Sharryn Jackson

Sharryn Maree Jackson (born 12 February 1962), Australian politician, is an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives. She served one term from 2001 representing the Division of Hasluck before losing the seat at the 2004 federal election. She is currently serving a second term, having regained the seat at the 2007 federal election.

Personal life

Jackson was born in Perth, Western Australia, to parents from Midland and Guildford.cite news
first = Wendy
last = Pryer
title = Candidate looks to follow a notable pioneer for women.
publisher = The West Australian
date = 2001-11-06
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ] During her early childhood, she travelled throughout rural Western Australia with her family.cite web
url = http://www.alp.org.au/people/wa/jackson_sharryn.php
title = Sharryn Jackson - Candidate for Hasluck
accessdate = 2007-08-29
publisher = Australian Labor Party
archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20041106085547/http://www.alp.org.au/people/wa/jackson_sharryn.php
archivedate = 2004-11-06] In her teenage years, she lived at the Swanleigh Boarding Hostel in Middle Swan, and attended Lockridge Senior High School.She went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in English, at the University of Western Australia.

In 1999, Jackson was included on the honour roll celebrating the centenary of women's suffrage in Western Australia.cite news
author = Staff writer
title = The voter's choice - Election 2001
publisher = The Australian
page = 8
date = 2001-11-01
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ]

Today, Jackson lives with her de facto partner John in Gooseberry Hill. She has two stepchildren.

Union work

After graduating from university, she was the women's officer of the Western Australian Trades and Labor Council. For the 15 years prior to her entry into politics, she was, firstly, the Industrial Officer, and later the Assistant State Secretary of the Miscellaneous Workers Union.

2001 Federal election

After being overlooked by the Richard Court-led State Coalition Government for a posting as Commissioner of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission, in mid-2000 Jackson resolved to run for Federal Parliament.

After the electoral redistribution which created the Division of Hasluck for the 2001 Australian Federal election, the electorate was notionally held by Labor with a margin of 2.55 per cent. In the election, Jackson polled a lower primary vote than Liberal contender Bethwyn Chan, [cite news
first = Roger
last = Martin
title = Surviving on beginner's luck - Election 2004
publisher = The Australian
page = 8
date = 2004-09-08
accessdate = 2007-08-28
quote = At the last election Ms Jackson polled lower than her Liberal opponent, but minor party preferences enabled her to sneak over the line.
archiveurl =
archivedate = ] but won the seat after a distribution of minor party preferences gave her a margin of 1.8 per cent.cite news
author = Staff writer
title = Young home owners could be the key
publisher = The Sunday Times
page = 1
date = 2004-09-05
accessdate = 2007-08-29
quote = This seat is held by Labor's Sharryn Jackson but with a 1.8 per cent margin it is there for the taking. ]

Member for Hasluck (2001 to 2004)

In 2004, Jackson was vocal in her criticism of Deckers Outdoor Corporation's campaign to enforce trademarks on the generic term "ugg boot", and helped to establish a successful fighting fund to challenge their trademarks. [cite news
author = Staff writer
title = Ugg fund aims to give Deckers the boot
work = ABC News
publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation
date = 2004-03-20
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ]

Another issue Jackson pursued during her term in office was the establishment of a university in the eastern suburbs of Perth, an area not currently served by any of Western Australia's five universities.cite news
first = Wendy
last = Pryer
title = Investigation lets Libs off Hasluck hook HASLUCK
publisher = The West Australian
page = 13
date = 2004-10-08
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ]

2004 Federal election

At the 2004 Federal election, Jackson faced a challenge from first-time election candidate Stuart Henry. During the election campaign, Henry's electoral team sent campaign materials to households in the electorate in which Henry was described as "Member for Hasluck", sparking complaints to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) by the WA Labor Party. [cite news
first = Monica
last = Videnieks
title = Liberal letter suggests Hasluck candidate is MP
publisher = The West Australian
page = 12
date = 2004-10-01
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ] Jackson said it was part of a "dirty tricks" campaign by Henry, even though the AEC concluded that the letters were not directly misleading.

In the poll, there was a swing away from Labor in the electorate, which rendered the electorate marginally Liberal, and handed the seat to Stuart Henry.

