Anika Wells

Not to be confused with American singer-songwriter Annika Wells.

• Griffith University
• Australian National University

The Honourable Anika Wells MP
Wells in 2023
Minister for Sport
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 June 2022
Signature
Website	www.anikawells.com.au

Anika Shay Wells (born 11 August 1985) is an Australian politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives since the 2019 federal election. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and represents the Division of Lilley in Queensland. ^[3] Wells is currently the Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Sport. ^[4]

Early life

Wells was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 11 August 1985. ^[2] Her father, an accountant, was born in Melbourne and her mother, an administrator, was born in New Zealand. ^[5] As a result, Wells held New Zealand citizenship by descent until February 2018, when she renounced it to stand for parliament. ^[1]

Wells graduated Moreton Bay College as school captain. ^[5] She holds arts and law degrees from Griffith University as well as a graduate diploma in legal practice from the Australian National University. ^[6]

Career

Prior to entering politics, Wells worked as an adviser to the federal government for five years. She was admitted to practise law in 2012 and joined Maurice Blackburn in 2014 as a compensation lawyer. She worked on a number of cases related to immigration detention. ^[6]

Politics

In March 2018, Wells won Labor preselection for the Division of Lilley, replacing the retiring member Wayne Swan. ^[7] She won the seat at the 2019 federal election despite a five-point swing against the ALP on the two-party-preferred count. ^[3] At the time, Wells was Australia's youngest female MP at 34. ^[8]

Wells served on the "Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000-year-old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia", which delivered its report “Never Again” in December 2020. ^[9]

During her first term Wells received negative media attention from the Australian for placing junior members of her staff on recurring month-long casual contracts despite being a critic of casualisation of the work force. ^{[10] [11]}

Wells went into the May 2022 federal election on a margin of 0.6 per cent in Lilley but emerged with a first preference swing toward Labor of 6.48 per cent. The election of a Federal Labor government precipitated her elevation to the ministry. Wells is a member of Queensland's Labor Right and the party's rules on affirmative action meant Blair MP Shayne Neumann was relegated to the backbench after serving on the shadow frontbench. On 31 May Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his ministry. Wells was named Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Sport. ^[12] In June 2023, Wells established a new task force looking into the creation of a taxpayer levy or other funding solutions to raise more money for aged care facilities. The system already costs tax payers over $30 billion a year. ^[13]

Personal life

Wells already had one daughter when she entered parliament. She gave birth to twin sons in 2020. ^{[14] [15]}

Electoral history

House of Representatives ^{[16] [17]}

Year	Electorate	Party		First Preference Result				Two Candidate Result
				Votes	%	±%	Position	Votes	%	±%	Result
2019	Lilley		Labor	34,434	35.64	8.12	Second	48,917	50.64	5.04	Elected
2022				41,424	41,424	6.20	First	59,941	60.54	9.90	Elected
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References

1. "Qualification checklist" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
2. "Ms Anika Wells MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
3. "Federal election 2019 result in Lilley sees Labor claim Brisbane seat". ABC News. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
4. "Albanese Government full Ministry". ABC News. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
5. "Anika Wells". Queensland Labor. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
6. "Anika Wells". Maurice Blackburn. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
7. "Labor claims victory in close Brisbane seat". The Sydney Morning Herald . 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
8. Mason, Brett (27 January 2020). "As Australia's parliament returns, meet the youngest MPs doing things differently". SBS News Online. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
9. Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia (December 2020). Never again: Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia - Interim Report. Commonwealth of Australia. ISBN   978-1-76092-197-2. PDF
10. "MP's hypocrisy in casual criticism". The Australian .
11. "'Is there any point that I keep trying?' Q+A audience member lays out the plight of young Australians". ABC News. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
12. Stayner, Tom (31 May 2022). "Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveils new ministry featuring a record number of women". SBS News Online. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
13. Crowe, David (7 June 2023). "Aged care minister wants levy on table as part of future funding model". The Age . Retrieved 7 June 2023.
14. Doran, Matthew (10 May 2020). "Labor MP Anika Wells says coronavirus restrictions have shown need for workplace flexibility". ABC News. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
15. "MP gives speech holding baby twins for Multiple Birth Awareness week". SBS News. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
16. "Lilley, QLD - AEC Tally Room". AEC Tally Room. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
17. "Lilley, QLD - AEC Tally Room". AEC Tally Room. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2024.

 

Australian House of Representatives
Preceded by Wayne Swan	Member for Lilley 2019–present	Incumbent