Kate Doust

The Honourable
Kate Doust
MLC
The Honourable Kate Doust MLC
President of the Legislative Council; of Western Australia
	In office; 23 May 2017 – 24 May 2021
Preceded by	Barry House
Succeeded by	Alanna Clohesy
Member of the Legislative Council; of Western Australia
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 22 May 2001 Serving with Edman, Ellery, Goiran, MacLaren, Mills, O'Brien, B. Scott, J. Scott
Constituency	South Metropolitan Region
Personal details
Born	27 May 1962 (age 62); Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Political party	Labor
Spouse	Bill Johnston
Alma mater	University of Western Australia

Catherine Esther Doust (born 27 May 1962) is an Australian politician who has been a Labor Party member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia since 2001, representing South Metropolitan Region. She was President of the Legislative Council from 2017 to 2021, the first woman to hold the position.

Early life

Doust was born in Kalgoorlie and attended the University of Western Australia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. From 1984, she worked as an official with the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, including as a board member and treasurer for periods. She also served as a vice-president of UnionsWA.^[1]

Political career

Doust entered parliament at the 2001 state election, standing in the second position on Labor's ticket in South Metropolitan Region. She was made deputy chairman of committees in the Legislative Council shortly after being elected, and after the 2005 state election was made a parliamentary secretary, holding that position in the ministries of Geoff Gallop and Alan Carpenter. Doust was elected deputy leader of the Labor Party in the Legislative Council after the 2008 state election. She has served in the shadow cabinet under both Eric Ripper and Mark McGowan.^[2] Doust's husband, Bill Johnston, is also a member of parliament, although they were married years before either of them were elected.^[1]

Doust was elected President of the Legislative Council on 23 May 2017, in doing so becoming the first female President of the Council in history.^[3] Doust was controversially replaced on 24 May 2021 due to long standing disagreements with Premier Mark McGowan particularly regarding a corruption probe into former Liberal MP Phil Edman.^[4]^[5]

Political views

Doust describes herself as "very pro-life."^[6] She opposed a 2023 bill that liberalised Western Australia's abortion laws by removing abortion from the criminal code, removing a requirement for mandatory counselling, removing the need for women to be referred for an abortion by a doctor, and increasing the gestational limit at which additional restrictions apply to abortions from 20 weeks to 23 weeks.^[7] Doust was the only Labor member of the Legislative Council to vote against the bill.^[8]

Awards and honours

Awarded the inaugural Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Parliamentarian of the Year award in 2022.^[9]

Master of Bioethics (M. Bioethics) from the University of Notre Dame Australia.

References

^ ^a ^b Catherine (Kate) Esther Doust, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
^ Hon. Catherine (Kate) Esther Doust MLC, Parliament of Western AUstralia. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
^ "Labor MP Kate Doust becomes WA's first female Upper House president". ABC News. 23 May 2017.
^ "Doust asked for CCC watchdog's head, then praised him". The West Australian. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^ Ramsey, Michael (14 May 2021). "WA Labor MP slams AG over corruption probe". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^ Dietsch, Jake (1 September 2023). "Labor MP Kate Doust speaks in support of Liberal MP Nick Goiran, breaks party ranks on abortion law reforms". The West Australian. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
^ Bourke, Keane (20 September 2023). "Landmark reforms to WA's abortion laws pass state parliament". ABC News. Retrieved 22 September 2023. My private view is that when this bill is passed, the fact that we've pushed out the boundary from 20 to 23 weeks for an abortion without reason in fact in my view will further erode the view that we place on the value of human life, and that is one of the reasons why I will not be supporting this bill
^ Bunch, Aaron; Hastie, Hamish (21 September 2023). "Abortion decriminalised in WA under sweeping reforms". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
^ "Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Award announced at 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Canada".

[bio-1] Catherine (Kate) Esther Doust, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 11 February 2017.

[2] Hon. Catherine (Kate) Esther Doust MLC, Parliament of Western AUstralia. Retrieved 11 February 2017.

[3] "Labor MP Kate Doust becomes WA's first female Upper House president". ABC News. 23 May 2017.

[4] "Doust asked for CCC watchdog's head, then praised him". The West Australian. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

[5] Ramsey, Michael (14 May 2021). "WA Labor MP slams AG over corruption probe". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

[6] Dietsch, Jake (1 September 2023). "Labor MP Kate Doust speaks in support of Liberal MP Nick Goiran, breaks party ranks on abortion law reforms". The West Australian. Retrieved 22 September 2023.

[7] Bourke, Keane (20 September 2023). "Landmark reforms to WA's abortion laws pass state parliament". ABC News. Retrieved 22 September 2023. My private view is that when this bill is passed, the fact that we've pushed out the boundary from 20 to 23 weeks for an abortion without reason in fact in my view will further erode the view that we place on the value of human life, and that is one of the reasons why I will not be supporting this bill

[8] Bunch, Aaron; Hastie, Hamish (21 September 2023). "Abortion decriminalised in WA under sweeping reforms". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 22 September 2023.

[9] "Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Award announced at 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Canada".

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