Noreen Hay

Noreen Hay
Member of New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
22 March 2003
Preceded by Col Markham
Constituency Electoral district of Wollongong
Personal details
Born 1951 (age 6465)
London, England
Political party Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s) (Christoper Hay) Lee Lawler
Children Four children
Residence Wollongong
Occupation Trade union official, personal care worker

Noreen Hay (born c. 1951) is an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. She represented Wollongong for the Australian Labor Party since 2003. In July 2015, Hay stood down as NSW Opposition whip due to allegations of electoral fraud and branch stacking.[1]

Early life

Hay was born in London into a working-class family of practising Christians.[2] She was the second eldest of five children to parents Nora and Tadg Herlihy, who had migrated to the United Kingdom from Cork, Ireland.[2] She married Christopher Martin Hay and in 1982 they migrated with their four children to Wollongong, New South Wales.

Hay enrolled in Wollongong TAFE and subsequently found employment with the NSW Home Care Service, caring for the elderly and bedridden in Wollongong's outer suburbs.[2] She became a union official and regional secretary of the Miscellaneous Workers' Union and worked as an electorate officer to Jennie George, the Federal Member for Throsby.[3][4]

Political career

In 2002, she won ALP preselection from the sitting member, Col Markham,[5] and was the first woman elected for the seat of Wollongong.

Following the 2007 election, Hay was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to Health Minister Reba Meagher.[4] She was stood down in February 2008 by the Premier Iemma being named in an ICAC inquiry into Wollongong Council.[6] Hay was re-appointed in March 2008 after being cleared by the ICAC.

State Premier Nathan Rees dismissed Noreen Hay from her position as Parliamentary Secretary for Health on 12 September 2008 after allegations arose that she participated in simulated mammary intercourse with Police Minister Matt Brown at an office party in June. Both Brown and Hay denied the allegations.[7]

References

  1. Knowles, L; McClymont, A. "Wollongong MP Noreen Hay stands down as NSW Opposition whip". ABC News. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Inaugural Speeches". Hansard: Parliament of New South Wales. May 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
  3. "Hay, Noreen (c. 1951– )". Australian Women. National Foundation for Australian Women. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
  4. 1 2 "Ms Noreen Hay, MP". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  5. Norington, Brad (16 December 2002). "Rival beats MP to safe ALP seat". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
  6. Iemma stands down Wollongong probe MP – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
  7. "Premier dumps Noreen Hay". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
Parliament of New South Wales
Preceded by
Col Markham
Member for Wollongong
2003–present
Incumbent
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