Anthony Byrne (politician)

Anthony Byrne (born 10 August 1962) is an Australian politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Holt, Victoria, from 1999 to 2022. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party.

Byrne was born in Melbourne and educated at Monash University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a lawyer and a political staffer.

He was first elected to the House of Representatives in the 1999 Holt by-election, triggered by the resignation of Gareth Evans to become Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He was subsequently re-elected at each federal election until his retirement in 2022.

During his parliamentary career, Byrne served on a number of committees, including the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. He was also a member of the Labor Party's shadow ministry, holding portfolios such as Immigration and Citizenship, and Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Byrne gained significant media attention during his time in Parliament. He was a prominent voice on issues relating to national security and immigration. He was also a witness at the Victorian Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) inquiry into alleged branch-stacking within the Victorian Labor Party, where he admitted to participating in the practice. This testimony led to calls for his resignation, and he ultimately announced that he would not contest the 2022 federal election.