Reba Meagher

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Reba Meagher
Minister for Health
In office
2 April 2007 – 5 September 2008
Preceded byJohn Hatzistergos
Succeeded byJohn Della Bosca
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for Cabramatta
In office
22 October 1994 – 17 September 2008
Preceded byJohn Newman
Succeeded byNick Lalich
Personal details
Born (1967-09-11) 11 September 1967 (age 56)
Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLabor Party
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
OccupationTrade unionist

Reba Paige Meagher (born 11 September 1967) is a former Australian politician who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the electoral district of Cabramatta. She was a minister in various portfolios from 2003 to 2008, including Minister for Health. On 6 September 2008 Meagher announced that she would not be seeking a ministerial appointment from new Premier Nathan Rees.[1] On 13 September 2008 she announced her retirement from politics. She formally resigned on 17 September 2008.[2]

Early life[edit]

Meagher was born in 1967 in Caringbah, New South Wales, the daughter of Les Meagher, a printer for the Sydney Morning Herald.[3] She received her Higher School Certificate from Endeavour High School in 1985. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney in 1989, and a Master of Labour Law and Relations in 1992.[4][5]

Political career[edit]

Meagher declared on 7 November 2008 at an inquiry that, just over an hour after the Cabramatta MP John Newman had been shot in front of his fiancee on 5 September 1994, the then Labor Party head John Della Bosca, offered the seat to Reba Meagher, confirming an offer he had first made hours before the killing.[6]

Since entering Parliament, Meagher served in a number of ministerial and sub-ministerial positions:

  • Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Transport and Minister for Roads on matters concerning Roads (April 1999 to March 2002)
  • Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Police (March 2003 to April 2003)
  • Minister for Fair Trading (April 2003 to January 2005)
  • Minister Assisting the Minister for Commerce (April 2003 to January 2005)
  • Minister for Youth (January 2005 to April 2007)
  • Minister for Community Services (January 2005 to April 2007)
  • Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (November 2006 to April 2007)
  • Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship (November 2006 to April 2007)
  • Minister for Health (April 2007 to September 2008)

She also served on a number of Parliamentary Committees:

  • Member, Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and the Police Integrity Commission (May 1995 to April 1998)
  • Member, Legislative Assembly Standing Ethics Committee (May 1995 to March 1999)
  • Member, Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption (May 1995 to March 1999)
  • Member, Joint Standing Committee upon Small Business (November 1996 to March 1999)
  • Member, Joint Select Committee into Injecting Rooms (June 1997 to February 1998)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Doomed Reba Meagher quits". news.com.au. 6 September 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
  2. ^ "Reba Meagher formally resigns". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 September 2008.
  3. ^ Murphy, Damien; Robins, Brian (16 September 2008). "Now even Rees rues the Grim Reba". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Ltd. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
  4. ^ "Meagher, Reba Paige". Australian Women. Retrieved 2 March 2007.
  5. ^ "The Hon. Reba Paige Meagher (1967- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  6. ^ "I was offered seat the night MP was shot: Reba Meagher". 8 November 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2016.

External links[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Health
2007–2008
Succeeded by
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Cabramatta
1994–2008
Succeeded by