Dustin Raffaele Halse[1] (born 3 May 1985) is a former Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from November 2018 to November 2022, representing the seat of Ringwood. On 24 November 2021, Halse shared publicly that he would not be recontesting his seat in the 2022 Victorian state election.[2]
Dr Dustin Halse | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Ringwood | |
| In office 24 November 2018 – 26 November 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Dee Ryall |
| Succeeded by | Will Fowles |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 May 1985 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Labor Party |
| Spouse | Rachel Halse |
| Education | PhD Swinburne University of Technology |
| Occupation | Academic, trade union official |
| Website | www |
Early life/education
editHalse was born in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne on 3 May 1985. He completed high school at Trinity College, Perth, before later being educated at Monash University, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Master of International Development and Environmental Analysis.[3] He was awarded a PhD from Swinburne University of Technology in political and labour history in 2015. He wrote his doctoral thesis on the history of Victorian public service unionism, titled, 'From Servants to Citizens'.[4] In 2013, Halse was awarded the inaugural Sam Merrifield prize by the Melbourne Branch of the Labour History Society for his article, 'Citizens who Serve'.[5]
Before entering politics, he worked in retail and hospitality, as a sports coach, university lecturer and fellow, and a trade union official for both the National Tertiary Education Union and the Health Services Union.[6]
Political career
editHalse was preselected for the seat Victorian State District of Ringwood in August 2018, following the withdrawal of former Labor candidate Steve Kent.[7] At the November 2018 election, Halse defeated incumbent Liberal MP, Dee Ryall, with a swing of 7.9% to the Labor Party.
During his first term, Halse advocated for significant reform to Victoria's mental health system, publicly writing about mental ill-health and the need for people to reach out for support: ‘By confronting the culture of silence that surrounds mental illness, we can confront the stigma that so often allows it to prevail’.[8]
In 2019, Halse was appointed Chair of the Wage Theft Community Consultations by then Attorney-General Jill Hennessy, which led to the introduction of Australia’s first wage theft laws. As a trade unionist, Halse has continually argued for a strengthening of Victoria’s industrial and workplace safety laws publicly and in parliamentary debate.[9]
Halse has also written and spoken extensively on homelessness and housing economics, arguing in the Victorian Legislative Assembly that ‘building more social housing can and will make a real difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our community’ and that a 'Housing First' approach is required to address fundamental inequity in the market.[10][11]
On gambling reform, Halse argued that more needs to be done to address problem gambling, remarking in the Victorian Legislative Assembly that the ‘pokie machine industry seeks to exploit often the most acute vulnerabilities of people at their lowest ebb’.[12]
On LGBTIQ rights, Halse argued in favour of banning gay conversion therapy,[13] advocated for birth certificate reform, and called for greater support for PRIDE and LGBTIQ services.[14]
Halse also called for stronger action to mitigate and address Climate Change, and supported the School Strikes for Climate Change movement.[15]
On a number of matters, Halse voiced opinion against government policy. He called for an end to duck shooting in Victoria,[16] and argued against the incarceration of children under the age of 14 as a part of the Raise the Age campaign.[17]
In June 2021, James Newbury MP used the protection of parliamentary privilege to accuse Halse of having a relationship in his parliamentary office. There was no suggestion that Halse's relationship was non-consensual. Reason Party MP Fiona Patten stated Newbury's actions had "dropped to a new low" and noted that ‘when I was first elected here, my partner and I were pretty happy, pretty excited, we may have got a little bit amorous.”[18]
On 24 November 2021, Halse announced that he had chosen not to accept the Labor Party’s invitation to stand for office again at the 2022 Victorian State Election. Premier Daniel Andrews thanked Halse in a public statement: ‘Over the last three years, Dustin has been a passionate and committed representative and advocate for his local community – however, his commitment to improving opportunities for working people is long standing. Driving fairer outcomes for his constituents has been at the centre of his time as a Labor member of parliament’.[19]
In July 2022, Halse was elected Chair of the Integrity and Oversight Committee, replacing Harriet Shing, and subsequently Chair of the Integrity and Oversight Audit Sub-Committee.[20]
On 26 November 2022, Will Fowles was elected the Member for Ringwood, replacing Halse and retaining the seat for the Labor Party.
Personal life
editHalse is married with one child, and remains a resident of the eastern suburbs.[21]
References
edit- ^ "Speech". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ Willingham, Richard (24 November 2021). "Victorian Labor MPs Jill Hennessy, Danielle Green and Dustin Halse not contesting 2022 election". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- ^ Green, Antony (2018). "Ringwood". Victorian State Election 2018. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ Halse, Dustin. "From Servants to Citizens: A History of Victorian Public Service Unionism 1885-1946". Dustin Halse MP. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Sam Merrifield Prize Archives". Labour History Melbourne. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Maidens". parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ egging, kiel. "State election 2018: Labor's Ringwood candidate Steve Kent quits for personal reasons". herald sun.
- ^ Halse, Dustin (1 June 2019). "What would people say? What would people think?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "United, We're All About To Stand In Defence Of Workers' Rights". New Matilda. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ halse, dustin. "Hansard" (PDF).
- ^ "Look to Finland for housing solutions". Eureka Street. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ halse, dustin. "Hansard".
- ^ Victoria, corporatename=Parliament of. "Parliament of Victoria - Search Hansard". hansard.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ Halse, Dr Dustin (16 May 2019). "Tomorrow Is IDAHOBIT Day! And Not A Moment Too Soon". New Matilda. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ Victoria, corporatename=Parliament of. "Parliament of Victoria - Search Hansard". hansard.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "Threatened duck species killed as extended Victorian hunting season begins". the Guardian. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ Ilanbey, Michael Fowler, Sumeyya (18 May 2021). "'Detention damages these children': New push to raise age of criminality above 10". The Age. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Victorian Labor MP accused of 'bonking' in his parliamentary office". 7NEWS. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ "Statement From The Premier | Premier of Victoria". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (31 October 2022). "Opposition accuses Labor of interfering in independent audit of IBAC". The Age. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "Dustin Halse – Member for Ringwood 2018 – 2022". Retrieved 6 January 2023.