Michelle Roberts
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The Honourable Michelle Roberts MLA |
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| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia |
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Assumed office 14 December 1996 |
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| Preceded by | None (new seat) |
| Constituency | Midland |
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In office 19 March 1994 – 14 December 1996 |
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| Preceded by | Carmen Lawrence |
| Succeeded by | None (abolished) |
| Constituency | Glendalough |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Michelle Hopkins Thomas 29 February 1960 Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Alma mater | University of Western Australia |
Michelle Hopkins Roberts (née Thomas; born 29 February 1960) is an Australian politician who has been a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia since 1994. She served as a minister in the governments of Geoff Gallop and Alan Carpenter between 2001 and 2008. In November 2015, Roberts became the longest-serving female parliamentarian in Western Australia's history, breaking the record set by Liz Constable. She was a high schoolteacher, civil servant and local government councillor before entering politics.
Roberts was born in Perth, Western Australia, to Frances (née Hopkins) and William Thomas. Her uncle, Chas Hopkins, served as Lord Mayor of Perth. Roberts completed her secondary education at Mercedes College and then went on to the University of Western Australia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree followed by a diploma in education. She taught at John Curtin Senior High School from 1983 until 1987. Roberts left teaching in 1987 to work for the Department of Parliamentary Services, where she stayed until 1989. She then spent periods as a policy officer for the Departments of Local Government (1989 to 1991) and Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare (1993 to 1994), as well as serving as a board member of the East Perth Redevelopment Authority from 1991 to 1993.
Roberts joined the Labor Party in 1978, and has served as a party official at both state and federal level. She was elected to the Perth City Council in 1986 and served as a councillor until 1993, including as deputy lord mayor to Reg Withers from 1992. Roberts first ran for parliament at the 1993 state election, standing unsuccessfully for the Legislative Council in fourth place on Labor's ticket in the East Metropolitan Region. She entered the Legislative Assembly the following year, winning the 1994 Glendalough by-election (caused by the resignation of former premier Carmen Lawrence). Roberts was included in the shadow ministry of Ian Taylor a few months after her election, and remained a shadow minister under Jim McGinty and Geoff Gallop. She transferred to the seat of Midland at the 1996 state election, following the elimination of Glendalough in a redistribution.
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