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{{Short description|Australian politician (born 1952)}}
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'''Helen Elizabeth Buckingham''' (born [[November 17]], [[1952]]) is an [[Australia]]n politician. She has been an [[Australian Labor Party]] member of the [[Victorian Legislative Council]] since November [[2002]], representing Koonung Province. The daughter of former state Labor leader [[Frank Wilkes]], and a former teacher and local councillor, Buckingham has been a relatively low-profile backbencher in a term marred by a serious illness.
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}
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'''Helen Elizabeth Buckingham''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} (born 17 November 1952) is a retired [[Australia]]n politician. She was the [[Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch)|Labor Party]] member of the [[Victorian Legislative Council]] from 2002 to 2006, representing Koonung Province. She is the daughter of former state Labor leader [[Frank Wilkes]], and a former teacher and local councillor.


==Early life==
Buckingham was born in [[Melbourne]], and went to secondary school in the suburb of [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]], but switched to the selective [[University High School (Melbourne)|University High School]] for her final year. She studied teaching at [[La Trobe University]], and took up her first position teaching history and politics at the somewhat underprivileged Pascoe Vale Girls High School. She taught there from [[1975]] to [[1982]], and then worked for a time at the private Mount Scopus College. In [[1987]], she received a position at [[Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne|Presbyterian Ladies' College]], and worked there until retiring from teaching in [[1991]]. She took up a position as a careers counsellor the following year.
Buckingham was born in [[Melbourne]], and went to secondary school in the suburb of [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]], but switched to the selective [[University High School (Melbourne)|University High School]] for her final year. She studied teaching at [[La Trobe University]], and took up her first position teaching history and politics at the somewhat underprivileged Pascoe Vale Girls High School. She taught there from 1975 to 1982, and then worked for a time at the private Mount Scopus College. From 1987, she taught at [[Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne|Presbyterian Ladies' College]], and worked there until retiring from teaching in 1991. She took up a position as a careers counsellor the following year.


==Politics==
Buckingham was actively involved in a number of community organisations, and was on the board of Box Hill Hospital for several years, as well as being a member of the [[Monash University]] Department of Physiology's Animal Ethics Committee. In [[1997]], Buckingham made a bid to be elected as a councillor for the [[City of Whitehorse]], and was ultimately successful. She became mayor the following year, and served for two years in this capacity. Buckingham was not re-elected as mayor in [[2000]], but continued to serve as a councillor. She stood as the Labor candidate for the federal seat of [[Division of Deakin|Deakin]] at the [[Australian legislative election, 2001|2001 election]], and was thought to have a chance of winning it. However, the 2001 election was not successful for Labor, and Buckingham was defeated.
Buckingham was actively involved in a number of community organisations, and was on the board of Box Hill Hospital for several years,http://www.easternhealth.org.au/boxhill/bhh.html as well as being a member of the [[Monash University]] Department of Physiology's Animal Ethics Committee. In 1997, Buckingham made a bid to be elected as a councillor for the [[City of Whitehorse]], and was ultimately successful.


She became mayor the following year, and served for two years in this capacity. Buckingham was not re-elected as mayor in 2000, but continued to serve as a councillor. She stood as the Labor candidate for the federal seat of [[Division of Deakin|Deakin]] at the [[2001 Australian federal election|2001 election]], and was thought to have a chance of winning it. However, the 2001 election was not successful for Labor, and Buckingham was defeated.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1949/1949repsvic.txt |title=1949 House of Representatives: Victoria |website=Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive |access-date=2022-06-04}}</ref>
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Her second bid for political office was to be more successful. She switched from federal to state politics, and won pre-selection for the Legislative Council seat of Koonung Province at the [[2002]] election. It was held by a strong margin by sitting [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] member [[Gerald Ashman]], but the election resulted in a significant landslide victory for Labor, and Buckingham soundly defeated Ashman, even before the distribution of preferences.


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Her second bid for political office was to be more successful. She switched from federal to state politics, and won pre-selection for the Legislative Council seat of [[Koonung Province]] at the 2002 election. It was held by a strong margin by sitting [[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Liberal]] member [[Gerald Ashman]], but the election resulted in a significant landslide victory for Labor, and Buckingham soundly defeated Ashman, even before the distribution of preferences.
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As with many of her Legislative Council colleagues, she has kept a relatively low profile, and has largely focused on local issues, such as preventing the closure of the Angliss Hospital, as well as committee work, serving on the Legislative Council's Education and Training and Privileges Committees. Furthermore, her term has been marred by a serious illness, the nature of which has not yet been reported, which forced her to take leave for the second half of [[2004]]. She returned to her duties in [[2005]], but has kept a particularly low public profile since her illness. While on holiday in [[England]] during the year, she found herself caught up in the [[7 July 2005 London bombings]]; she was on a train in front of one of those bombed.


