Matt Thistlethwaite

Thistlethwaite was born in Sydney on 6 September 1972.{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=182468 |work=Senators and Members |title=Senator the Hon Matt Thistlethwaite |publisher=Parliament of Australia |date=1 July 2013 |accessdate=3 July 2013 }} He grew up in the suburb of Maroubra{{cite news|url=https://www.nswlabor.org.au/matt_thistlethwaite|title=Matt Thistlethwaite|publisher=Australian Labor Party|access-date=12 June 2021}} in a Catholic family.{{Cite web |last=Pitt |first=Helen |date=2022-09-02 |title=Meet the man with a three-point plan to pave the way for an Australian republic |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/matt-thistlethwaite-s-three-step-plan-for-australia-to-become-a-republic-20220829-p5bdhj.html |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} His father was a Qantas steward. He is the eldest of three siblings.

He graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Economics, and also holds diplomas in law and legal practice from the University of Technology Sydney. He was the first member of his family to attend university.

In 1995, Thistlethwaite began working at the Australian Workers Union as an industrial officer. In 2001 he was elected as a state vice-president of the union. He joined the ALP at the age of 22 and was president of NSW Young Labor from 1997 to 1998.

Thistlethwaite was involved in the Australian republic referendum in 1999, and was the campaign manager for the Australian Republican Movement in his electorate of Kingsford Smith.

From 2001 to 2008 he was Chair of the Australian Labor Party Law Reform Committee. From 2004 to 2008 he was Charity of the Australian Labor Party Review Tribunal.

In 2004, Thistlethwaite was elected Deputy Secretary of Unions NSW. In this role he represented workers in public sector enterprise agreement negotiations and in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. He was a co-ordinator of the Your Rights at Work campaign in New South Wales against the Howard Government's WorkChoices laws.

Thistlethwaite is a former director of the State Transit Authority of NSW and the NSW Manufacturing Council.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

Before entering Parliament, Thistlethwaite worked as a senior consultant with law firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques.

Thistlethwaite sought to become the endorsed Labor candidate for the House of Representatives seat of Kingsford Smith in Sydney's eastern suburbs, for the 2004 election. However, Peter Garrett was chosen by the then Labor leader Mark Latham.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-02/david-feeney-wins-labor-preselection-for-batman/4795002 |title=David Feeney wins Labor preselection for Melbourne seat of Batman |publisher=ABC News |location=Australia |date=2 July 2013 |accessdate=3 July 2013 }} Thistlethwaite worked as Garrett's campaign adviser.

He was elected general secretary of NSW Labor from 2008 to 2010.{{Cite web | url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=182468 |title = Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP}} During his time as NSW ALP secretary Thistlethwaite backed Frank Sartor's unsuccessful candidacy to replace premier Nathan Rees and Rees was instead replaced by Kristina Keneally.

{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/alp-candidate-rejects-obeids-endorsement-20130716-2q29f.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=ALP candidate rejects Obeid's endorsement}}

He was endorsed for a seat in the Senate, representing New South Wales, at the 2010 election. He was successful, and his term began on 1 July 2011. On 18 July 2011 he gave his first speech in the Senate. Soon after his term began, Thistlethwaite was appointed to serve on five Parliamentary Committees. In August 2012, Thistlethwaite became Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices. He served as Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs and Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs in the Gillard government from March to July 2013, and as Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport in the Rudd government from July to September 2013.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/full-list-of-changes-to-the-gillard-ministry-20130325-2gp93.html |title=Full list of changes to the Gillard ministry |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 March 2013 |accessdate=25 March 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dpmc.gov.au/parliamentary/docs/ministry_list_20130701.pdf |title=Second Rudd Ministry |work=Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |date=1 July 2013 |accessdate=2 July 2013 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Following the announcement by Peter Garrett that he would not recontest the seat of Kingsford Smith at the next federal election, Thistlethwaite announced on 2 July 2013 that he would again seek Labor preselection;{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-02/matt-thistlethwaite-to-run-for-preselection-in-kingsford-smith/4794042 |title=NSW Labor senator Matt Thistlethwaite to run for preselection in Kingsford Smith |publisher=ABC News |location=Australia |date=2 July 2013 |accessdate=2 July 2013 }} and gained endorsement on 20 July 2013, defeating Tony Bowen, the mayor of Randwick and son of former Kingsford Smith MP Lionel Bowen.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/pre-selection-voting-underway-to-replace-peter-garrett-in-nsw-seat-of-kingsford-smith/story-fni0cx12-1226682380520 |title=NSW Labor senator Matt Thistlethwaite to replace Peter Garrett in NSW seat of Kingsford Smith |author=Bashan, Yoni |date=20 July 2013 |accessdate=20 July 2013 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia }}

Thistlethwaite was elected as the member for Kingsford Smith at the election held on 7 September 2013. He was one of three people to move from the Senate to the House of Representatives at that election (the others were his ALP colleague David Feeney in Batman and former Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce in New England).

