Kaushaliya Vaghela
Kaushaliya Vaghela | |
|---|---|
કૌશલ્યા વાઘેલા | |
| Secretary of the New Democrats | |
| Assumed office 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for the Western Metropolitan Region | |
| Assumed office 24 November 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Khalil Eideh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kaushaliya Virjibhai Vaghela Jamnagar, Gujarat, India[1] |
| Citizenship | Australian |
| Nationality | Indian Australian |
| Political party |
|
| Spouse | Dinesh Chauhan[2] |
| Parents | |
| Alma mater | RMIT University[3] |
| Occupation |
|
| Website | kaushaliyavaghela.com.au |
Kaushaliya Virjibhai Vaghela is an Australian politician. She has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Council since December 2018, representing the Western Metropolitan Region for the state Labor Party (ALP).[4] She was the first Indian-born member of the Victorian Parliament,[5] and is Hindu.[1] Before her preselection in 2018, she worked as a part-time adviser to then-State Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Robin Scott.
Resignation from the ALP
On 9 February 2022, Vaghela crossed the floor in support of Adem Somyurek's motion to refer the government to the Victorian Ombudsman in relation to the alleged misuse of taxpayer funds, involving the diversion of parliamentary staffing resources to political campaigning and party factional activities prior to the 2014 Victorian state election.[6]
In March 2022, Vaghela resigned from the ALP, making serious allegations of bullying against the party. Her criticisms were aired after she had been left off the Labor ticket for the 2022 state election, following an investigation by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) into the conduct of her husband and staff members.[7]
New Democrats party
In July 2022, Vaghela announced that she had formed the New Democrats party, with her as its secretary. After the party gained registration with the Victorian Electoral Commission in October 2022, she claimed that almost 2,000 people had joined in response to her appeal for support.[8]
See also
- Gaurav Sharma (similar case in New Zealand)
References
- ^ a b c d "Parliament of Victoria – Kaushaliya Vaghela Inaugural Speech". hansard.parliament.vic.gov.au. Parliament of Victoria. 19 December 2018.
- ^ Bucci, Nino (1 November 2021). "Victorian MP's husband paid taxpayer-funded salary for factional work, Ibac hears". Guardian Australia.
- ^ Wyeth, Grant (24 March 2021). "Under-representation of Asian Australians". electionwatch.unimelb.edu.au. Asia Institute, University of Melbourne.
- ^ "Victoria Votes - Western Metropolitan Region". ABC News. Ausralian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "'I'm a fanatic for freedom, fairness, feminism', says Kaushaliya Vaghela". The Indian Sun. 20 January 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (9 February 2022). "Labor MP crosses floor to back fresh investigation into red shirts scandal". The Age. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Victorian MP Kaushaliya Vaghela quits Labor after alleging systemic bullying". ABC News. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ "Indian-origin Victorian State MP Kaushaliya Vaghela announces new political party". NRI Affairs. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
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- Living people
- Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria
- Members of the Victorian Legislative Council
- Women members of the Victorian Legislative Council
- Indian emigrants to Australia
- Australian Hindus
- People from Jamnagar
- 21st-century Australian politicians
- 21st-century Australian women politicians
- Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria stubs