Jeanette Powell
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Powell (born 4 February 1949) is the Nationals
Member for Shepparton
in the Victorian Parliament
.
Powell was born in Prescot
, England
and emigrated to Australia
as a child. After a short time in Preston
, the family moved to Shepparton in regional Victoria.
Prior to entering parliament, Powell held a variety of occupations including film processor, television presenter, singer, marketing and sales, office manager and director of the family auto-electrics business. She was also a Local Government councillor from 1990 to 1994 in the Shire of Shepparton
and served as Shepparton Shire president in 1993 and 1994. After council amalgamations Powell was appointed as a commissioner with the Shire of Campaspe from 1994 to 1996.
Powell was elected to the Legislative Council
seat of North-East Province in 1996, becoming the first woman to represent the Nationals
in Victoria. In 2002, she moved to the Legislative Assembly
to represent Shepparton, narrowly defeating the Liberal Party
candidate Stephen Merrylees with 54% of the two party vote. At the 2006 election, Powell increased her primary vote to 48% and her share of the two party vote to 67% against the same Liberal candidate (Stephen Merrylees) as 2002.
Powell is currently the Victorian Minister for Local Government and for Aboriginal Affairs. She has been the Deputy Chair of the Family & Community Development Committee since 1996, a member of the Parliamentary Library Committee since 1996 and the Standing Orders Committee since 2002.
Powell is married with two sons.
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
Member for Shepparton
Electoral district of Shepparton
The Electoral district of Shepparton is a rural Lower House electoral district of the Victorian Parliament. It is located within the Northern Victoria Region of the Legislative Council....
in the Victorian Parliament
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
.
Powell was born in Prescot
Prescot
Prescot is a town and civil parish, within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in Merseyside, England. It is 8 miles to the east of Liverpool city centre and lies within the historic boundaries of Lancashire. At the 2001 Census, the population was 11,184 .Prescot marks the beginning of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as a child. After a short time in Preston
Preston, Victoria
Preston is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin. At the 2006 Census, Preston had a population of 27,892.-Settlement:...
, the family moved to Shepparton in regional Victoria.
Prior to entering parliament, Powell held a variety of occupations including film processor, television presenter, singer, marketing and sales, office manager and director of the family auto-electrics business. She was also a Local Government councillor from 1990 to 1994 in the Shire of Shepparton
Shire of Shepparton
The Shire of Shepparton was a Local Government Area located in the Goulburn Valley region about north of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1884 until 1994. From 1927 onwards, Shepparton itself was managed by a separate entity,...
and served as Shepparton Shire president in 1993 and 1994. After council amalgamations Powell was appointed as a commissioner with the Shire of Campaspe from 1994 to 1996.
Powell was elected to the Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
seat of North-East Province in 1996, becoming the first woman to represent the Nationals
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
in Victoria. In 2002, she moved to the Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
to represent Shepparton, narrowly defeating the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
candidate Stephen Merrylees with 54% of the two party vote. At the 2006 election, Powell increased her primary vote to 48% and her share of the two party vote to 67% against the same Liberal candidate (Stephen Merrylees) as 2002.
Powell is currently the Victorian Minister for Local Government and for Aboriginal Affairs. She has been the Deputy Chair of the Family & Community Development Committee since 1996, a member of the Parliamentary Library Committee since 1996 and the Standing Orders Committee since 2002.
Powell is married with two sons.