MP Biographical Register

Mrs Michelle Hopkins Roberts

Parliamentary Service

House

MLA

Party

Labor
Joined Australian Labor Party 1978
Held various branch positions including secretary and treasurer
Secretary Federal Elected Council Members State Executive 1984–2003
Member Administration Committee 1987–2003
Member National Executive 1988–1991 and from 2002 various national policy committees
Senior vice president WA branch 1997 and 1998–1999
President from 2000
Delegate National Conferences 1988 1991 1994 2002

Date Elected

19 March 1994

Electorate

Midland

Service

Electorates

MLA Glendalough from 19 March 1994 (by-election) to 14 December 1996 (seat abolished in redistribution). Elected to the Thirty-Fourth Parliament for Glendalough at the by-election held on 19 March 1994 to fill the vacancy consequent upon the resignation of Dr Carmen Mary Lawrence. Electorate abolished in the redistribution of 1994.
MLA Midland from 14 December 1996 to present. Elected to the Thirty-Fifth Parliament for Midland (new seat) on 14 December 1996. Re-elected 2001, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2017 and 2021.
Contested state election for East Metropolitan Region, 6 February 1993

Parliamentary Appointments

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 29 April 2021

Office

Minister for Police, Emergency Services, Local Government from 16 February 2001, Minister Assisting Minister for Planning and Infrastructure from 8 March 2001 to 1 July 2001
Minister for Police and Emergency Service from 1 July 2002 to 27 June 2003
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Justice and Community Safety from 27 June 2003 to 26 February 2005
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Community Safety from 10 March 2005
Minister for Housing and Works, Consumer Protection, Heritage, Land Information from 3 February 2006 to 13 December 2006
Minister for Housing and Works, Heritage, Indigenous Affairs, Land Information from 13 December 2006 to 2 March 2007
Minister for Employment Protection, Housing and Works, Indigenous Affairs, Heritage, Land Information from 2 March 2007 to 23 September 2008
Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs, Water Resources, Seniors from 18 October 1994 to 18 March 1996
Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs, Seniors, Planning and Heritage from 18 March 1996 to 14 May 1996
Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs, Planning, Transport from 14 May 1996 to 15 January 1997
Opposition Leader of House Business from 15 January 1997 to 4 August 1999
Shadow Minister for Police, Emergency Services from 15 January 1997 to 10 January 2001
Spokesperson for Crime Prevention from 5 August 1999 to 10 February 2001
Shadow Minister for Education, Women's Interests from 26 September 2008 to 14 February 2011
Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Tourism and Government Accountability 14 February 2011 to 27 January 2012
Shadow Minister for Police; Road Safety; Crime Prevention; Tourism; Manager of Opposition Business 27 January 2012 to 9 April 2013
Shadow Minister for Police; Road Safety; Crime Prevention; Culture and the Arts; Manager of Opposition Business from 9 April 2013 to 11 March 2017
Minister for Police; Road Safety from 17 March 2017 to 19 March 2021

Committees

Member, Select Committee on Recycling and Waste Management from 8 December 1994 to 7 December 1995
Member, Standing Orders and Procedure Committee from 20 March 1997 to 11 August 1999
Member, Select Committee on Crime Prevention from 15 October 1997 to 23 September 1999
Member, Joint House Committee from 20 March 1997 to 11 June 1998
Member, Joint Parliamentary Services Committee from 11 June 1998 to 10 January 2001
Member, Procedure and Privileges Committee from 22 February 2012 to 30 January 2013 (Deputy Chairman from 28 February 2012 to 30 January 2013)
Member, Procedure and Privileges Committee from 9 May 2013 to 30 January 2017. (Deputy Chair from 21 May 2013 to 30 January 2017).
Member, Procedure and Privileges Committee from 12 May 2021 (Chair from 1 June 2021) to present
Member, Parliamentary Services Committee from 12 May 2021 (Chair from 12 May 2021) to present

Parliamentary Party Appointments

Parliamentary Secretary to Caucus from 15 January 1997 to 14 February 2001
Manager of Opposition Business from 27 January 2012 to 11 March 2017

Historical Notes

Longest serving woman MP in WA
First Mother of the House from 5 February 2018
First woman Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 29 April 2021

Private Member's Bills

Equal Opportunity Amendment Bill 2009 Assented to - 1/4/2010 Police Act Amendment (Prohibition of Street Prostitution) Bill 1999 Legislative Assembly Second Reading - 17/11/1999

Inaugural Speech

Year Retired/Resigned

Personal Information

Birth date

29 February 1960

Place of birth

Perth, Western Australia

Death date

Cause of death

Place of death

Cemetery

Arrived in WA

Parents

Daughter of William Power Thomas and Frances Hopkins Thomas, business managers

Marriage and Family

Married 18 December 1983, Mercedes Chapel, Victoria Square, Perth to Gregory Joseph Roberts, son of John Matthew and Joan Mary Canny
Children: three daughters

Religion

Catholic

Education

Sacred Heart, Point Peron
Highgate and North Inglewood primary schools
Mercedes College
University of Western Australia—BA, Dip Ed

Occupation

Research officer and teacher

Employment History

School teacher, John Curtin Senior High School, 1983–1987
Employee, Executive Office, Parliamentary Services, 1987–1989
Senior policy officer, Office of Minister for Local Government, 1989–1991
Senior policy and research officer, Department of Occupation Health and Safety Western Australia, 1993–1994, Perth, 1989

Local Government

Councillor, City of Perth, 1986–1993
Deputy Mayor, 1992–1993
Member, Town of Vincent Advisory Committee, 1994–1995
Delegate, International Union of Local Government Authorities Congress Rome 1987, Perth 1989

Principal Honours

Background/Membership

President, John Curtin Senior High School branch, Teachers’ Union, 1985–1987
Former member, Civil Services Association
Member, East Perth Development Authority Board, 1991–1993
Member, Swan Chamber of Commerce
Member, Festival of Perth Board, 1989–1991, Perth Theatre Trust, 1990–1993
Delegate, Australian Political Exchange to China, 1988
Member, local community groups
Patron, numerous organisations at various times, including:

Tuart Hill Amateur Swimming Club
Leederville Croquet Club
United Districts Racing Pigeon Club
Midland Pensioners, Police Legacy
vice patron, Midland Tennis Club

References

D Black and G Bolton, eds, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia: volume two 1930-2010, Western Australian Parliamentary History Project, Perth, WA, 2011, p. 225. Parliament of Western Australia website. Current Members. Accessed 2 June 2015.

Bibliography

Further Information