Ash Ambihaipahar
Australian politician
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Ashvini "Ash" Ambihaipahar (/ˌæmbiːˈheɪpəhɑːr/ AM-bee-HAY-pə-har;[1][2]; born 24 April 1987) is a member of the Australian House of Representatives representing the Division of Barton for the Australian Labor Party. She replaced the retired member Linda Burney, securing a four-point swing at the 2025 Australian federal election.[3]
24 April 1987
Ash Ambihaipahar | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Barton | |
| Assumed office 3 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Linda Burney |
| Councillor of Georges River Council for Mortdale Ward | |
| In office 21 September 2022 – 27 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Warren Tegg |
| Succeeded by | Gerard Hayes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ashvini Ambihaipahar 24 April 1987 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Party | Labor |
| Education | Danebank |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney (BSc), University of Technology Sydney (JD) |
| Occupation | Politician Solicitor |
Ambihaipahar was born on 24 April 1987 in Sydney and is of Sri Lankan Tamil origin.[4][5][6] She grew up in Narwee and Hurstville and attended Hurstville Public School and Danebank.[7][8] She completed a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Anatomy and Histology and Cell Pathology, at the University of Sydney in 2008.[9] She achieved a postgraduate Juris Doctor degree from the University of Technology Sydney in 2013[9] and has been a practicing solicitor working in the area of employment and industrial law.[3]
Ambihaipahar was elected at a countback election to represent the Mortdale Ward on Georges River Council in 2022[8] and was the Labor candidate for Oatley at the 2023 New South Wales state election. She narrowly lost the seat of Oatley to sitting Liberal member Mark Coure.[10][11] In June 2023, she became a Regional Director at the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW.[8] She was re-elected to Council in 2024.[12]
A member of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor Left faction, Ambihaipahar's pre-selection for seat of Barton was confirmed by the 21-member Australian Labor Party National Executive in December 2024 with the right faction boycotting the vote.[13] After being elected to represent Barton at the 2025 federal election, she resigned her position on Council in May 2025.[14]