Labor senator Jacinta Collins has announced she’ll be leaving politics at the next federal election.
The senator from Victoria first entered parliament in 1995 when a casual vacancy was created by the death of Senator Olive Zakharov. At the 2004 election she lost her office when Senator Steve Fielding from Family First was elected. Senator Collins returned to the parliament in 2007 when Senator Robert Ray retired.
Senator Collins was opposed to marriage equality and argued that supporting the move to allow same sex marriage would not be accepted by Labor’s base. In the past the senator has also expressed a view that single women and lesbians should not be given access to IVF technology.
In 2013 Senator Collins was appointed to the position of Minister for Mental Health when Kevin Rudd was returned to being the Prime Minister. There was concern in the LGBTI communities given the senator’s history of opposing gay rights. Senator Collins said her views had often been misrepresented in the media.
Senator Collins did not participate n the vote regarding the same-sex marriage bills as she was away from parliament on the day of the vote, having being given a pair. More recently Senator Collins has argued that religious based schools should not have the right to expel students based on their sexulaity or gender identity.
In a statement earlier this week Senator Collins said she was proud of her work in parliament but eager to disover a better work / life balance.
“I have been grappling with challenging family health issues for several years and I am keen to pursue a better work and family balance,” Senator Collins said.
Labor leader Bill Shorten said Senator Collins had helped the party reach out to faith-based communities and multicultural Australians.
“Jacinta has won a reputation as a smart, fearless and determined parliamentarian,” the Labor leader said in a statement. “After more than two decades in Canberra, Jacinta has certainly earned the right to spend more time with her family.”
OIP Staff
