HUMANITIES

SENATOR MICHELLE ANANDA-RAJAH'S VISIT TO MCKINNON 

On Wednesday 15 October, the Year 11 Politics and Legal Studies classes were treated to a special visit from Victorian Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah to help elevate our civic engagement and knowledge of Australian politics. 

Born in the UK to Sri Lankan parents, migrating from Zambia as a child, Senator Ananda-Rajah offered a unique, multicultural perspective on many diverse issues challenging Australia’s democracy. Before becoming the first Australian Labor Party (ALP) member in the seat of Higgins in 2022, claiming an unwinnable seat from the Liberals, Ananda-Rajah was an infectious diseases doctor at The Alfred Hospital. 

Currently, Ananda-Rajah resides in the Senate, having become a Victorian Senator for the ALP in 2025, making her one of only 55 individuals to sit in both houses of Parliament since Federation.

Many important topics were discussed, guided by the questions our teachers helped us curate. Elliot Cockle questioned the Senator on her experiences in both houses and how they were different, a very interesting dialogue on how the ALP votes and forms policies, as well as the difference between houses. 

Ananda-Rajah openly talked about her experience as part of the ALP’s ‘caucus solidarity’, where all policy decisions are debated behind closed doors, with members being expected to always vote with the Party or risk being suspended.

Abby Butterworth questioned the Senator about the tension between the ALP’s policy on climate change whilst continuing to back the fossil fuel industry. Ananda-Rajah responded by promoting the improvement her government has made in regard to renewable energy. The Senator spoke about the Capacity Investment Scheme and the Green Energy Statecraft Project, both of which have strong links to our curriculum in VCE Politics.

Lastly, I had an opportunity to ask Ananda-Rajah about the growing anti-immigration protests seen recently across Australia, feeling that she might have some interesting insight as an immigrant herself. The Senator outlined some of the factors that may be contributing to the issue, such as the current housing crisis, but stressed the success of Australia as a multicultural country and the harm that anti-immigrant sentiment has on the young and the vulnerable. She finished the talk by reflecting upon her time as a member of Parliament and the impacts she has made on Australia.

Ultimately, it was an invigorating experience and was highly relevant to our studies in VCE Politics and Legal Studies. I thank Senator Ananda-Rajah and Mrs Masterson for facilitating such a wonderful incursion, as well as the thoughtful and sometimes critical questions asked by my peers, contributing to the further understanding of the Australian political landscape.

Charlotte Nichols

Year 11 student