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Yvette Berry

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Yvette Berry
MLA
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13th Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
In office
31 October 2016 – 23 July 2026
LeaderAndrew Barr
Preceded bySimon Corbell
Succeeded byRachel Stephen-Smith
Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development
In office
8 November 2024 – 23 July 2026
Preceded byHerself[a]
Succeeded byRachel Stephen-Smith
Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party (ACT Branch)
In office
31 October 2016 – 27 July 2026
LeaderAndrew Barr
Preceded bySimon Corbell
Succeeded byRachel Stephen-Smith
Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly for Ginninderra
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 October 2012
Minister for Minister for Homes, Homelessness and New Suburbs
In office
1 July 2025 – 23 July 2026
Preceded byHerself[b]
Succeeded byVacant
Minister for Sport and Recreation
In office
22 January 2016 – 23 July 2026
Preceded byAndrew Barr
Succeeded byVacant
Personal details
BornYvette Simone Berry[1]
(1968-08-01) 1 August 1968 (age 58)
PartyLabor Party
RelationsWayne Berry (father)
OccupationUnion organiser
Websitewww.yvetteberry.com.au

Yvette Simone Berry (born 1 August 1968) is an Australian politician who previously served as Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. She has been a Labor Party member for the seat of Ginninderra in the ACT Legislative Assembly since the 2012 ACT election.

Berry is the daughter of Wayne Berry who was a Member of the ACT Assembly for Ginninderra from 1989 to 2008, Deputy Chief Minister from 1991 to 1994, Opposition Leader from 1997 to 1998 and Speaker from 2001 to 2008.[2] Berry is the first family member of a current or previous member to be elected to the ACT assembly.

Biography

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For schooling, Berry attended Holt Primary School, Ginninderra District High School and Hawker College.[3]

Prior to her election to the Assembly Berry worked as a community organiser for the United Voice (formerly called the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU)) trade union for more than 15 years representing workers and their families to win fairer wages and better conditions.[4] She was active in the Clean Start campaign to improve jobs for cleaners in the CBD office cleaning industry and coordinated the Big Steps campaign to win professional wages for Early Childhood Educators in the early childhood education sector.[5] Before she started working at the LHMU Berry commenced her working life in the hospitality industry where she worked for 8 years.[6]

Berry has two children and lives with her family in the West Belconnen suburb of Macgregor.[6]

Political career

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Berry chaired the Legislative Assembly's ‘Select Committee on Regional Development’ which undertook an inquiry into regional development from February 2013 to February 2014.[7]

In 2014 Berry was a member of the following Standing Committees: Public Accounts (PAC), Health, Ageing, Community and Social Services (HACS), Education, Training and Youth Affairs (ETYA) and Chair of the Planning, Environment and Territory and Municipal Services (PETAMS) Standing Committee.[8]

Berry voted for the Legislative Assembly's 'Marriage Equality (Same Sex) Act 2013'[9]

On 20 January, Chief Minister Andrew Barr appointed Berry a Minister in his Government. She assumed the following portfolios: Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Housing, Community Services and Social Inclusion, Multicultural and Youth Affairs and she was made Minister assisting the Chief Minister on Social Inclusion and Equality.[10]

Following the ACT 2016 election, Berry was appointed Deputy Chief Minister in the re-elected Barr Labor Government. This is the same position her father, Wayne, held between 1991 and 1994. She assumed portfolio responsibilities for Education and Early Childhood Development, Housing and Suburban Development, Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Sport and Recreation, while retaining portfolio responsibilities for Women.[11]

On 23 July 2026, Berry resigned from the Fourth Barr ministry to sit as a bachbencher following the handing down of a report from the Integrity Commission which found "serious corrupt conduct" of her former Chief of Staff and the director general of the Education Directorate.[12]

Notes

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  1. ↑ As Minister for Minister for Education and Youth Affairs
  2. ↑ As Minister for Homes and New Suburbs

References

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  1. ↑ 2012/2013 Annual Returns Archived 15 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Elections ACT, 29 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Speakers of the Legislative Assembly for the ACT www.parliament.act.gov.au/members/speakers
  3. ↑ "Celebrating the Achievements of our Past Students", Education Directorate, ACT Government, archived from the original on 30 January 2017, retrieved 30 January 2017
  4. ↑ Jean, Peter (17 October 2012). "Life turns full circle for firefighter's widow". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  5. ↑ Berry, Yvette (7 November 2012) www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2013/week01/24.htm|date=27
  6. 1 2 "About Me". www.yvetteberry.com.au. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "Regional Development - ACT Legislative Assembly". www.parliament.act.gov.au. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013.
  8. ↑ ACT Legislative Assembly (n.d) Standing Committees - current Assembly Archived 28 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Marriage Equality (Same Sex) Act 2013
  10. ↑ Barr, Andrew. (20 January 2015) Media Release: Urban renewal, transport, equality and jobs on agenda with new portfolios [link to be published]
  11. ↑ Manager, Web (17 November 2016). "Berry-Yvette". www.parliament.act.gov.au. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  12. ↑ "ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry resigns from cabinet after 'serious corrupt conduct' findings in her portfolio". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 July 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
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