Mary Doyle

Biography

Mary Judith Jacinta Doyle is an Australian politician serving as the Labor Member of Parliament for Aston. She was elected in a by-election on April 1, 2023, becoming the first woman to hold the seat since its creation in 1984 and the first Labor MP for Aston since 1990.

Born on June 26, 1970, in Echuca, Victoria, Doyle was the youngest of nine children. She grew up in public housing and attended Bendigo Senior Secondary College. At the age of 17, she moved to suburban Melbourne, where she pursued studies in Performing Arts at TAFE. Doyle was actively involved in the Melbourne music scene in the 1990s, performing as a singer in indie bands such as The Late Mail and The Beautiful Few. She also plays the ukulele and has appeared on Australian television, including the soap opera Neighbours and the music quiz show RocKwiz.

At the age of 25, Doyle was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent treatment and made a successful recovery. In 1998, she married and later had two children, Clancy and Lily. Following her divorce in 2016, she raised her children as a single mother. In 2020, she became the guardian of her great-niece, Jamilah, after the unexpected passing of her niece, Melanie.

Doyle has had a long career in the labor movement, working as a union organizer for the Finance Sector Union, the Health and Community Services Union, and the National Tertiary Education Union. She also worked for the Australian Council of Trade Unions as a Marketing Officer and Partnerships Manager. Before entering Parliament, she was employed at HESTA Super Fund as a Key Stakeholder Relations Specialist.

She first contested the seat of Aston in the 2022 federal election but was unsuccessful. However, in the 2023 by-election, she secured victory, marking a historic moment as the first time since 1920 that a government won a by-election from the opposition. Due to the timing of the election and the coronation of King Charles III, Doyle became the first federal parliamentarian to be sworn in under a king since 1951.

Doyle is a member of the Australian Services Union and the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance. She continues to advocate for workers’ rights, social justice, and policies that support families and communities. Her personal experiences with hardship and resilience shape her approach to public service, making her a strong voice for ordinary Australians.