Charishma Kaliyanda

Charishma Kaliyanda is an Australian politician who is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Liverpool since 2023. She previously served as a Councillor on the City of Liverpool.

Charishma Kaliyanda MP
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Liverpool
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 March 2023
Preceded by	Paul Lynch
Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Services, Youth Justice, Customer Service and Digital Government
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 June 2024
Minister	Jihad Dib
Preceded by	Anthony D'Adam
Councillor of the City of Liverpool for South Ward
In office 2016–2024
Personal details
Born	India
Political party	Labor
Occupation	Occupational therapist

Early life and career

Kaliyanda was born in India. She migrated to Australia as a four-year-old with her parents and brother^[1] and was raised in Liverpool. She is a registered Occupational Therapist,^[2] having completed a Masters in the subject.^[1]

She has previously worked full-time for an industry group helping engineers into the workforce and has worked as Community Engagement and Development Officer with headspace.^[1]

Political career

Kaliyanda joined the Australian Labor Party in the late 2000s^[1] and was announced as the party's endorsed candidate for the new New South Wales state seat of Holsworthy for the 2015 New South Wales state election. She was defeated by the incumbent Menai member Melanie Gibbons.^[3]

Kaliyanda was elected to Liverpool City Council for the South Ward in 2016.^[4] She was endorsed as the Labor candidate for Holsworthy again at the 2019 election but was defeated by Gibbons for a second time.^[5][6] Kaliyanda was re-elected to Liverpool City Council in 2021.^[7] She has been endorsed as the Labor candidate for the safe seat of Liverpool at the 2023 election.^[8] She was elected a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Liverpool for the Labor Party in 2023.^[9][10]

In October 2023, Kaliyanda signed an open letter which condemned attacks against Israeli and Palestinian civilians during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.^[11] In 2024, she was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Services, Youth Justice, Customer Service and Digital Government.

References

1. "Liverpool - NSW Electorate, Candidates, Results". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
2. "Your Councillors". Liverpool City Council. City of Liverpool. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
3. "NSW STATE ELECTION RESULTS 2015 Saturday 28 March 2015 State Electoral District of Holsworthy". Elections NSW. New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
4. "Liverpool City Council - South Ward Councillor Contest - Map and Polling Places 2016". pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
5. "Holsworthy: First Preference Votes". 2019 NSW election results. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
6. "Holsworthy: Distribution of Preferences". 2019 NSW election results. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
7. "City of Liverpool - South Ward Councillor Election". pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
8. "Charishma Kaliyanda - Candidate for Liverpool". NSW Labor. NSW Labor. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
9. "Liverpool - NSW Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
10. "Ms Charishma KALIYANDA, MP". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
11. "'Catastrophic crisis': NSW politicians release open letter supporting Palestinian communities". ABC News. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.