She was instrumental in reforms to the regulation of Victorian Bodies Corporate. She also played a strong role on the Parliament's All-Party Education Committee.<ref name="re-member">{{Cite re-member |num2=1702 |name=Helen Elizabeth Buckingham |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref> She also focused on local issues such as preventing the closure of the Angliss Hospital. She served on the Legislative Council Privileges Committees.
Buckingham has made no statement as to whether she intends to recontest her seat at the [[Victorian legislative election, 2006|2006 state election]]. Though Buckingham would be would be one of the few Legislative Council members unlikely to face re-election concerns among new electoral boundaries due to be implemented at the election, her illness may well see her retire after serving only the one term.


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Her term was marred by a serious illness which forced her to take leave for the second half of 2004. She returned to her duties in 2005 . While on holiday in [[England]] during the year, she found herself caught up in the [[7 July 2005 London bombings]]; she was on a train in front of one of those bombed.
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[[Category:1952 births|Buckingham, Helen]]

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[[Category:Living people|Buckingham, Helen]]
Buckingham retired at the 2006 election.<ref name="re-member"/>
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[[Category:Australian Labor Party politicians|Buckingham, Helen]]

[[Category:Victorian state politicians|Buckingham, Helen]]
==Honours==
Buckingham was awarded the [[Medal of the Order of Australia]] (OAM) in 2018.<ref>{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=2001985 |date=11 June 2018 |recipient=Ms Helen Elizabeth Buckingham |award=Medal of the Order of Australia |postnominal=OAM |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckingham, Helen}}
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[[Category:1952 births]]
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria]]
[[Category:Members of the Victorian Legislative Council]]
[[Category:La Trobe University alumni]]
[[Category:Australian schoolteachers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian politicians]]
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[[Category:21st-century Australian women politicians]]
[[Category:Women members of the Victorian Legislative Council]]

Latest revision as of 12:04, 22 December 2024

Helen Elizabeth Buckingham OAM (born 17 November 1952) is a retired Australian politician. She was the Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 2002 to 2006, representing Koonung Province. She is the daughter of former state Labor leader Frank Wilkes, and a former teacher and local councillor.

Early life

[edit]

Buckingham was born in Melbourne, and went to secondary school in the suburb of Preston, but switched to the selective University High School for her final year. She studied teaching at La Trobe University, and took up her first position teaching history and politics at the somewhat underprivileged Pascoe Vale Girls High School. She taught there from 1975 to 1982, and then worked for a time at the private Mount Scopus College. From 1987, she taught at Presbyterian Ladies' College, and worked there until retiring from teaching in 1991. She took up a position as a careers counsellor the following year.

Politics

[edit]

Buckingham was actively involved in a number of community organisations, and was on the board of Box Hill Hospital for several years,http://www.easternhealth.org.au/boxhill/bhh.html as well as being a member of the Monash University Department of Physiology's Animal Ethics Committee. In 1997, Buckingham made a bid to be elected as a councillor for the City of Whitehorse, and was ultimately successful.

She became mayor the following year, and served for two years in this capacity. Buckingham was not re-elected as mayor in 2000, but continued to serve as a councillor. She stood as the Labor candidate for the federal seat of Deakin at the 2001 election, and was thought to have a chance of winning it. However, the 2001 election was not successful for Labor, and Buckingham was defeated.[1]

Her second bid for political office was to be more successful. She switched from federal to state politics, and won pre-selection for the Legislative Council seat of Koonung Province at the 2002 election. It was held by a strong margin by sitting Liberal member Gerald Ashman, but the election resulted in a significant landslide victory for Labor, and Buckingham soundly defeated Ashman, even before the distribution of preferences.

She was instrumental in reforms to the regulation of Victorian Bodies Corporate. She also played a strong role on the Parliament's All-Party Education Committee.[2] She also focused on local issues such as preventing the closure of the Angliss Hospital. She served on the Legislative Council Privileges Committees.

Her term was marred by a serious illness which forced her to take leave for the second half of 2004. She returned to her duties in 2005 . While on holiday in England during the year, she found herself caught up in the 7 July 2005 London bombings; she was on a train in front of one of those bombed.

Buckingham retired at the 2006 election.[2]

Honours

[edit]

Buckingham was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2018.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1949 House of Representatives: Victoria". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Helen Elizabeth Buckingham". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) entry for Ms Helen Elizabeth Buckingham". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
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