Post-election defeat

Following her defeat in the 2004 election, Jackson worked as Chief of Staff for State MP Bob Kucera, who was the Minister for Sport and Recreation.cite news
first = Jessica
last = Strutt
title = Labor chief gets $100,000 to run 'propaganda' unit
publisher = The West Australian
page = 4
date = 2006-05-20
accessdate = 2007-08-29
quote = WA taxpayers are paying ALP State president Sharryn Jackson $100,000 a year to head up a Government unit which senior Labor figures admit pumps out political propaganda for the party. ]

Jackson was appointed by Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter as Director of the "Community Cabinet and Liaison Unit", part of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, in May 2005.cite news
first = Jessica
last = Strutt
title = ALP chief quits spin job in new bid for seat
publisher = The West Australian
page = 6
date = 2007-05-02
accessdate = 2007-08-29] Her employment in this role drew criticism, since the job was not advertised and the role was already being filled by other public servants. It was also a controversial appointment because she kept her $120,000-value Ministerial Chief of Staff salarycite news
first = Jessica
last = Strutt
title = Carpenter appointed spin chief
publisher = The West Australian
page = 7
date = 2006-05-26
accessdate = 2007-08-29
quote = Alan Carpenter personally parachuted ALP State president Sharryn Jackson into her $120,000-a-year role running a State Government propaganda unit without advertising the position and when there were already senior public servants doing the job. ] and the unit's primary role was as a "propaganda machine" creating promotional material for Government members but not for other members.

She was elected as Western Australian State President of the Australian Labor Party in November 2005, defeating Sarah Burke in a tight contest. [cite news
author = Staff writer
title = WA: "Baby Burke" fails in bid to become WA Labor president
work = General News
publisher = Australian Associated Press
date = 2005-11-27
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ] She took over this position from Michelle Roberts, a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. Jackson signalled that she intended to bridge the widening divisions between the different factions within the State Labor Party. [cite news
first = Robert
last = Taylor
title = Right on rise as Burke comes close
publisher = The West Australian
page = 4
date = 2005-11-28
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ] Jackson was re-elected State President in June 2006, again defeating Sarah Burke. [cite news
author = Staff writer
title = Burke loses Labor tussle
publisher = The Daily Telegraph
page = 14
date = 2006-06-26
accessdate = 2007-08-29
quote = Ms Jackson retained her position as branch president winning 172 votes to Ms Burke's 135. ]

After initially considering running for the Division of Brand in the forthcoming 2007 Federal election to replace outgoing member Kim Beazley, [cite news
author = Samantha Maiden
coauthors = Elizabeth Gosch
title = Gray may replace Beazley
publisher = The Australian
page = 2
date = 2007-01-18
accessdate = 2007-08-29

] Jackson announced in January 2007 that she intended to once again seek Labor Party endorsement for the seat of Hasluck.cite news
author = Staff writer
title = WA: State ALP President seeks endorsement for Hasluck
work = General News
publisher = Australian Associated Press
date = 2007-01-18
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ] She also signalled her intention to resign from the ALP State Presidency if she gained endorsement. Also nominating for endorsement was Silvia Barzotto, from Labor's "New Right" faction. [cite news
first = Amanda
last = O'Brien
title = Labor turns up heat on marginals
publisher = The Australian
page = 8
date = 2007-02-09
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ] Jackson secured Labor endorsement in the endorsement ballots of February 2007. [cite news
author = Staff writer
title = Key ALP players endorsed
publisher = The West Australian
page = 4
date = 2007-02-20
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ]

She quit her position within the Department of Premier and Cabinet in March 2007, [cite news
first = Jessica
last = Strutt
title = ALP chief quits spin job in new bid for seat
publisher = The West Australian
page = 6
date = 2007-05-02
accessdate = 2007-08-29
quote = A Government spokesman said Ms Jackson resigned as director in March and was under no obligation to do so to contest Hasluck. ] and was succeeded as State ALP President by Sally Talbot in June 2007. [cite news
author = Staff writer
title = MLC elected Party President Sally Talbot, WA ALP President
work = ABC News
publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation
date = 2007-06-04
accessdate = 2007-08-29 ]

2007 Federal election

Jackson was a successful candidate at the 2007 federal election, regaining her old seat of Hasluck.

Jackson was potentially aided in her campaign by voter discontent relating to a Government decision to allow the construction of a brick works in the electorate, against the wishes of the sitting member, Stuart Henry. [cite news
first = Elizabeth
last = Gosch
title = Roads cash not enough to calm anger over brickworks
publisher = The Australian
page = 8
date = 2007-10-26
accessdate = 2007-11-09
quote = Although Mr Henry led numerous community protests against the brickworks, he could not convince his Canberra colleagues to reject the proposal. ]

Mirroring an election promise made by John Howard when he was visiting the electorate the previous week, Jackson announced that Labor would undertake major roads funding in Hasluck, including the construction of a grade-separated interchange at Great Eastern Highway and Roe Highway, to cost $48 million. [cite news
author = Staff writer
coauthors =
title = Labor promises highway cash
work = Hills Gazette
publisher = News Limited
page = 5
date = 2007-11-02
accessdate = 2007-11-09
quote = HASLUCK Labor candidate Sharryn Jackson has announced a Federal Labor government would spend $48 million on upgrading the intersection of Roe Highway and Great Eastern Highway. ]

References

Persondata
NAME=Jackson, Sharryn Maree
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH=12 February 1962
PLACE OF BIRTH=Perth, Western Australia, Australia
DATE OF DEATH=living
PLACE OF DEATH=