Mary Wooldridge
Encyclopedia
Mary Louise Newling Wooldridge (born 29 July 1967) is an Australia
n politician for the Liberal Party
in the state of Victoria. She was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
in 2006, representing the electoral district of Doncaster
. Prior to her election, she was a business consultant and political activist.
and is the youngest of four children. She graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree with Honours in 1989. In 1994 she completed a Master of Business Administration
(MBA) from the Harvard Business School
. She is the sister of Michael Wooldridge
, a former Federal Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.
s McKinsey & Company
in New York
and London
, Australian Consolidated Press
and Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
in Sydney
.
Between 2001 and 2005 Mary was the chief executive of The Foundation For Young Australians
, a not-for-profit charitable trust. In 2002 she was awarded the new Chief executive officer
award in Equity Trustees National Nonprofit CEO awards for this role.
in 1987.
From 1999 to 2001 Mary worked as a Senior Adviser to Senator the Hon Nick Minchin
. As part of her duties with the Senator, Wooldridge took part in an overseas trip that was the cause of some consternation for the Federal Labor
Opposition
.(1) (2).
She chaired the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Homelessness
, which advises the Federal Minister for Family and Community Services on matters relating to homelessness.
In May 2006 she was preselected as the Liberal candidate for the seat of Doncaster
to replace retiring member
Victor Perton
, and was elected to the Parliament of Victoria
in November 2006.
The Liberal party was defeated at the election and remained in Opposition. Despite being a new Member, Wooldridge was appointed to five Shadow Ministries. She was Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Drug Abuse, Community Services and Environment and Climate Change.http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=1692 One of the issues which came up in her first term was the lack of rail transport in the City of Manningham
. In April 2010, she said the Opposition "strongly supported" the council's plans to extend the number 48 tram
to the rapidly developing Doncaster Hill precinct.
When the Coalition won the 2010 state election
, Wooldridge was appointed to the Baillieu Ministry
as Minister for Mental Health, Women's Affairs and Community Services.
at Melbourne University. She continues to remain a director at the Otis Foundation, a network of rural retreats for women with breast cancer.
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 politician for 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...
in the state of Victoria. She was elected to 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:...
in 2006, representing the electoral district of Doncaster
Electoral district of Doncaster
The Electoral district of Doncaster is a metropolitan electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, located approximately 13 kilometres north-east of Melbourne...
. Prior to her election, she was a business consultant and political activist.
Childhood and education
Wooldridge was born and raised in MelbourneMelbourne
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...
and is the youngest of four children. She graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree with Honours in 1989. In 1994 she completed a Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
(MBA) from the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
. She is the sister of Michael Wooldridge
Michael Wooldridge
Michael Richard Lewis Wooldridge is an Australian doctor, company director, and a former politician. He was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Liberal Party representing the Division of Chisholm, Victoria, between 1987 and 1996, and representing the Division of Casey,...
, a former Federal Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.
Professional career
Mary has worked in executive roles with a number of companies including consultantConsultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
s McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Australian Consolidated Press
Australian Consolidated Press
ACP Magazines , a subsidiary of the Nine Entertainment Co., is an Australian media company. It publishes the Australian Women's Weekly and the Australian edition of Woman's Day....
and Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
Publishing and Broadcasting Limited was one of Australia's largest companies, with interests primarily in media and gaming. The company demerged in late 2007, spinning out its gaming interests into Crown Limited...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Between 2001 and 2005 Mary was the chief executive of The Foundation For Young Australians
The Foundation For Young Australians
The Foundation for Young Australians is an Australian non-profit organisation committed to improving the learning outcomes and life chances of young Australians.-Programmes:...
, a not-for-profit charitable trust. In 2002 she was awarded the new Chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
award in Equity Trustees National Nonprofit CEO awards for this role.
Political career
Mary joined the Liberal Party of AustraliaLiberal 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...
in 1987.
From 1999 to 2001 Mary worked as a Senior Adviser to Senator the Hon Nick Minchin
Nick Minchin
Nicholas Hugh "Nick" Minchin is a former Australian politician, serving as a Liberal member of the Australian Senate representing South Australia from July 1993 to June 2011, and a former cabinet minister in the Howard Government....
. As part of her duties with the Senator, Wooldridge took part in an overseas trip that was the cause of some consternation for the Federal Labor
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...
Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
.(1) (2).
She chaired the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Homelessness
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, which advises the Federal Minister for Family and Community Services on matters relating to homelessness.
In May 2006 she was preselected as the Liberal candidate for the seat of Doncaster
Electoral district of Doncaster
The Electoral district of Doncaster is a metropolitan electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, located approximately 13 kilometres north-east of Melbourne...
to replace retiring member
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Victor Perton
Victor Perton
Victor Perton is a former Australian parliamentarian. He is the Commissioner to the Americas based in San Francisco representing the Australian State of Victoria....
, and was elected to the Parliament of Victoria
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...
in November 2006.
The Liberal party was defeated at the election and remained in Opposition. Despite being a new Member, Wooldridge was appointed to five Shadow Ministries. She was Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Drug Abuse, Community Services and Environment and Climate Change.http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=1692 One of the issues which came up in her first term was the lack of rail transport in the City of Manningham
City of Manningham
The City of Manningham is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the northeastern suburbs of Melbourne. The total population is 118,544 , divided up into 10 suburbs, the largest being Doncaster and Templestowe, over an area of 113 square kilometres.The district spans a...
. In April 2010, she said the Opposition "strongly supported" the council's plans to extend the number 48 tram
Melbourne tram route 48
Tram route 48 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs from Victoria Harbour, Docklands to North Balwyn via Collins Street, Spring Street, Wellington Parade and Bridge Road...
to the rapidly developing Doncaster Hill precinct.
When the Coalition won the 2010 state election
Victorian state election, 2010
The 2010 Victorian state election was held on 27 November. The incumbent centre-left Australian Labor Party government, led by John Brumby, was defeated by the centre-right Liberal/National Coalition opposition, led by Ted Baillieu....
, Wooldridge was appointed to the Baillieu Ministry
Baillieu Ministry
The Baillieu Ministry is the 67th ministry of the Government of Victoria. It is led by the Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, and Deputy Premier, Peter Ryan. It succeeded the Brumby Ministry on 2 December 2010, following the defeat of the Labor government at the 2010 state...
as Minister for Mental Health, Women's Affairs and Community Services.
Personal life
Mary is married to Andrew Barling, a doctor, and they have a son, Jamison. Mary has been a Director of the Breast Cancer Network Australia, Foundation Boroondara and Trinity CollegeTrinity College (University of Melbourne)
Trinity College is the oldest college of the University of Melbourne. Founded in 1872 on a site granted to the Church of England, Trinity is unique among Australian university colleges in its diverse education programs...
at Melbourne University. She continues to remain a director at the Otis Foundation, a network of rural retreats for women with breast cancer.