Roshena Campbell

Roshena Campbell is an Australian barrister and politician. Since 2020, she has served as a member of the City of Melbourne council. Campbell unsuccessfully contested the Division of Aston for the Liberal Party of Australia in the 2023 by-election.

Roshena Campbell
Councillor of the City of Melbourne
Assumed office
2020
Personal details
Political partyLiberal
Other political
affiliations		Team Sally Capp
SpouseJames Campbell
Children3
Alma materMonash University Faculty of Law
OccupationBarrister, politician

Early life and education

Campbell's parents migrated from India to Sydney, New South Wales in the 1970s.[1] Speaking on her upbringing, Campbell stated that her parents were small business owners who supported the Liberal premiership of John Howard and the tenure of Peter Costello as Treasurer.[2]

At age 17, Campbell moved to Melbourne by herself.[3] She attended the Monash University Faculty of Law, and also the University of Melbourne where she received a Master of Law degree in 2010.[2]

Career

After graduating from Monash University, Campbell worked for leading commercial law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth.[4] She went on to become a commercial and public law barrister in 2016.[2] Campbell was elected a City of Melbourne councillor in the 2020 election. She was among the members of the council elected in alliance with Sally Capp.[5]

As a councillor, Campbell has criticised what she calls "anti-car measures". In September 2022, Campbell stood down from her position as deputy chair of the council's transport portfolio after criticising the City of Melbourne's bike lane rollout. Campbell argued the bike lane rollout was increasing traffic congestion and stunting the CBD’s economic recovery.[6]

Campbell has been a vocal opponent of a drug injecting room in the City of Melbourne.[7]

In 2021 Campbell became a regular contributor to The Age.[8]

2021 parliamentary selection effort

In 2021, the Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported that Campbell who had been considered a potential Senate preselection candidate instead sought preselection for the Division of Casey in the 2022 federal election. The AFR reported that journalist and former Liberal staffer James Campbell, the husband of the candidate, supported her pre-selection and became the primary carer of their children during the preselection period.[9]

2023 Aston by-election
Main article: 2023 Aston by-election

In 2023, Campbell contested the Division of Aston in a 2023 by-election following the resignation of Liberal MP Alan Tudge.[10] Campbell was selected as the Liberal candidate by the state party's administration committee, defeating preselection candidates oncologist Ranjana Srivastava and former Liberal MP Cathrine Burnett-Wake. During the selection process, Campbell received the support of former MP and Treasurer of Australia Josh Frydenberg.[11][12]

Had Campbell won, she would have made history as the first woman of Indian descent to serve as a Liberal member of parliament.[13] Campbell ultimately lost the by-election to Mary Doyle, the candidate of the Labor Party.[14] During her concession speech, Campbell stated that "I will always be proud to be a Liberal and I will always be proud to be Australian because we live in the greatest country in the world."[15]

Personal life

Campbell is married to News Corporation political editor James Campbell and is the mother of three children.[3][16] Campbell resides in Brunswick, Victoria.[1]

References
  1. Willingham, Richard (2023-03-31). "As Labor battles history and voter apathy in Aston, a Liberal loss would spell disaster". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  2. Hui, Jin (2023-03-27). "Liberal candidate Roshena Campbell in her own words". Ferntree Gully Star Mail. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  3. Patrick, Aaron (2021-11-22). "She was a star Liberal candidate. The party passed". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  4. "Roshena Campbell". Dever's List. Dever's List. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  5. "Capp continues at Town Hall". Bicycle Network. 2020-11-04. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  6. Schout, David (2022-09-07). "Vocal bike lane critic pushed out of transport role". South Bank Local News. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  7. Booker, Chloe (25 May 2021). "After furious debate, Melbourne council votes to support safe-injecting room in CBD". The Age. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  8. "Roshena Campbell". The Age. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  9. Massola, James; Sakkal, Paul (2021-11-13). "Local beats crowded field to replace retiring speaker in Casey". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  10. Karp, Paul; Kolovos, Benita (21 February 2023). "Aston byelection: barrister Roshena Campbell selected as Liberal candidate". The Guardian.
  11. Sakall, Paul (2023-02-15). "Frydenberg chooses candidate to back in Aston byelection". smh.com.au. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  12. McCubbing, Gus (2023-02-13). "Former state MP seeks preselection in 'new Liberal heartland'". Australian Financial Review. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  13. Smethurst, Annika (2023-03-03). "Roshena Campbell will make history for the Liberal Party, win or lose". The Age. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  14. Smethurst, Annika; Galloway, Anthony; Cunningham, Melissa (April 1, 2023). "Labor secures historic upset in Aston, 'worst byelection result in 100 years' for Liberals". The Age.
  15. Pearson, Nick (2023-04-02). "Labor secures historic win in Aston by-election as Liberal candidate concedes defeat". 9News. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  16. Boecker, Brianna (2023-03-29). "Meet the two women running for a high stakes byelection this weekend". Women's Agenda. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
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