Joy Burch

{{Short description|Australian politician}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Joy Burch | honorific_suffix = | image = Joy Burch at the National Multicultural Festival 2012.jpg | office = 7th Speaker of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly | term_start = 31 October 2016 | term_end = 6 November 2024 | deputy = Vicki Dunne <br/> Mark Parton | predecessor = Vicki Dunne | successor = Mark Parton  | office1 = Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Multiculturalism, Minister for Disability, Minister for Women, Minister for Arts, Minister for Gaming and Racing | predecessor1 = | successor1 = | term_start1 = December 2015 | term_end1 = January 2016 | constituency_AM2 = Brindabella | assembly2 = Australian Capital Territory Legislative | term_start2 = November 2008 | term_end2 = October 2024 | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | order3 = | majority3 = | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | term_start3 = | term_end3 = | constituency3 = | birth_date = | birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | death_date = | death_place = | partner = | party = Labor Party | relations = | children = Three | alma_mater = | occupation = | profession = Registered nurse, politician | signature = | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Joy Marie Burch''' is an Australian former politician who served as a Labor member of the ACT Legislative Assembly for Brindabella from 2008 to 2024. She served in various ministerial portfolios between 2009 and 2016 and Speaker of the Assembly from 2016 to 2024.

==Biography== Prior to being elected to the Legislative Assembly, Burch was a registered nurse. She worked for several years as a community nurse across southern NSW and the ACT.

Burch lived for several years in Alice Springs, as the executive director of the Australian Rural Health Education Network, as executive director of the Northern Territory Remote Workforce Agency and as the CEO of the Rural Health and Community Support Services. She also was the owner and operator of a Childcare Centre.

Burch has formal tertiary education, with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, and Post-Graduate qualifications in Health Administration and Information Systems Management.

== Political career == Burch was first elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in the Brindabella electorate at the 2008 election.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.act.gov.au/media/media0828.html |title=ACT election final results |publisher=ACT Electoral Commission |date=25 October 2008 |access-date=2010-08-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218232029/http://www.elections.act.gov.au/media/media0828.html |archive-date=18 February 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.actlabor.com.au/people/people.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080618230645/http://www.actlabor.com.au/people/people.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = 2008-06-18 |title = ACT Labor People |publisher = Australian Labor Party (Australian Capital Territory Branch) |year = 2010 |access-date = 2010-08-02 }}</ref> Upon entering the Assembly, Burch was appointed Government Whip, Assistant Speaker and ALP Caucus Secretary.<ref name=8th/>

A year later, Burch was appointed to Cabinet. Over the next seven years, she held a number of Ministerial positions, including:<ref name=8th/> :• Minister for Education and Training (November 2012 – January 2016) :• Minister for Police and Emergency Services (December 2014 – December 2015) :• Minister for Disability (November 2012 – January 2016) :• Minister for Racing and Gaming (May 2011 – January 2016) :• Minister for Arts (May 2011 – January 2016) :• Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Affairs (May 2011 – October 2012) :• Minister for Ageing (November 2009 – October 2012) :• Minister for Children and Young People (November 2012 – July 2014) :• Minister for Community Services (November 2009 – October 2012) :• Minister for Multicultural Affairs (November 2009 – January 2015) :• Minister for Women (November 2009 – January 2015)

She was re-elected at the 2012 election.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.act.gov.au/elections_and_voting/past_act_legislative_assembly_elections/2012_act_legislative_assembly_election/2012_election_results2/2012_results_for_brindabella_electorate |title=2012 Results for Brindabella Electorate |website=elections.act.gov.au |date=6 January 2015 |publisher=Elections ACT |access-date=1 July 2018}}</ref>

Burch faced controversy when it was alleged that her chief of staff briefed the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) on matters regarding ACT Policing which are still under investigation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6056831/joy-burch-resigns-as-act-police-minister/|title=Joy Burch resigns as ACT police minister|publisher=Canberra Times|date=16 December 2015|access-date=5 November 2019}}</ref><ref name=jan2016>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/burch-resigns-but-the-damage-is-done-20160119-gm8z9c.html|title=Joy Burch resigns but the damage is done|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=19 January 2016|access-date=5 November 2019}}</ref> She resigned as Minister for Police and Emergency Services in December 2015 before resigning from all other ministerial positions a month later in January 2016. She then became Deputy Speaker and Government Whip.

Burch was again re-elected at the 2016 election, and was subsequently elected Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.act.gov.au/elections_and_voting/past_act_legislative_assembly_elections/2016-election/list-of-elected-candidates-2016-election |title=List of elected candidates - 2016 Election |website=elections.act.gov.au |date=9 November 2016 |publisher=Elections ACT |access-date=1 July 2018}}</ref> and she was elected Speaker of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/members/speakers |title=Speakers of the Legislative Assembly for the ACT |website=parliament.act.gov.au |date=15 November 2016 |publisher=ACT Legislative Assembly |access-date=1 July 2018}}</ref>

Burch was again re-elected at the 2020 Australian Capital Territory election, receiving the highest vote of any candidate in the Brindabella Electorate, and obtaining a significant swing towards her. She was re-elected Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly for the tenth parliament.

Burch is a member of the Centre Coalition (Labor Right) faction.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Kirsten Lawson |author2=Katie Burgess |title=Labor backbencher quits right faction ahead of conference |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6013057/labor-backbencher-quits-right-faction-ahead-of-conference/ |access-date=1 May 2026 |work=Canberra Times |date=17 June 2019}}</ref>

== Personal life == Burch is married with three sons and lives in Tuggeranong. Her hobbies include spending time with her family, community events and volunteering, swimming, gardening, walking, reading, and listening to music.<ref name=8th>{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/members/eighth-assembly-members/brindabella/joy-burch|title=Members of the Eighth Assembly (2012-2016) - Joy BURCH|website=parliament.act.gov.au |publisher=ACT Legislative Assembly |access-date=20 June 2018}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|au-act}} {{s-bef|before=Mick Gentleman}} {{s-ttl|title=Member for Brindabella in the ACT Legislative Assembly|years=2008–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Caitlin Tough}} {{s-bef|before=Vicki Dunne}} {{s-ttl|title=Speaker of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly|years=2016–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Mark Parton}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burch, Joy}} Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly Category:Living people Category:21st-century Australian politicians Category:21st-century Australian women politicians Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Women members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly Category:Women legislative speakers