Michelle Ananda-Rajah
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Michelle Ananda-Rajah | |
|---|---|
| Senator for Victoria | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2025 | |
| Preceded by | David Van |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Higgins | |
| In office 21 May 2022 – 28 March 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Katie Allen |
| Succeeded by | Division abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 December 1972[1] London, England |
| Party | Labor |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne (PhD) University of Sydney (MBBS (Hons)) |
| Profession | Medical doctor |
Michelle Renuka Ananda-Rajah (Tamil: மிசேல் ஆனந்தராஜா;[citation needed] born 10 December 1972) is an Australian politician who is a senator for Victoria since July 2025.[2] A member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), she previously served as the member for Higgins in the House of Representatives from 2022 to 2025.[3][4] After Higgins was abolished due to a redistribution, Ananda-Rajah was elected to the Senate from the 3rd place on the Labor ticket in the 2025 federal election. Her six-year term began on 1 July 2025.
Prior to entering politics, she was a clinician-scientist, and infectious diseases physician.[5]
Ananda-Rajah was born in London to Sri Lankan Tamil parents who had fled from Sri Lanka in the early 1970s prior to the Sri Lankan Civil War.[6] She lived in Zambia for 11 years until she moved to Australia as a child.[6] Ananda-Rajah became an Australian citizen in 1996. She renounced her British citizenship in 2021.[1]
Ananda-Rajah obtained her bachelor's degree in medicine and surgery (MBBS) in 1997 and her PhD in 2014 from the University of Sydney.[6]
Career
Ananda-Rajah worked as a clinician-researcher and physician in infectious diseases and general medicine at Alfred Health for 13 years.[7] She is a graduate of University of Sydney with honours and underwent speciality training in Victoria. In 2019, she was awarded a TRIP (Translating Research Into Practice) fellowship by the Medical Research Future Fund and appointed to JAMA Network Open as a statistical and methods reviewer.[7]
Ananda-Rajah has published over 50 scientific papers and held several editorial roles in medical journals.[8]
Ananda-Rajah is the co-founder of Healthcare Workers Australia,[9] a grass roots advocacy group which has campaigned since August 2020 for improved respiratory protection.[5]
Political career
Ananda-Rajah was preselected as the Labor candidate for Higgins in July 2021, ahead of the 2022 Australian federal election.[10] She trailed Liberal incumbent Katie Allen for most of the night. However, on the seventh count, the Green candidate's preferences flowed overwhelmingly to Ananda-Rajah. This gave Ananda-Rajah a 2.4% swing in primary vote and a 4.6% swing in two party preferred vote, to win the seat with a two party preferred vote of 52%, or a little under 4,000 votes. By winning, Ananda-Rajah became the first Labor member for Higgins in the seat's 73-year history.[11]
Ananda-Rajah is the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Electric Vehicles alongside Member for Kooyong Monique Ryan, and co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Men's Health alongside Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell.[12] Ananda-Rajah serves on the Procedure Committee, the Health, Aged Care and Sport Committee, and the Public Accounts and Audit Committee.[13]
Since becoming elected, Ananda-Rajah has driven efforts within the Albanese Government to prioritise indoor air quality and clean air in combatting infectious disease and other adverse health impacts.[14] On 30 March 2023, Ananda-Rajah co-chaired a Clean Air Forum featuring Australian Chief Health Officer Professor Paul Kelly and former Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.[14]
On 5 September 2024, the Australian Electoral Commission announced its determination that the electorate of Higgins would be abolished at the next Federal election.[15] As a result of the abolishment, Ananda-Rajah then sought election for the senate at the 2025 federal election and was preselected as a candidate third on the Victorian Labor senate ticket.[16] She was elected to the Senate at the election, and began her term on 1 July 2025.[17]