From 18 October 2013 to 23 July 2016, Thistlethwaite served as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Immigration.

From 23 July 2016 to 2 June 2019 he served as Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury.

In 2017 the Australian Labor Party announced a national vote on the republic during the first term of a future Labor government,{{Cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/bill-shorten-vows-to-hold-vote-on-republic-during-first-term-of-a-labor-government-20170728-gxkv15|title=Bill Shorten vows to hold vote on republic during first term of a Labor government}} and appointed Matt Thistlethwaite as the first 'Shadow Assistant Minister for an Australian Head of State'.{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/major-step-in-push-for-australian-republic-labor-appoints-a-shadow-assistant-minister-for-an-australian-head-of-state/news-story/d561ffcd9aeb895db55acf70afcfc679|title=Major step in push for Australian republic: Labor appoints a 'Shadow Assistant Minister for an Australian Head of State'}}

From 2 June 2019 to 28 January 2021 he served as Shadow Assistant Minister for Financial Services.

In 2020, he was elected to replace Joel Fitzgibbon as the Labor Right convenor within the ALP. The Australian reported that "by becoming the NSW factional boss, Thistlethwaite de facto takes the title of national Right convener".{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/strewth/bit-of-a-howler/news-story/dd4c6d22ba8365d9a2ad18c9d257af43|title=Bit of a howler|newspaper=The Australian|first=Alice|last=Workman|date=30 November 2020|access-date=12 June 2021}}

From 28 January 2021 to 23 May 2022 he served as Shadow Assistant Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation.

On 1 June 2022 Thistlethwaite was appointed Assistant Minister for Defence, Assistant Minister for Veterans' Affairs, and Assistant Minister for the Republic in the Albanese ministry. A freedom of information request revealed that as of October 2023, only two documents had been produced and one meeting held in relation to Thistlethwaite's portfolio as Assistant Minister for the Republic. Thistlethwaite had not delivered any speeches, press releases, or ministerial statements.{{Cite web |last=Flint |first=Nicolle |author-link=Nicolle Flint |date=2023-10-28 |title=We now know Anthony Albanese's Assistant Minister for a Republic is doing next to no work - so why does the role still exist? |url=https://www.skynews.com.au/insights-and-analysis/we-now-know-anthony-albaneses-assistant-minister-for-a-republic-is-doing-next-to-no-work-so-why-does-the-role-still-exist/news-story/af35f05dd7961e174dc5474ac3856c62 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Sky News Australia |publisher=News Corp Australia |language=en}}

On 29 July 2024, as part of the Albanese Government's first ministry reshuffle,{{Cite web |last=Bajkowski |first=Julian |date=2024-07-28 |title=Albo’s first reshuffle: Full list of changes |url=https://www.themandarin.com.au/251498-albos-first-ministry-reshuffle-full-list-of-changes/ |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=The Mandarin |language=en-US}} Thistlethwaite was made Assistant Minister for Immigration. The role of Assistant Minister for the Republic is no longer held by anyone in the Albanese Government.

Thistlethwaite has ambitions of becoming a cabinet minister in the future.

Thistlethwaite lives in Matraville with his wife Rachel, a nurse, and their four daughters Amelie, Scarlett, and twins Eliza and Camilla.{{Cite web |last=Co |first=Principle |title=About Matt |url=https://mattthistlethwaite.com.au/about/ |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=Matt Thistlethwaite MP |language=en-AU}}

He has been an active surf lifesaver for over 30 years. He was signed up as a member of the Maroubra surf club at the age of 13 by his father. He has served as the president of the Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club for four years.

Thistlethwaite met former Premier of New South Wales and State Member for Maroubra, Bob Carr through the Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club. He has described Carr as a mentor.

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• {{cite web |url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansards/9ad85bef-6cdf-4332-894f-15d4be804a7b/0203/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf |format=PDF |author=Thistlethwaite, Matt |title=First Speech |date=18 August 2011 |work=Australian Senate |publisher=Parliament of Australia |accessdate=3 July 2013 }}

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Category:1972 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia

Category:Labor Right politicians

Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Kingsford Smith

Category:Members of the Australian Senate for New South Wales

Category:Politicians from Sydney

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Category:Australian MPs 2013–2016

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