Mary Delahunty
Encyclopedia
Mary Delahunty is an Australia
n journalist
and retired politician
with the Australian Labor Party
.
, Australia
and educated at Loreto College
, in Victoria. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Latrobe University.
and Network Ten
from 1975 to 1996. She appeared in news and current affairs programs such as Four Corners and The 7.30 Report
. She received a Gold Walkley
award for the story Aiding and Abetting which was shown and produced by Four Corners in 1983. Aiding and Abetting was about the improper use of Australian aid money in the Philippines
.
In the late 1980s, Delahunty—then the chief newsreader for the ABC in Victoria—was parodied by comedian Jean Kittson
on the popular TV comedy series The Big Gig
, where Kittson portrayed a snobbish, acid-tongued announcer called Veronica Glenhuntly (whose surname was taken from that of the elite Melbourne suburb
).
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
at a 1998 by-election. Her maiden speech
was about the implications of the Fitzgerald report
for Victoria, especially in regard to police corruption.
Delahunty was Minister for Education from 1999 to 2002, during the term of the first Bracks Government
. Delahunty was the Minister for the Arts from 1999 to 2006, Minister for Women's Affairs from 2002 to 2006, and Minister for Planning from 2002 to 2005. As Minister for Planning, she was responsible for the media presentation of Melbourne 2030, which is known for protecting the green wedges of Melbourne
.
Delahunty did not contest her seat at the 2006 state election.
MP Hugh Delahunty
. Her husband of 22 years, the journalist Jock Rankin, died in 2002. She has two children, Nicholas and Olivia.
She was a guest on Life Matters (ABC Radio National) 26 August 2010, on the topics of grief, parenting, civic participation and public life, and her memoir: Public life, private grief.
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...
n journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and retired politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
with the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
.
Early life
Delahunty was born in VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, 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...
and educated at Loreto College
Loreto College, Victoria
Loreto College is a Roman Catholic secondary school for girls in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.-History:It is one of many Loreto schools distributed over the world. The school was founded in 1875 by the Loreto Sisters as their first foundation in Australia. Since then it has become one of seven...
, in Victoria. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Latrobe University.
Media career
Delahunty was a news journalist for the ABCAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
and Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
from 1975 to 1996. She appeared in news and current affairs programs such as Four Corners and The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report is an Australian nightly television current affairs program, that was shown on ABC1 and ABC News 24 at , Mondays–Thursdays...
. She received a Gold Walkley
Gold Walkley
The Gold Walkley is the most prestigious of the Walkley Awards for Australian journalism. It is chosen by the Walkley Advisory Board from the winners of all the other categories...
award for the story Aiding and Abetting which was shown and produced by Four Corners in 1983. Aiding and Abetting was about the improper use of Australian aid money in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
In the late 1980s, Delahunty—then the chief newsreader for the ABC in Victoria—was parodied by comedian Jean Kittson
Jean Kittson
Jean Kittson is an Australian performer, writer and comedian in theatre and print, on radio and television. She made her comedy debut at Melbourne’s comedy venue Le Joke in a series of solo performances, and then in the stage version of Let The Blood Run Free.- Television :Kittson is best known...
on the popular TV comedy series The Big Gig
The Big Gig
The Big Gig was a popular Australian television comedy series based on the British TV series Saturday Live. It was produced and broadcast by the ABC in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was produced and directed by Ted Robinson, who started his career as the director of the second series of the...
, where Kittson portrayed a snobbish, acid-tongued announcer called Veronica Glenhuntly (whose surname was taken from that of the elite Melbourne suburb
Glen Huntly, Victoria
Glen Huntly is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira. At the 2006 Census, Glen Huntly had a population of 4085....
).
Political career
Delahunty was elected to the seat of NorthcoteElectoral district of Northcote
The Electoral district of Northcote is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It currently covers the suburbs of Alphington, Fairfield, Northcote, Thornbury, and part of Preston. It lies on the northern bank of the Yarra River between the Merri and Darebin creeks.The seat...
in the Victorian 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:...
at a 1998 by-election. Her maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
was about the implications of the Fitzgerald report
Fitzgerald Inquiry
The Fitzgerald Inquiry into Queensland Police corruption was a judicial inquiry presided over by Tony Fitzgerald QC. The inquiry resulted in the deposition of a premier, two by-elections, the jailing of three former ministers and a police commissioner who was jailed and lost his...
for Victoria, especially in regard to police corruption.
Delahunty was Minister for Education from 1999 to 2002, during the term of the first Bracks Government
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
. Delahunty was the Minister for the Arts from 1999 to 2006, Minister for Women's Affairs from 2002 to 2006, and Minister for Planning from 2002 to 2005. As Minister for Planning, she was responsible for the media presentation of Melbourne 2030, which is known for protecting the green wedges of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Delahunty did not contest her seat at the 2006 state election.
Personal life
Mary Delahunty is the sister of Victorian National PartyNational 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...
MP Hugh Delahunty
Hugh Delahunty
Hugh Francis Delahunty is the Nationals member for Lowan in the Victorian Parliament.-Political career:Delahunty was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in the 1999 election to represent the electorate of Wimmera with 58% of the two party preferred vote...
. Her husband of 22 years, the journalist Jock Rankin, died in 2002. She has two children, Nicholas and Olivia.
She was a guest on Life Matters (ABC Radio National) 26 August 2010, on the topics of grief, parenting, civic participation and public life, and her memoir: Public life, private grief.