Carol Brown

Carol Louise Brown (born 19 July 1963) is an Australian politician. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has been a Senator for Tasmania since 2005. She was an assistant minister in the Albanese government from 2022 to 2024.

Early life Brown was born in Hobart, Tasmania. She is the eighth of thirteen children born to Julia and Rex Brown. In her maiden speech she recalled "a proud history, on both sides of my family, of union and Labor activism". Her great-grandmother Mary Butler was a founding member of the Hobart branch of the ALP, her uncle Leo Brown was state president of the ALP, one niece (Allison Ritchie) served in the Tasmanian Legislative Council, and another niece (Meg Brown) is currently a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly.

Brown grew up in the suburb of Warrane.

Brown was elected Deputy Government Whip following the 2010 election. Following the 2013 election she was added to Bill Shorten's shadow ministry as a shadow parliamentary secretary. She was promoted to Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers in 2016, but in 2019 was returned to the rank of shadow assistant minister. In July 2024, she announced she would step down from the assistant ministry for health reasons, with effect from 29 July 2024. In August 2024 she was appointed chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.