Murray Watt

Watt was educated at Brisbane State High School where he was School Captain in 1989. In 1996 he graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws. He was a solicitor (1997–2002) and judge's associate (1999–2000). He was a public servant in the Queensland Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of State Development (2007–09) and chief of staff to Anna Bligh (2002–07; 2008). He had long been active in the Australian Labor Party, serving as President of Queensland Young Labor in 1998 and delegate to various state conferences.[1]

Watt was also a senior associate with the Brisbane office of Maurice Blackburn.[2]

In 2009 Watt was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Everton, succeeding Rod Welford, who retired. He was defeated for re-election at the 2012 state election.[1]

When Meaghan Scanlon was preselected as the Labor candidate for Gaven at the 2017 state election it was claimed that Watt was the deciding factor and that it was against the wishes of the branch members. One member of the branch claimed "factional politics prior to Murray coming to the Gold Coast didn't happen."[3]

Following announcement of the retirement of Senator Jan McLucas, in 2015 Watt was endorsed as a Labor Senate candidate for Queensland at the 2016 federal election[4] and subsequently elected.[5]

After the 2019 election, Watt was included in Anthony Albanese's shadow ministry as Shadow Minister for Northern Australia and Shadow Minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management. He is also Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate.[6]