Rachel Stephen-Smith

Rachel Stephen-Smith
MLA
Minister for Health
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 July 2019
LeaderAndrew Barr
Preceded byMeegan Fitzharris
Minister for Children Youth and Family Services
LeaderAndrew Barr
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
LeaderAndrew Barr
Minister for Disability
LeaderAndrew Barr
Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly for Kurrajong
Incumbent
Assumed office
15 October 2016
Personal details
Born1971 (age 52–53)
Canberra
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLabor Party
Alma materAustralian National University
Websitewww.rachelstephensmith.com.au

Rachel Stephen-Smith (born 1971) is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly since 2016, representing the electorate of Kurrajong. Stephen-Smith grew up in O'Connor in Canberra's inner-north[1] and attended local schools such as Lyneham High. Following school, Stephen-Smith attended the Australian National University and studied economics.[2] Stephen-Smith previously worked as a senior public servant in the Australian Capital Territory public service, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and as a Chief of Staff to Senator Kim Carr.[3] Stephen-Smith has also worked in Washington DC at the Australian Embassy.[4]

Following her election, Stephen-Smith was immediately appointed to cabinet, holding the following portfolios: Community Services and Social Inclusion; Disability, Children and Youth; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs; Multicultural Affairs; and Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations.[5]

After a Cabinet reshuffle in August 2018, Stephen-Smith lost the Multicultural Affairs and Community Services portfolios to new Cabinet member Chris Steel, gaining the Government Services and Procurement and Urban Renewal portfolios.[6] In July 2019, Stephen-Smith gained the Health portfolio from Meegan Fitzharris who resigned from the Cabinet, but due to the increase of workload, she later relinquished the Disability and Workplace Safety portfolios to Suzanne Orr in August 2019.[7]

  1. ^ Burgess, Katie (29 December 2016). "Meet your assembly: Rachel Stephen-Smith, the diplomat". Fairfax Media. Canberra Times.
  2. ^ Burgess, Katie (29 December 2016). "Meet your assembly: Rachel Stephen-Smith, the diplomat". Canberra Times.
  3. ^ Burgess, Katie (29 December 2016). "Meet your assembly: Rachel Stephen-Smith, the diplomat". Canberra Times.
  4. ^ "Rachel Stephen-Smith - Candidate for Kurrajong". Australian Labor Party (Australian Capital Territory Branch). Archived from the original on 13 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Rachel Stephen-Smith". Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.
  6. ^ Whyte, Sally (27 August 2018). "Fitzharris keeps Health, Steel gets City Services: Barr's new ministry". Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  7. ^ "ACT government ministerial reshuffle: Suzanne Orr takes on employment, disabilities". Canberra Times. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.