Anasina Gray-Barberio

Anasina Gray-Barberio
MLC
Gray-Barberio in 2024
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Northern Metropolitan Region
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 November 2024
Preceded bySamantha Ratnam
Personal details
Born1981/1982[1]
Samoa
PartyGreens
Children2
RelativesTala Gray (brother)
Alma materDeakin University
Occupation
  • Social worker
  • Politician

Anasina Gray-Barberio (born 1981/1982) is a Samoan-Australian politician, non-profit executive and community worker. She is a member of the Victorian Legislative Council for the Northern Metropolitan Region.[2][3] She has also worked in the community sector.

Early life

Gray-Barberio was born in Samoa, the second of six children to Samoan rugby union international Paul Gray and health teacher Taualogomai Gray.[1] She attended Utuali’i Primary School and the Leulumoega-Fou College before moving to Melbourne at the age of 14, settling in the suburb of Broadmeadows.[4] Gray-Barberio attended Deakin University from 2020 to 2024, graduating with a Bachelor of Social Work.[4][5]

She has worked extensively within the community sector, focusing on community engagement, development and project management with diverse cultural groups. She is the founder of Engage Pasefika, a grassroots organisation dedicated to overcoming gaps in culturally responsive health services and advancing health equity for Pacific Island communities.[6] She has also served as a Community Advisory Committee member for the Royal Melbourne Hospital.[6]

Political career

Gray-Barberio filled the outgoing Legislative Council seat of former Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam, who resigned to contest the Division of Wills at the 2025 federal election.[3][7] Upon her appointment she became the first Samoan MP in the Victorian parliament.[2] Gray-Barberio requested that she be sung into the parliament, a traditional Samoan custom, but her request to allow this by suspending standing orders was denied and the singing instead took place in the public corridors of Parliament House.[8][9]

Personal life

Gray-Barberio's younger brother, Tala Gray, is a professional rugby union player who currently plays for CS Bourgoin-Jallieu.[1] She has two sons.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Phillips, Mark (12 August 2025). "Your Culture is Your Strength: How Our Newest MP Wants to Shake Up Parliament". Brunswick Voice. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 Carmody, Broede (5 September 2024). "First Samoan MP in state parliament to fight for climate, affordable housing". The Age. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Greens Announce New Member for Northern Metro, Making History as the First Pasefika MP to Enter Victorian Parliament". Australian Greens Victoria. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  4. 1 2 Strong, Khala (23 September 2024). "Meet the Sāmoan woman changing the face of Australian politics". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Gray-Barberio, Anasina. "Anasina Gray-Barberio MP: Member of Parliament for Northern Metro Region". LinkedIn.
  6. 1 2 "Anasina Gray-Barberio". Royal Melbourne Hospital. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  7. ↑ Kolovos, Benita (4 April 2024). "Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam announces run for federal politics". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  8. ↑ Cross, Jarred (27 November 2024). "Pasefika MP Anasina Gray-Barberio denied chance to practice her culture with song from community ahead of inaugural speech". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  9. ↑ Cross, Jarred (28 November 2024). "Climate crisis 'not just a matter of survival for our people', Victoria's first Pasefika MP makes plea in first speech". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
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