Jessica Stojkovski Explained

Jessica Stojkovski
Honorific-Suffix:MLA
Assembly:Western Australian Legislative
Constituency Am:Kingsley
Term Start:11 March 2017
Predecessor:Andrea Mitchell
Birth Date:1981 10, df=yes
Birth Place:Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Residence:Woodvale, Western Australia, Australia
Birth Name:Jessica Mary Christine O'Gorman
Education:Sacred Heart College
Alma Mater:Edith Cowan University
Occupation:Town planner
(City of Wanneroo Council)
Profession:Public servant
Politician
Parents:Tony O'Gorman
Party:Labor

Jessica Mary Christine Stojkovski (née O'Gorman, born 18 October 1981) is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since the 2017 state election, representing Kingsley, which takes in the areas of Kingsley, Woodvale, Greenwood, Hamersley and Warwick.

Personal life

Stojkovski is the daughter of former Labor MP Tony O'Gorman, who previously represented Joondalup in the State Parliament from 2001 to 2013.[1] Jessica Stojkovski worked as a town planner before entering politics. She also served as president of the Landsdale Residents Association[2] as well as on the boards of numerous primary schools.[3] Stojkovski is a sponsor of 10 local sporting clubs.

Jessica Stojkovski lives in Woodvale with her husband Siljan and two children. She grew up in Beldon and Joondalup, where she attended Eddystone Primary School and Sacred Heart College.

Political career

Jessica Stojkovski won the seat of Kingsley for the Labor Party in 2017, with a two-party preferred vote of 50.7%, making it the first time the centre-right Liberal Party had lost the seat in 12 years.

As the Member for Kingsley, Stojkovski advocated for the widening of the Mitchell Freeway from Hodges Street to Hepburn Avenue, and managed to save Duffy House. Stojkovski has supported investment in the Joondalup Health Campus, the Osborne Park Hospital and the East Green Development. In 2020, she presented a petition from local residents in Greenwood to the Transport Minister calling for the construction of an amenity wall along the Mitchell Freeway between Hepburn Avenue and Warwick Road in order to reduce noise pollution from the freeway.[4]

In June 2018, political opponents accused Stojkovski of misusing public funds to print and disseminate flyers promoting the candidacy of her father in the 2019 federal election for the seat of Moore, which overlaps with the state electorate of Kingsley. However, Stojkovski claimed that all expenses would be paid "out of her own money" and no public expenditure had been utilised.[5]

Stojkovski won reelection in the March 2021 state election, with a 60.5% primary vote and 66.9% two-party preferred vote. Stojkovski's candidature marked the highest vote for the Labor Party in the history of the seat of Kingsley. Since being re-elected in 2021, Jessica has continued to advocate for the community whilst being appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Honorable Rita Saffioti, Minister for Transport; Planning; Ports between 19 March 2021 to 14 December 2022, additionally Parliamentary Secretary to the Honorable John Carey; Minister for Housing; Lands; Homelessness; Local Government from 14 December 2022 to 8 June 2023.

Following the resignation of former premier Mark McGowan, Jessica was made Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier; Minister for State and Industry Development, Jobs and Trade; Public Sector Management; Federal-State Relations; Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet from 8 June 2023 in the new Cook Government ministry.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jessica Stojkovski. 2021-01-28. Business News. en.
  2. Web site: Kingsley. Green. Antony. Antony Green. ABC Elections. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2017.
  3. Web site: Jessica Stojkovski MLA. 2021-01-28. jessicastojkovski.com.au. en.
  4. Web site: 2020-06-02. Residents call for sound wall along freeway. 2021-01-28. Community News. en.
  5. Web site: 2018-06-16. I'll pay for Labor flyer, says MP. 2021-01-28. The West Australian. en.