Alannah Joan Geraldine Cecilia MacTiernan was born on 10 January 1953 and is a former Australian politician.
56 Facts About Alannah MacTiernan
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Alannah MacTiernan is best known for her role as the minister for planning and infrastructure during the construction of the Mandurah line.
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Alannah MacTiernan worked for the Department of Employment before practising as a lawyer between 1986 and 1992.
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In 1976, MacTiernan joined the Australian Labor Party, and at the 1993 Western Australian state election, she was elected to the Legislative Council's East Metropolitan Region.
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Alannah MacTiernan became a shadow minister in October 1994, and she was transferred to the Legislative Assembly at the 1996 state election, winning the seat of Armadale.
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Alannah MacTiernan oversaw the signing of contracts, construction and commencement of services for the Mandurah line.
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Alannah MacTiernan commenced construction on the Kwinana Freeway and Forrest Highway bypass around Mandurah, extended Roe Highway and Tonkin Highway, and expanded Geraldton Port.
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Alannah MacTiernan resigned from state parliament in 2010 in order to contest the seat of Canning in that year's federal election.
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Alannah MacTiernan successfully contested the seat of Perth in the 2013 federal election, but only stayed in the federal parliament for three years as she declined to contest the 2016 federal election.
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Alannah MacTiernan again entered state parliament when she won election to the Legislative Council's North Metropolitan Region at the 2017 state election.
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Alannah MacTiernan was made the minister for regional development and minister for agriculture after that election, and she later became the minister for ports as well.
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Alannah MacTiernan was the subject of controversy in 2022 when she made comments saying that the Indonesian foot-and-mouth disease outbreak would be good for Australia.
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Alannah MacTiernan resigned from cabinet in December 2022 and from parliament in February 2023.
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Alannah Joan Geraldine MacTiernan was born on 10 January 1953 in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Alannah MacTiernan's parents are Hugh Murrough Patrick MacTiernan, an Irish immigrant, and Dorothy Caroline MacTiernan.
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Alannah MacTiernan grew up in Heidelberg West in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, attending St Bernadette's Primary School, Ivanhoe, and Our Lady of Mercy College, Heidelberg.
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Alannah MacTiernan established and operated the Mount Lawley Maylands Express between 1981 and 1983, a local newspaper which later became the Guardian Express.
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Alannah MacTiernan then practised with law firm Dwyer Durack, becoming a partner there in 1992.
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From 1989 to 1991, Alannah MacTiernan was an inaugural member of the Heritage Council of Western Australia.
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Alannah MacTiernan joined the Australian Labor Party in 1976, as part of the university branch.
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Alannah MacTiernan joined the Perth branch in 1979, and then formed the Highgate branch in 1981, where she was the secretary, vice-president, president and membership officer at various points.
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Alannah MacTiernan stayed on the council until she was elected to parliament.
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Alannah MacTiernan took Hallahan's spot as a Labor candidate for the council's East Metropolitan Region.
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Alannah MacTiernan won, and so she took her seat on 22 May 1993.
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Alannah MacTiernan became a shadow minister in October 1994, receiving the portfolio's of productivity, and labour relations.
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When Hallahan announced her retirement from politics ahead of the 1996 state election, Alannah MacTiernan was selected to run in Hallahan's seat of Armadale.
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Alannah MacTiernan resigned from the Legislative Council on 21 November 1996 and retained the seat of Armadale for the Labor Party at the election on 14 December.
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Alannah MacTiernan was a founding member of the East Timor WA Association.
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Alannah MacTiernan retained this role for the following eight years that Labor was in power, including when Gallop resigned and was replaced as premier by Alan Carpenter.
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Alannah MacTiernan led a restructuring of the government agencies that oversaw public transport.
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Alannah MacTiernan refused to build Roe 8, an extension of the highway west of the Kwinana Freeway through the Beeliar Wetlands due to the environmental impact.
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Alannah MacTiernan extended Tonkin Highway south from Albany Highway; the $140 million cost making it the single biggest road construction project in Western Australia up to that point.
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The Labor Party lost the 2008 state election, and so Alannah MacTiernan was no longer a minister after that.
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Alannah MacTiernan pulled out of the leadership contest when it became clear she did not have the support of caucus, and so Eric Ripper was elected leader.
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Alannah MacTiernan became the shadow minister for regional development, strategic infrastructure, and climate change.
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Alannah MacTiernan confirmed her decision to contest in August 2009, and officially nominated for preselection in December 2009.
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Alannah MacTiernan remained a Labor Party member, but ran as an independent, in line with tradition that political parties not endorse candidates in local government elections in Western Australia.
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Alannah MacTiernan was succeeded as mayor of Vincent by John Carey in October 2013.
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Alannah MacTiernan announced in February 2016 that she would not be contesting her seat at the 2016 federal election.
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Alannah MacTiernan later said it was the factional system which prevented her rise into the ministry that prompted her to quit federal politics.
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On 17 March 2017, six days after the election, Alannah MacTiernan was sworn in as the minister for regional development and the minister for agriculture and food.
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Alannah MacTiernan was the minister assisting the minister for state development, jobs and trade.
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Ahead of the 2021 state election, Alannah MacTiernan replaced Adele Farina as the second candidate on the Labor Party's ticket for the South West Region.
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On 19 March 2021, after the election six days earlier, Alannah MacTiernan relinquished the role of minister for ports to Saffioti, but gained the new role of minister for hydrogen industry.
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In July 2022, Alannah MacTiernan attracted controversy due to her comments in response to the 2022 Indonesian foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
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Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud said "Alannah MacTiernan's comments are the most abhorrent I've heard from an Australian agriculture minister".
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Premier McGowan said Alannah MacTiernan "went a bit far and made a mistake", but continued to back her.
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Alannah MacTiernan apologised, Days later, she confirmed her intention to retire at the 2025 state election, but continue in the ministry until then.
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Alannah MacTiernan was one of six Labor MP's elected in 2021 that was not factionally aligned.
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Alannah MacTiernan resigned as a minister on 14 December 2022.
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Alannah MacTiernan was succeeded by Don Punch as the minister for regional development, cabinet newcomer Jackie Jarvis as the minister for agriculture and food, and Roger Cook as the minister for hydrogen industry.
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Alannah MacTiernan was replaced on 20 March 2023 by Narrogin lawyer Ben Dawkins.
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Alannah MacTiernan was fifth on Labor's South West Region ticket but got the position because the fourth-placed candidate, Bunbury sign-writer John Mondy, said he will not take the position in parliament due to being preoccupied with his business.
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Alannah MacTiernan grew up Catholic, but has since become an atheist.
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Alannah MacTiernan has one son and one daughter with her husband.
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In 2019, Alannah MacTiernan was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy.