Michelle Ananda-Rajah | |
|---|---|
| Senator for Victoria | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2025 | |
| Preceded by | David Van |
| Member of theAustralian Parliament forHiggins | |
| In office 21 May 2022 – 28 March 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Katie Allen |
| Succeeded by | Division abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1972-12-10)10 December 1972 (age 53)[1] London, England |
| Party | Labor |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne(PhD) University of Sydney(MBBS (Hons)) |
| Profession | Medical doctor |
Michelle Renuka Ananda-Rajah (Tamil:மிசேல் ஆனந்தராஜா;[citation needed] born 10 December 1972) is an Australian politician who is asenator forVictoria since July 2025.[2] A member of theAustralian Labor Party (ALP), she previously served as the member forHiggins in theHouse of Representatives from 2022 to 2025.[3][4] After Higgins was abolished due to a redistribution, Ananda-Rajah was elected to the Senate from the 3rd place on the Labor ticket in the2025 federal election. Her six-year term began on 1 July 2025.
Prior to entering politics, she was a clinician-scientist, and infectious diseases physician.[5]
Ananda-Rajah was born inLondon toSri Lankan Tamil parents who had fled from Sri Lanka in the early 1970s prior to theSri Lankan Civil War.[6] She lived inZambia for 11 years until she moved to Australia as a child.[6] Ananda-Rajah became an Australian citizen in 1996. She renounced her British citizenship in 2021.[1]
Ananda-Rajah obtained herbachelor's degree in medicine and surgery (MBBS) in 1997 and herPhD in 2014 from theUniversity of Sydney.[6]
Ananda-Rajah worked as a clinician-researcher and physician in infectious diseases and general medicine at Alfred Health for 13 years.[7] She is a graduate of University of Sydney with honours and underwent speciality training in Victoria. In 2019, she was awarded a TRIP (Translating Research Into Practice) fellowship by the Medical Research Future Fund and appointed to JAMA Network Open as a statistical and methods reviewer.[7]
Ananda-Rajah has published over 50 scientific papers and held several editorial roles in medical journals.[8]
Ananda-Rajah is the co-founder of Healthcare Workers Australia,[9] a grass roots advocacy group which has campaigned since August 2020 for improved respiratory protection.[5]
Ananda-Rajah was preselected as the Labor candidate for Higgins in July 2021, ahead of the2022 Australian federal election.[10] She trailedLiberal incumbentKatie Allen for most of the night. However, on the seventh count, theGreen 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.[11]
Ananda-Rajah is the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Electric Vehicles alongside Member for KooyongMonique Ryan, and co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Men's Health alongside Member for NichollsSam Birrell.[12] Ananda-Rajah serves on the Procedure Committee, the Health, Aged Care and Sport Committee, and the Public Accounts and Audit Committee.[13]
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.[14] On 30 March 2023, Ananda-Rajah co-chaired a Clean Air Forum featuring Australian Chief Health Officer ProfessorPaul Kelly and former Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.[14]
On 5 September 2024, the Australian Electoral Commission announced its determination that the electorate of Higgins would be abolished at the next Federal election.[15] As a result of the abolishment, Ananda-Rajah then sought election for the senate at the2025 federal election and was preselected as a candidate third on the Victorian Labor senate ticket.[16] She was elected to the Senate at the election, and began her term on 1 July 2025.[17]
In July 2023, Ananda-Rajah travelled to Israel with Speaker of the House of RepresentativesMilton Dick as part of bipartisan Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Israel and the Palestinian Territories in which they met members of theKnesset 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".[18]
Later in December 2023, Ananda-Rajah travelled to Israel following theOctober 7 attacks.[19] Her travel and hospitality were funded byAIJAC.[20][21]
In May 2024, inTemple Beth Israel inMelbourne, Ananda-Rajah criticized the Australian government's UN vote in favour of aUN 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 MinisterPenny Wong after the vote.[22]
In July 2024, In an interview with ABC she criticised senatorFatima 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.[23]
Ananda-Rajah lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children.[7] She is the largest property owner in the Parliament, owning seven residential/investment properties.[24]
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| Preceded by | Member forHiggins 2022–2025 | Division abolished |
| Academics | |
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| People | |
