Thomas Emerson (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| birthname =

| birth_date = 1993

| name = Thomas Emerson

| office1 = Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly for Kurrajong

| term_start1 = 19 October 2024

| term_end1 =

| office2 = Leader of Independents for Canberra

| term_start2 = 29 January 2024

| term_end2 =

| alongside =

| caption =

| alt =

| image = TEmerson.jpg

| honorific-suffix = MLA

| children =

| birth_place =

| profession =

| occupation =

| spouse =

| relations = Craig Emerson (father)

| party = Independents for Canberra (since 2024)

| otherparty = David Pocock (2022){{Cite tweet |number=1844886208423526475 |user=EmersonACT |title=Never been a member of a political party, except @INDforCBR which we've registered as a party to get our own column on the ballot paper. Oh and I was on David Pocock's party membership list when he did the same thing. |first=Thomas |last=Emerson |date=2024-10-12 |access-date=2024-10-20 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241019134859/https://x.com/EmersonACT/status/1844886208423526475 |archive-date=2024-10-19}}

| nationality = Australian

| citizenship =

}}

Thomas Emerson (born 1993) is an Australian politician who is currently a member for the seat of Kurrajong in the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. He is the leader and co-founder of Independents for Canberra.{{cite news |last1=Bovill |first1=Monte |title=Emerson could become first independent in the ACT assembly in 20 years |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-19/2024-act-election-follow-live/104477892#live-blog-post-129098 |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=ABC News |date=19 October 2024 |language=en-AU}}

Early life

From the age of 16, Emerson spent seven years with chronic hip, lower back and shoulder problems.{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Amy |title=The new way to move your body in Canberra's Praksis |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7085924/the-new-way-to-get-up-and-move-your-body/ |publisher=The Canberra Times |access-date=19 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118003035/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7085924/the-new-way-to-get-up-and-move-your-body/ |archive-date=18 January 2021 |date=18 January 2021}} After graduating with a philosophy degree from the Australian National University (ANU) in 2017, he founded Praksis, a Canberra-based movement studio.{{cite web |title=What I learned working for David Pocock |url=https://canberradaily.com.au/thomas-emerson-what-i-learned-working-for-david-pocock/ |publisher=Canberra Daily |access-date=19 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902211802/https://canberradaily.com.au/thomas-emerson-what-i-learned-working-for-david-pocock/ |archive-date=2 September 2024 |date=31 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=Thomas Emerson |url=https://praksis.com.au/bios/emerson |website=praksis.com.au |date=21 February 2020 |access-date=19 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241010012021/https://praksis.com.au/bios/emerson |archive-date=10 October 2024}}

Political career

During the 2022 federal election, Emerson volunteered for independent candidate David Pocock.{{cite web |title=THOMAS EMERSON |url=https://www.independentsforcanberra.com/thomas |publisher=Independents for Canberra |access-date=19 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003041319/https://www.independentsforcanberra.com/thomas |archive-date=3 October 2024}} After Pocock was successful in his election as an ACT senator, Emerson began to work for him as an advisor.{{cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Patrick |title=ACT election campaign mode is on, and the formula for winning power is unlike anywhere else in the country |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-13/act-territory-election-caretaker-period-campaign-mode-is-on/104345798 |publisher=ABC News |access-date=19 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241010070015/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-13/act-territory-election-caretaker-period-campaign-mode-is-on/104345798 |archive-date=10 October 2024 |date=13 September 2024}}

In January 2024, Emerson co-founded Independents for Canberra (IFC) ahead of the 2024 ACT election.{{cite news |last=Twyford |first=Lottie |date=29 January 2024 |title=Party of community independents to contest ACT election after being inspired by Senator David Pocock's success |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-29/party-of-community-independents-to-contest-act-election/103398556 |access-date=17 March 2024 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |location=Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |archive-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001155823/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-29/party-of-community-independents-to-contest-act-election/103398556}} On 31 May, IFC announced Emerson and Sara Poguet as the party's lead candidates for the electorate of Kurrajong.{{cite web |title=Independents for Canberra Announces Lead Candidates for Kurrajong and Murrumbidgee |url=https://www.independentsforcanberra.com/240531mr |publisher=Independent Council Candidate Paul Noack |access-date=19 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613141653/https://www.independentsforcanberra.com/240531mr |archive-date=13 June 2024 |date=31 May 2024}} Emerson, along with Fiona Carrick (who contested with her own Fiona Carrick Independent party) became the first independents elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in 23 years.{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=Georgia |title=The independent wave hits the ACT as Andrew Barr promises a 'progressive and stable' crossbench |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-20/the-independent-wave-hits-the-act/104493814 |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=ABC News |date=19 October 2024 |language=en-AU}}{{cite news |last1=Glenday |first1=James |title='An "It's Time" vibe': The independents hoping to shake up Canberra's status quo |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-20/what-influence-might-independents-have-on-the-act-election/104373246 |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=ABC News |date=20 September 2024 |language=en-AU}}

Personal life

Emerson's father is Craig Emerson, who served as the federal Minister for Small Business and Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in the Rudd-Gillard government.{{cite news |title=Party of community independents to contest ACT election after being inspired by Senator David Pocock's success |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-29/party-of-community-independents-to-contest-act-election/103398556 |newspaper=ABC News|date=28 January 2024 }}

References

Category:Living people

Category:1993 births

Category:Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly

Category:21st-century Australian politicians

Category:Australian political party founders