Simone McGurk is the State Labor Member for Fremantle in the Western Australian Parliament, and the Minister for Child Protection; Women’s Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence and Community Services.
Simone is passionate about all things Fremantle, with a particular focus on quality public schools for local families, long-term transport planning, and the economic revitalisation of our port city.
As a Minister in the McGowan Labor Government, Simone makes it clear she is working to establish a whole-of-government approach to tackling the scourge of family and domestic violence, and is ensuring that our state invests in children during the critical early years to build stronger families and communities.
Simone has served as the Member for Fremantle since the 2013 State Election.
On her website, Simone explains she was raised by her single mother who worked while supporting her five children. Her father had multiple sclerosis and was a long-standing activist in the disability rights movement.
Prior to her election, Simone worked in the union movement for over 22 years. She was one of the first women elected to be an Organiser for the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, before being elected the Assistant State Secretary in 1997. She later worked with the union United Voice.
From 2007, Simone served as Assistant Secretary, and later Secretary, of Unions WA. There, she coordinated the Your Rights at Work Campaign against the Howard Government’s ‘Workchoices’ reforms, and campaigned for more local content and local jobs during WA’s mining boom.
Simone has also worked with Yamatji Land and Sea Council, and as a producer with the ABC.
Simone holds degrees in History from the University of Melbourne and Media from Murdoch University.
In this podcast interview with the Shipping News’ Editor, Michael Barker, Simone canvasses what got her into politics, her experience in the Union movement, some of the key issues arising in her Ministerial portfolios and how they are being tackled, especially homelessness and domestic violence, and her passion for Freo.
Listen now!
