14 Facts About Karen Synon

Karen Margaret Synon was born on 15 September 1959 and is an Australian public servant and former politician.

Karen Synon served as a Senator for Victoria from 1997 to 1999, representing the Liberal Party.

Karen Synon was appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2015.

Karen Synon attended Blackburn South High School and Whitehorse Technical School, later completing an MBA at the University of Melbourne.

In 1986, Synon established the Westgate Community Initiatives Group, a non-profit employment services provider based in Melbourne's western suburbs.

Karen Synon served as general manager until 1993, when she took up a position with the Victorian government as director of employment in the Department of State Development.

Karen Synon joined the Young Liberal Movement at the age of 16.

Karen Synon was active in the Liberal Party of Australia for two decades prior to her appointment to the Senate, including as president of the Williamstown branch.

Karen Synon was an ally of Liberal powerbroker Michael Kroger, whom she first met in the Young Liberals during the 1970s.

Karen Synon was appointed to the Senate on 13 May 1997 to fill the casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Jim Short, whose original six-year term was due to conclude on 30 June 1999.

Karen Synon "often raised human rights concerns in the Senate" and was a parliamentary observer at the 1999 Indonesian legislative election.

Karen Synon was defeated for the third position on the ticket by Tsebin Tchen, a Kennett ally, who defeated Synon by eight votes after Kennett intervened personally on his behalf.

Karen Synon was appointed to the Refugee Review Tribunal in 2001 and the Migration Review Tribunal in 2004, in both cases as a part-time member.

In 2020, Karen Synon was appointed as a deputy president of the AAT and division head with responsibility for the social services and child support division.