Dolega the frontrunner to replace Anne Urquhart in the Senate|publisher=ABC News|date=21 May 2025|access-date=24 May 2025}}
Dolega had the support of Urquhart and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-23/josh-dolega-senator-tasmania-labor/105329636|title=Josh Dolega selected as Labor senator for Tasmania, replaces Anne Urquhart|publisher=ABC News|date=23 May 2025|access-date=24 May 2025}} He was confirmed as Urquhart's replacement by the National Executive on 23 May 2025, defeating higher profile Labor members including a union secretary, a local councillor and a former secretary of the Tasmanian Labor Party. He was appointed to the Senate via a joint sitting of the Parliament of Tasmania on 27 May 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-27/jacqui-lambie-reelected-lee-hanson-misses-out/105341370|title=Lambie successful, Hanson misses out, as federal election Senate results finalised|publisher=ABC News|date=27 May 2025|access-date=31 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://search.parliament.tas.gov.au/search/isysquery/3c3e5e42-9ac3-4906-9d9f-c3250685d6fd/11/doc/|title=Joint Sitting – Senate Vacancy – Selection of Josh Dolega|website=Parliament of Tasmania|publisher=Legislative Council Daily Hansard|page=2|date=27 May 2025|access-date=27 May 2025}} He will serve the remainder of Urquhart's term which will expire in 2028.{{cite web|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Senators/Senators_by_service_expiry_date|title=Senators—service expiry dates|website=Parliament of Australia|access-date=24 May 2025}}
Dolega is a member of the Labor Left.
Personal life
Prior to being appointed to the Senate, Dolega was living in Hobart {{as of|2025|5|lc=y}}, but had said he was "happy to relocate" to the north-west coast where Urquhart was based in.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Australian Senators}}
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Category:Labor Left politicians
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
Category:Australian trade unionists
Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia