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Michelle Renuka Ananda-Rajah (Tamil: மிசேல் ஆனந்தராஜா; born 10 December 1972) is an Australian politician. Ananda-Rajah was elected for the Division of Higgins in the 2022 Australian federal election as a member of the Australian Labor Party. Prior to entering politics, she was a clinician-scientist, and infectious diseases physician.

Early life

Ananda-Rajah was born in London to Tamil parents who had fled from Sri Lanka in the early 1970s prior to the Sri Lankan Civil War. She lived in Zambia for 11 years until she moved to Australia as a child. Ananda-Rajah became an Australian citizen in 1996. She renounced her British citizenship in 2021.

Ananda-Rajah achieved her bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery (MBBS) in 1997 and her PhD in 2014 from the University of Sydney.

Career

Ananda-Rajah worked as a clinician-researcher and physician in infectious diseases and general medicine at Alfred Health for 13 years. She is a graduate of USyd with honours and underwent speciality training in Victoria. In 2019, she was awarded a prestigious TRIP (Translating Research Into Practice) fellowship by the Medical Research Future Fund and appointed to JAMA Network Open as a statistical and methods reviewer.

Ananda-Rajah has published over 50 scientific papers and held several editorial roles in medical journals.

Ananda-Rajah is the co-founder of Healthcare Workers Australia, a grass roots advocacy group which has campaigned since August 2020 for improved respiratory protection.

Politics

Ananda-Rajah was preselected as the Labor candidate for Higgins in July 2021, ahead of the 2022 Australian federal election. She trailed Liberal incumbent Katie Allen for most of the night. However, on the seventh count, the Green candidate's preferences flowed overwhelmingly to Ananda-Rajah. This gave Ananda-Rajah a 2.4% swing in primary vote and a 4.6% swing in two party preferred vote, to win the seat with a two party preferred vote of 52%, or a little under 4,000 votes. By winning, Ananda-Rajah became the first Labor member for Higgins in the seat's 73-year history.

Ananda-Rajah is the Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Electric Vehicles alongside Member for Kooyong Monique Ryan, and Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Men's Health alongside Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell. Ananda-Rajah serves on the Procedure Committee, the Health, Aged Care and Sport Committee, and the Public Accounts and Audit Committee.

Since becoming elected, Ananda-Rajah has driven efforts within the Albanese Government to prioritise indoor air quality and clean air in combatting infectious disease and other adverse health impacts. On 30 March 2023, Ananda-Rajah co-chaired a Clean Air Forum featuring Australian Chief Health Officer Professor Paul Kelly and former Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.

On 5 September 2024, the Australian Electoral Commission announced its determination that the electorate of Higgins would be abolished at the next Federal election.

Middle East

In July 2023 Ananda-Rajah travelled to Israel with Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick as part of bipartisan Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Territories in which they met members of the Knesset on national security, judicial reform, gender equity, climate change and innovation. During that trip She said "Our cultural and historic ties with Israel run deep and we look forward to strengthening the relationship".

In September 2023, in Zionism Victoria executive meeting she defended the Australian government’s decision to classify the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as “Occupied Palestinian Territories”

Later in December 2023 Ananda-Rajah travelled to Israel following the October 7 attacks. Her travel and hospitality were funded by AIJAC.

In May 2024, in Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne, Ananda-Rajah criticized the Australian government's UN vote in favour of a UN General Assembly Draft Resolution to urge the UN Security Council to recognise the State of Palestine, elevating the Palestinian Authority, saying she felt "very conflicted" and that she “had a conversation” with Foreign Minister Penny Wong after the vote.

In July 2024, In an interview with ABC she criticized senator Fatima Payman for crossing the floor in favour of immediately recognising a Palestinian state, contrary to Labor party policy that recognition should come as part of progress towards a two-state solution.

Personal life

Ananda-Rajah lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children. She is the largest property owner in the Parliament, owning seven residential/investment properties.

References

1. ^ "QUALIFICATION CHECKLIST" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
2. "Labor on track to win marginal seats of Chisholm and Higgins from Liberal Party". ABC News. 21 May 2022. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
3. "Too little too late: voters turn on Morrison in affluent seat of Higgins". the Guardian. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
4. "Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah". Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
5. ^ Sanchayan, Kulasegaram; Dixon, Carl (15 August 2022). "'I represent Australia's migrant story': Tamil-origin MP says diverse parliament benefits all". SBS. Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
6. ^ "Michelle Ananda-Rajah". Q+A. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
7. "'I represent Australia's migrant story': Tamil-origin MP says diverse parliament benefits all". SBS Language. Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
8. "Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah". Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
9. "Labor preselects outspoken AstraZeneca critic to run as candidate in Higgins".
10. "Higgins (Key Seat) - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
11. Parliament of Australia. "Parliamentary Friendship Groups (non-country)". www.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
12. Parliament of Australia. "Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP". www.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
13. ^ Mannix, Liam (30 March 2023). "Indoor air quality becomes a national priority, but critics claim it will cost billions". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
14. Australian Electoral Commission. "Victorian federal redistribution". Federal redistributions. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
15. Staff, Ajn. "'Historic, multi-partisan delegation'". www.australianjewishnews.com. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
16. Staff, Ajn. "MP addresses Zionism Victoria". www.australianjewishnews.com. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
17. Knott, Matthew (6 December 2023). "Simon Birmingham, Josh Burns lead cross-party visit to Israel". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
18. "The private interests of Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP". Open Politics. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
19. "Israel-Hamas Conflict". michelleforhiggins.com.au. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
20. "Labor MP 'conflicted' by UN vote – The Australian Jewish News". www.australianjewishnews.com. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
21. Visontay, Elias; Remeikis, Amy; Remeikis (earlier), Amy (4 July 2024). "Senator says PM's office planted seed about crossing floor – as it happened". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
22. "How many properties do politicians own? A public register of their interests provides the answer". ABC News.

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