24 Facts About Will Fowles

Will Fowles was born on 27 July 1978 and is an Australian politician.

Will Fowles has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since November 2018, initially representing the seat of Burwood in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

Ahead of the 2022 Victorian state election, the seat of Burwood was abolished by Victoria's Electoral Boundaries Commission, leading Fowles to stand for the seat of Ringwood, where he resides with his family.

Will Fowles's father was a business owner and his mother was a primary school teacher, who has since retrained as a nurse.

Will Fowles initially attended Saint Joseph's Primary School and then Scotch College.

Will Fowles began his studies at Monash University in 1997, completing his Bachelor of Commerce in 2001 and his Bachelor of Laws in 2003.

Will Fowles was elected President of the Monash Student Association for 2000, from a ticket composed primarily of Labor students.

In 2015, Will Fowles founded Piper Communications, which provided strategic communications advice and advocacy for both commercial and not-for-profit clients.

Will Fowles joined the Australian Labor Party in 1999 at the age of 21 and became involved in local branches in Hawthorn, Richmond and Burwood.

Will Fowles continued to serve in various positions in the Republican Movement until 2018.

At the 2018 Victorian state election, Will Fowles stood as the Labor candidate for the seat of Burwood, in Melbourne's east, challenging incumbent Liberal MP Graham Watt.

Will Fowles campaigned on improved public transport, healthcare, education and jobs with the slogan Delivering for Burwood.

Will Fowles secured in excess of $5m in funding to upgrade Wattle Park and has advocated for the Suburban Rail Loop, for which a station is planned in Burwood.

Will Fowles was appointed to the Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee on 21 March 2019.

On 25 July 2019, Will Fowles was questioned by ACT Police in Canberra following an incident in which he had kicked in the door of a hotel room at the Abode Apartments in Kingston.

Will Fowles was not charged with any offence and apologised for his actions, saying that he had been suffering from addiction and other mental health issues and had been attempting to retrieve medication from his luggage which was locked in the room.

Will Fowles took a leave of absence to address his health issues and returned later in the year as an advocate for the government's investment in mental health as recommended by the Mental Health Royal Commission.

Will Fowles formally resigned as a Labor member in August 2024.

In particular, Will Fowles spoke about the need for more social housing, and the improved social mobility that stems from this.

In parliament, Will Fowles has spoken in favour of strong action on climate change, improved healthcare services, LGBTIQ+ rights, women's rights and investment in education and social housing.

Will Fowles has been married twice, most recently in 2017.

Will Fowles has openly discussed his struggles with depression and anxiety, which he was diagnosed with in 2006.

Will Fowles has since been a strong supporter of Victoria's Royal Commission into Mental Health, speaking in Parliament about his experiences with the mental health system after the final report was handed down in 2021.

Will Fowles is a supporter of the Melbourne Demons and has been a member since 1996.