Josh Burns

Biography

Joshua Solomon Burns is an Australian politician who represents the Australian Labor Party. He was born and raised in Caulfield, Victoria, a Melbourne suburb in his electorate. Burns studied politics at Monash University and worked as a staffer for Labor federal MP Michael Danby before working as a senior adviser to the Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews.

Burns ran as the Labor candidate for the seat of Caulfield in the 2014 Victorian state election, gaining a swing against the Liberal incumbent. In 2018, he was preselected as the Labor candidate for the seat of Macnamara in the 2019 federal election, winning the seat with a swing in his favour.

Burns serves on various parliamentary committees, including the Joint Statutory Committee on Human Rights and the House of Representatives Standing Committees on Environment and Energy and Communications and the Arts.

He has been an outspoken advocate for strong climate action and refugees, and has called for Australia to increase its supply of public and social housing. Burns has also called for the date of Australia Day to change, arguing that it is a divisive date given its association with atrocities committed against Indigenous Australians.

Burns is married to Zoe Klein, and they have one daughter, Tia.