Jonty Bush

Jonty Maree Bush (born 25 June 1979) is an Australian politician currently serving as the Labor member for Cooper in the Queensland Legislative Assembly. Bush is a former public servant and community advocate, having served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Homicide Victims Support Group and holding various roles in the Queensland Government including as a Director in the Office of the Public Guardian, Victim Assist Queensland, and the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General. She was awarded the 2009 Young Australian of the Year Award for her advocacy for victims of crime and the development of the One Punch Can Kill campaign. Bush was a member of the inaugural Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council between 2010 and 2012.

Early life and education
Born and raised in Austins Ferry, Tasmania, Bush relocated with her family to the Southern Burnett town of Kilkivan when she was 14 and finished off her high school between Kilkivan and Gympie. Bush, her father and brother relocated to the Sunshine Coast where Bush attended Sunshine Coast University to earn a bachelor's degree in business.

Bush later graduated from Griffith University in Queensland with a Masters in Criminology and Criminal Justice following her work in criminal justice master's degree.

Community advocacy
Bush's community development began when she was young, often attending Clean Up Australia day events and helping her family with Meals On Wheels deliveries. Bush's active and direct involvement however began in 2000, when Bush joined the Queensland Homicide Victims Support Group as a volunteer after the homicides of her sister (to domestic violence) and her father (a coward punch assault). During her time with the company, Bush was promoted to Family Support Officer, Volunteer Coordinator and eventually to Chief Executive Officer in 2007, making her the first CEO with lived experience in the organisation.

Bush led a number of policy and legislative reforms to strengthen the rights of victims of crime in Queensland. Additionally, Bush initiated an anti-violence campaign called One Punch Can Kill, educating people about the impacts of even one punch. In 2012, Bush started Project 24, which focuses on fundraising for agencies that specialise in gender-based violence prevention.

in 2009 Bush was recognised as the Young Australian of the Year for her work in improving the rights of victims of violence, and her work in community safety education with the One Punch Can Kill campaign.

Public service
Outside of advocacy, Bush was a member of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council from 2010 to 2012. Bush then joined the Queensland Public Service in 2010 as the Community Liaison and Research Officer of Victim Assist Queensland, an agency of the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General. From 2015 to 2015, she then worked as the Principal Program Officer responsible for the Queensland Victim Coordination Program. In 2015, Bush joined the Office of the Public Guardian as the Practice Manager and then served as the Director of the Community Visitor Program from 2017 to 2018. From 2018 to 2020, Bush served as the Director of the Strategic Support Office for the Criminal Justice System Reform Framework Program Management Office in the Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet. In 2019 prior to her election to Parliament, Bush also served as Acting Director of Victim Assist Queensland.

Brisbane City Council candidacy
At the 2020 Brisbane City Council election, Bush ran for the Enoggera Ward and was defeated by incumbent councillor Andrew Wines, despite a swing towards her.

State Parliament
In September 2020, Bush took Kate Jones's place as the Labor candidate for the electoral district of Cooper at the 2020 Queensland state election and was successful, winning her seat with a 10.5% margin. She serves a member of the Parliament's Legal Affairs and Safety Committee and Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee.

Labor Party executive
Bush was elected a vice-president of the Australian Labor Party Queensland Branch in 2020. Bush is currently the Patron of two ALP equity groups - LEAN (Labor Environmental Action Network) and Labor Enabled.

Personal life
Bush is in a de facto partnership and has four daughters.

Awards and honours
Bush won the 2009 Young Australian of the Year Award recognising her work in advocacy for victims of crime in Queensland.