Ellery entered parliament at the
2001 state election, as the lead candidate on the Labor Party's ticket in South Metropolitan Region. She was a
parliamentary secretary in the government of
Geoff Gallop in 2003, and continued on when Alan Carpenter replaced Gallop as premier in January 2006. Ellery was elevated to the ministry in March 2007, becoming
Minister for Child Protection,
Minister for Community Services,
Minister for Women's Interests, and
Minister for Seniors and Volunteering. She held her positions until the Labor government's defeat at the
2008 state election. After that election, Ellery continued on as a shadow minister, and was also elected leader of the Labor Party in the Legislative Council. She has been identified as a member of the party's
Labor Left faction. From 2017 to 2022, she was the
minister for education and training. In December 2022, she requested a change in ministries during a cabinet reshuffle. She became the
minister for finance,
minister for commerce, and
minister for women's interests. Ellery shared a close professional relationship with Premier
Mark McGowan throughout his political career. During McGowan’s resignation announcement on 29 May 2023, Ellery was seen wiping away tears as he delivered his remarks. Her presence at the press conference, alongside other senior cabinet ministers, reflected her long-standing role as a senior figure within the WA Labor Government and her loyalty to McGowan’s leadership. Ellery will retire from politics at the
2025 election. ==See also==