Melissa Donnelly named new ACTU secretary after leadership transition
Consensus Summary
Melissa Donnelly has been named the new secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) after Sally McManus and Michele O'Neil announced their resignations late last month. Donnelly, a 44-year-old working mother, will take over at the end of August, marking a generational shift in leadership. Both sources confirm her seven-year tenure as CPSU secretary, where she achieved significant wins, including reversing government outsourcing and securing paid parental leave. The ACTU’s first all-female leadership team, which served for eight years, has shaped the Albanese government’s workplace agenda. Donnelly’s priorities include addressing cost of living pressures and the impact of AI on jobs, while also aiming to attract younger members. The ABC highlights a long-term decline in union membership since 1992, with a slight increase for the first time since 2011, while the Guardian emphasizes her CPSU’s 23% membership growth and recent legal actions over workplace laws.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Melissa Donnelly will take the helm of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) at the end of August
- Sally McManus and Michele O'Neil announced their resignation late last month
- Sally McManus served as ACTU secretary from 2017 to 2026
- Melissa Donnelly led the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) for seven years
- The ACTU’s first all-female leadership team had an eight-year tenure
- The ACTU has a 99-year history
- Melissa Donnelly is 44 years old and a working mother with two school-aged children
- The average union member is 44 years old and a working mum
- Less than 4 per cent of ACTU members were aged 15 to 19, while about 7 per cent were aged 20 to 24
- Michele O'Neil will be replaced later this year
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Melissa Donnelly will focus on cost of living and AI as her priorities at the ACTU
- Trade union membership has been in general decline since 1992 but increased for the first time since 2011 under Sally McManus
- The ACTU has faced reputational hits in Victoria, including the CFMEU forced into administration and a looming royal commission into the state's Big Build program
- Ms Donnelly worked for left-leaning think tank The McKell Institute and started her union career as a 25-year-old lawyer fighting WorkChoices laws
- Ms Donnelly secured work-from-home rights for public service employees during her CPSU tenure
- The ACTU has had wins including Same Job Same Pay and the Right to Disconnect under the current federal Labor government
- Melissa Donnelly is among the ACTU’s youngest secretaries
- Donnelly’s CPSU membership grew by 23% during her tenure
- The CPSU secured 18 weeks’ paid parental leave for both parents under her leadership
- The CPSU took the tax office to the Fair Work Commission over alleged violations of the Albanese government’s Same Job Same Pay laws
- Public service minister Katy Gallagher congratulated Donnelly and noted their close collaboration to rebuild the public service
- Melissa Donnelly is a year younger than Sally McManus was when she took up the office
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The ABC states the ACTU’s membership increased for the first time since 2011, but the Guardian does not mention this specific timeline
- The ABC mentions a 4% membership rate for ages 15-19 and 7% for ages 20-24, while the Guardian does not provide these age-specific membership details
Source Articles
'Generational change': Melissa Donnelly named as new ACTU boss
The 44-year-old inherits the trade union movement while it is enjoying a golden era of political influence, but also faces a long-term decline in membership and a fight for the rights of workers in the AI boom.
New head of Australian trade union movement named after Sally McManus steps down
Melissa Donnelly, the national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, will replace the outgoing ACTU head Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Melissa Donnelly, the national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, will take on the role as the next head of the trade movement in Australia, after the resignation of Sally McManus . The Australian Council of Trade Unions’ secretary and its president, Michele O’Neil, revealed last month they would be st
More Technology stories
Trial of Beau Lamarre-Condon for alleged double murder of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies
Whale carcasses wash up in Sydney and Perth, closing beaches and raising shark concerns
Independent MP Helen Haines critically injured in alleged car attack outside Wangaratta office
Republican ad targeting Ohio Democrat Amy Acton sparks controversy in US midterm elections
NextDC’s Melbourne data centre expansion delayed by power pole protests and regulatory hurdles
Critical PHP vulnerability causes global website shutdowns and cybersecurity alerts
Latest cross-verified stories
Ukraine's Starlink restrictions disrupt military operations amid US political tensions
Alan Jones trial over alleged sexual assaults against five male complainants
Manchester United's Champions League defeat by Como sparks managerial crisis
Deadly fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright sparks mass casualties and emergency response
Tonga's shock Rugby League World Cup win over England threatens elimination
Russia-Ukraine war escalates as missile strikes follow failed peace talks
Browse all stories from August 2026 in the archive.