Ella Haddad

Eloise Rafia "Ella" Haddad (born 1 February 1978) is an Australian politician. She was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the Labor Party in the Division of Denison at the 2018 state election, and is currently the member for Clark after Denison was renamed.[1]

Haddad graduated with degrees in arts and law from the University of Tasmania and then worked for Duncan Kerr SC MP, the federal member for Denison. Haddad also worked for several Labor members of the Tasmanian Parliament as a legal and policy adviser. These included roles in the offices of former Attorneys-General of Tasmania, Judy Jackson and her successor, Steve Kons, Lisa Singh when she was a member of the Tasmanian Parliament, and Rebecca White MP. She has served as Secretary of the Tasmanian Branch of the International Commission of Jurists, including participating in international conferences. Haddad has also served as President of the Tasmanian branch of the Fabian Society, a left wing think tank researching progressive political ideas and public policy reform. Haddad commenced further study as a postgraduate student at the University of Tasmania.[2]

Since Haddad entered Parliament she has been known to champion progressive policy. As Shadow-Attorney General in 2018, she drafted legislation to improve recognition and respect of transgender rights in the State, including removing laws that forced transgender Tasmanians to undergo invasive reassignment surgery before being able to have the gender marker on their birth certificate.

Haddad was also caught up in state MP David O’Byrne’s sexual harassment claims of 2021. Haddad’s long time friend, raised harassment complaints against O’Byrne , and Haddad supported the then Leader of the State Labor party (O’Byrne) instead of her friend. This led to many commentators claiming Haddad was hypocritical during the saga, not supporting her friend. Haddad claims she did nothing wrong. [3]