Meet Councillor Andrew Rowse

Meet Councillor Andrew Rowse. 👋

Andrew is a City of Melbourne councillor, and he’s now an Australian Democrat.

A North Melbourne local, he graduated in mechanical engineering from the University of Melbourne. He started out as an engineer and led a university motorsports racing team, then moved into sports marketing and event management.

Later he studied entrepreneurship at the Wade Institute and founded a startup developing robotic technology to help with rehabilitation for stroke survivors.

He went on to help build the University of Melbourne’s research translation and startup training programs and the Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre, where he was Director of Programs. All up, that’s almost a decade in Melbourne’s innovation industry, helping researchers, startups and young innovators turn great ideas into real businesses. 🚀

Cr Rowse was elected to Melbourne City Council in 2024. He wants the city’s startup and research community to grow as Melbourne matures, and to make it a place global talent wants to live and work.

In May, councillors backed his motion on generative AI, workforce transition and the knowledge economy. It asks the City to co-host a roundtable with the State Government, bringing together industry, business, startups and the education sector.

Andrew believes Victoria holds enormous untapped potential, but too often short-term politics, unnecessary bureaucracy and a fear of doing things differently hold us back. He wants the next generation to inherit a country full of opportunity, not one afraid of change.

For Andrew, it’s not about left versus right. It’s about what moves Victoria forward. Sounds like a Democrat to us.

• 📍Councillor, City of Melbourne
• 💡Portfolio head, Innovation and Education
• 🏙️Portfolio deputy, City Economy and Business
• 🏛️Council’s representative, Design Excellence Advisory Committee
• 🔗His official council profile

Welcome to the Australian Democrats, Cr Rowse.

Want to join him? Become a member.