Reece Whitby

Reece Raymond Whitby (born 29 May 1964) is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since the 2017 state election, representing Baldivis. Shortly after the 2017 election, Whitby was appointed by Premier of Western Australia Mark McGowan as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer and Minister for Energy and Finance, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment and Disability Services. Whitby was re-elected to the seat of Baldivis in the 2021 state election, and he was appointed to the Second McGowan Ministry, becoming the Minister of Emergency Services; Racing and Gaming, Small Business and Volunteering.^[1]

Reece Whitby MLA
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Baldivis
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 March 2017
Preceded by	new seat
Personal details
Born	(1964-05-29) 29 May 1964 (age 60) Perth, Western Australia
Political party	Labor
Occupation	Journalist
Website	www.reecewhitby.com.au

Whitby was raised in Balga, Western Australia, and attended North Balga Primary School and Greenwood Senior High School. Before entering politics he was a journalist at the South Western Times in Bunbury, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Nine Network and Seven Network.^[2][3] In 2008 and 2013 he ran unsuccessfully as the Labor candidate for the state Legislative Assembly electoral district of Morley.^[4]

Whitby is married to Supreme Court of Western Australia Justice Natalie Whitby.^[5] They have four children.^[6]

Whitby is one of six Labor MP's in the current state parliament that is not factionally aligned as of 2021.^[7]

Whitby worked for the Seven Network before his political career.

References

1. de Kruijff, Peter; Hastie, Hamish (18 March 2021). "Mark McGowan makes himself Treasurer in sweeping cabinet changes". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
2. Whitby, Reece (17 May 2017). "Inaugural Speech, Mr Reece Whitby, MLA (Member for Baldivis)" (PDF). Parliament of Western Australia. Perth, WA: Hansard. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
3. "Reece Whitby". Business News. Perth, WA. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
4. Green, Antony (2017). "Baldivis". ABC Elections. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
5. "Barrister, Supreme Court Registrar appointed to District Court". Perth, WA: Dept of the Premier and Cabinet. 1 June 2021. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
6. "Reece Whitby MLA". East Perth, WA: ALP (WA Branch). Retrieved 11 April 2021.
7. de Kruijff, Peter (15 March 2021). "What are WA Labor's factions and who sits where?". WAtoday. Retrieved 17 January 2022.

Western Australian Legislative Assembly
New seat	Member for Baldivis 2017–present	Incumbent