Russell Paul Wortley (born 21 April 1957) is an Australian politician who has served in the

South Australian Legislative Council The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the South Australian House of Assembly, H ...

for the

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also known as the Labor Party or simply Labor, is the major Centre-left politics, centre-left List of political parties in Australia, political party in Australia and one of two Major party, major parties in Po ...

since the

2006 South Australian state election The state election for the 51st Parliament of South Australia was held in the Australian States and territories of Australia, state of South Australia on 18 March 2006 to elect all members of the South Australian House of Assembly and 11 member ...

. He was

President of the South Australian Legislative Council The President of the South Australian Legislative Council is the presiding officer of the South Australian Legislative Council, the upper house of the Parliament of South Australia. The other presiding officer is the speaker of the South Australia ...

from 2014 to 2018.

Early life

Wortley worked as a plumber and gas fitter before being elected as a union official in 1984. He is a former head of the Gas sub-branch of the Transport Workers Union in South Australia. He was a councillor for the Fitzroy Ward of the Prospect City Council from 1987 to 1993. He has served as a member of a number of government and community organisations including the Occupational Health and Safety Commission, the Workers Appeal Tribunal and the Industrial Relations Advisory Committee. He is a Justice of the Peace.

Parliament

First elected to the Legislative Council in the

, Wortley was re-elected at the 2014 election for a second eight-year term, and again in the 2022 election for a third eight-year term. Wortley's policy interests include education, health, industrial relations, aged care, environment and natural resources. Wortley has served in many committees and select committees, and served as Minister for Industrial Relations and State/Local Government Relations from 2011 to 2013. He served as

from 6 May 2014 until 3 May 2018.

Personal life

Wortley is married to fellow state Labor politician

Dana Wortley Dana Johanna Wortley (born 18 June 1959) is an Australian politician, representing the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Torrens for the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party since the 2014 state election. She was pre ...

. They have one son.

References

External links

Parliamentary Profile: SA Labor website
, - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Wortley, Russell Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Members of the South Australian Legislative Council Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of South Australia Presidents of the South Australian Legislative Council Australian trade unionists 21st-century Australian politicians