Alex Bhathal
Alex Bhathal | |
|---|---|
 Bhathal in 2018 | |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Australian Greens |
| Alma mater | RMIT University, La Trobe University, University of Melbourne |
| Occupation | Social worker, politician |
| Website | https://alexbhathal.com/ |
Alexandra Kaur Bhathal[1] (born 1964 or 1965)[2] is a social worker, lecturer and Australian politician. She is most known as a perennial candidate for the Australian Greens in the Division of Batman, having stood on six occasions; 2001, 2004, 2010, 2013, 2016, and at the 2018 Batman by-election.[3] Bhathal was also the candidate for the state Electoral district of Northcote in 2006.[4]
Early life
[edit]Bhathal's father was a Punjabi Sikh from a village near Verka Town, India.[1]
Federal political career
[edit]
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Bhathal ran as the Greens candidate for Batman on six occasions; 2001, 2004, 2010, 2013, 2016, and the 2018 Batman by-election. At the 2001 Australian federal election, Bhathal received 11.58% of the first preference vote. Her primary vote grew at each subsequent election, reaching 36.23% at the 2016 federal election, higher than Labor candidate David Feeney's 35.27%. After preferences, Feeney defeated Bhathal 51-49%.[5]
2018 Batman by-election
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Bhathal was selected as the Greens candidate for the 2018 Batman by-election. Bhathal's campaign was damaged when a 101-page document containing claims of bullying by Bhathal was leaked.[6][7][8] After the by-election, an internal Greens review dismissed the allegations against Bhathal, and apologised to her.[6]
A documentary was made about Bhathal's unsuccessful campaign in 2018, entitled The Candidate.[9] The screening of the film in July 2019 was sabotaged, with the fire alarm being set off as soon as the film started.[10] Bhathal was planned to be the candidate for the Division of Cooper[a] at the 2019 Australian federal election, but withdrew in August 2018, stating that her previous campaign had been "sabotaged" by individuals within the party.[11] In February 2019, Bhathal resigned from the Australian Greens, stating she had been the victim of "relentless organisational bullying" over several years.[12]
2024 local government elections
[edit]Bhathal is a candidate for election to West Ward at the Darebin City Council election to be held on 26 October 2024.[13] She will be running against current Darebin Mayor Sussane Newton who has previously been alleged to have had a role in the sabotage of Bhathal's 2018 by-election campaign.[8]
Outside politics
[edit]Bhathal is a lecturer at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.[14][15]
See also
[edit]Footnotes
[edit]- ^ The division of Batman was abolished prior to the 2019 election, and the division of Cooper was created, with boundaries similar to Batman's.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Alex Kaur Bhathal - Greens candidate for Batman, VIC". SBS Language. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "20 Questions with Alex Bhathal". Australian Greens. 26 May 2016. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Manning, Paddy (6 February 2018). "Sixth time lucky? Meet Alex Bhathal". The Monthly. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
- ^ "Curriculum Vitae". Alex Bhathal. 30 January 2012. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Batman, VIC, Virtual Tally Room 2016, Australian Electoral Commission.
- ^ a b Preiss, Benjamin (7 August 2018). "Greens apologise to Alex Bhathal over handling of bullying complaint". The Age. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Towell, Noel; Carey, Adam (5 April 2018). "Green 'saboteurs' survive attempted purge for attacks on Batman loser". The Age. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ a b Carey, Adam; Towell, Noel (6 April 2018). "Greens councillors tried to take down their own Batman candidate". The Age. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ Towell, Noel (8 July 2019). "Greens' candidate horror show comes to the big screen". The Age. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Chaos at Greens screening". The Australian. 29 July 2019.
- ^ Henriques-Gomes, Luke (10 August 2018). "'Sabotage': perennial Greens candidate Alex Bhathal won't contest next election". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Henriques-Gomes, Luke (1 February 2019). "Former Greens candidate Alex Bhathal quits party, blaming 'organisational bullying'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Nominations". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "Alex Bhathal". The Conversation. 7 November 2021. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ Grewal, Preetinder; McCarthy, Preeti (21 June 2016). "Alex Kaur Bhathal - Greens candidate for Batman, VIC". SBS. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.