Hatice "Hutch" Hussein[1] is an Australian feminist, activist, and social worker. She served as the elected State President of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) between 2016 and 2019.[2][3] Upon taking this role, she became the first President in the party's 125-year history to be from an ethnic minority background, from a Muslim background, and from the LGBT community.[4]
Hussein has also co-convened EMILY's List Australia to get progressive Labor women into Parliament[5] and was a Founding Board Member for the Women's Rights Action Network - Australia (WRANA).[6] Hussein has also worked for the Northern Migrant Resource Centre in Melbourne, and as a Ministerial Adviser in Education and Women's Affairs.[1]
In 2019, Hussein called on members of the Victorian Labor to support women who have launched complaints of bullying and sexual harassment within the party.[7]
Hussein was born to Turkish Cypriot parents.[5] Her father, Niazi, was a trained mechanic who fled to Australia from Cyprus in 1970 when the Cyprus conflict escalated. Her mother, Nahide, worked at a television factory upon moving to Australia.[9]
Hussein worked in NGO organisations before becoming pre selected for the 2022 Victorian state election.
Hussein regards herself as a "cultural Muslim".[1] She is a mother and identifies as a lesbian.[4]