26 Facts About Lyn Allison

Lynette Fay Allison was born on 21 October 1946 and is an Australian politician.

Lyn Allison was a member of the Australian Senate from 1996 to 2008, representing the state of Victoria.

Lyn Allison's father was a fitter and turner and her mother was involved in the local church, bowls club, and school tuckshop.

Lyn Allison was educated at Rosanna High School, and left briefly in year 10 to become a dental nurse, before returning to complete high school.

Lyn Allison gained a Bachelor of Education at the University of Melbourne, and from 1987 to 1991 was a high school art teacher at St Joseph's Technical School Abbotsford and St Paul's College in Altona North.

Lyn Allison was an Independent councillor of the City of Port Melbourne from 1992 to 1994.

In 1994 Lyn Allison contested the state by-election for the Victorian Legislative Assembly district of Williamstown after the resignation of Joan Kirner, the former Premier of Victoria.

Lyn Allison won pre-selection on the Democrats ticket, was elected to the Australian Senate in 1996, and re-elected for a second term in the 2001 federal election.

Between 1998 and 2006, Lyn Allison served on the Legislation and References Committees for Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts; and for Community Affairs.

Lyn Allison served as Senate Select for Superannuation ; the Victorian Casino Inquiry ; the Lucas Heights Reactor ; Medicare ; and Mental Health.

From 1999 to 2001 Lyn Allison chaired an inquiry into the health effects of mobile phone towers.

Lyn Allison was Deputy Leader of the Australian Democrats from 2002 to 2004.

Lyn Allison took over the leadership at a time when the Democrats were at their lowest ever public opinion rating since the party was founded in 1977.

On 5 December 2006, Lyn Allison introduced into the Senate a bill titled the Cluster Munitions Bill 2006, which, if enacted, would prevent Australia from using, possessing and manufacturing cluster munitions.

Lyn Allison, a leading feminist in the Australian parliament, was among a cross-party group of female parliamentarians who introduced legislation into parliament in 2006 which effectively legalised the supply of the abortion pill RU486.

Lyn Allison advocated for federal government funding for public schools and nuclear disarmament.

Lyn Allison's seat was up for election along with three other Democrats senators and was considered vulnerable after the Democrats poor performance in the 2004 election when the last Senate seat was won by Family First and the Coalition government gained control of the Senate for the first time in over 25 years.

Lyn Allison received the support of community and interest groups such as the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, for her support for refugees and asylum seekers; the Friends of the ABC, for promoting public broadcasting; and endorsements by prominent women and feminists such as Barbara Spalding and Anne Summers.

The Democrats failed to retain their seats in the Senate, with Lyn Allison losing her seat to the Labor Party candidate David Feeney.

Lyn Allison's term expired on 30 June 2008, leaving the Australian Democrats with no federal representation for the first time since its founding in 1977.

Lyn Allison is a board member of eight organisations including Berry Street, Vision Australia, Alzheimer's Australia and her local nursing home.

In 2012 Lyn Allison was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for being a member of the Australian Senate from 1996 to 2008.

On 5 October 2019, Lyn Allison became the 12th President of the Australian Democrats, resuming an active role within the party.

Lyn Allison married when she was 21 years old, and three years later they bought a home in East St Kilda for about $11,000.

Lyn Allison was Director of the Employment and Economic Development Corporation.

Lyn Allison was awarded the Australian Humanist of the Year award in 2008 for her work in education, environment and women's rights.