Christine Milne
Christine Anne Milne AO (née Morris; born 14 May 1953)[2] is an Australian politician who served as a Senator for Tasmania. She was the leader of the parliamentary caucus of the Australian Greens from 2012 to 2015.[3] Milne stepped down as leader on 6 May 2015, replaced by Richard Di Natale.
Christine Milne AO | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader of the Australian Greens | |
| In office 13 April 2012 – 6 May 2015 | |
| Deputy | Adam Bandt |
| Preceded by | Bob Brown |
| Succeeded by | Richard Di Natale |
| Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens | |
| In office 10 November 2008 – 13 April 2012 | |
| Leader | Bob Brown |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Adam Bandt |
| Leader of the Australian Greens in Tasmania | |
| In office 13 March 1993 – 29 August 1998 | |
| Deputy | Peg Putt |
| Preceded by | Bob Brown |
| Succeeded by | Peg Putt |
| Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens in Tasmania | |
| In office 13 May 1992 – 13 March 1993 | |
| Leader | Bob Brown |
| Preceded by | Party established |
| Succeeded by | Peg Putt |
| Senator for Tasmania | |
| In office 1 July 2005 – 10 August 2015 | |
| Succeeded by | Nick McKim |
| Member of the Tasmanian Parliament for Lyons | |
| In office 13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Batt |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Christine Anne Morris 14 May 1953 Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia |
| Political party | Green (since 1989) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent Green (until 1989) |
| Spouse(s) | Neville Milne
( m. 1975; wid. 1999) |
| Children | 2[1] |
| Education | St Mary's College Devonport High School |
| Alma mater | University of Tasmania |
| Occupation | School teacher (Department of Education) |
| Profession | Academic politician |
| Website | christine-milne |
Early life and education
Milne was born in Latrobe, Tasmania, the second daughter of Wesley Vale dairy farmers Tom and June Morris. She attended Wesley Vale Area School from 1959 to 1963, St Mary's College, Hobart as a boarder from 1964 to 1969, and completed her final year of schooling at Devonport High School in 1970.
She studied history and political science at the University of Tasmania from 1971 to 1974, where she resided at Ena Waite University College and was elected its President. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in Australian History, and a Certificate of Education in March 1975.
From 1975 to 1984 Milne worked as a secondary school teacher, teaching English, History and Social Science at Parklands High School, Devonport High School and Don College. She first came to public attention for her role in opposing the building of the Wesley Vale pulp mill near Bass Strait in North Western Tasmania on the basis of its environmental impact. She also participated in the ultimately successful campaign opposing the Franklin Dam and was arrested and jailed in 1983.[4] She worked as a research officer with the Australian Bicentennial Historical Records Search from 1987 to 1988.
Political career
Milne was first elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1989 as a member of the Tasmanian Greens in the electorate of Lyons,[2] one of five Green politicians elected at that election. She was part of the Labor–Green Accord, a political agreement between the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the Tasmanian Greens to form government after the 1989 general election had resulted in a hung parliament.[5] When Bob Brown stood down in 1993 to contest the federal election, she became leader of the Greens in the Tasmanian Parliament and the first female leader of a political party in Tasmania.[2]
She oversaw a loose alliance between the Greens and Liberals after the 1996 general election. During that time, Tasmania saw significant economic and social reform. Measures included gun law reform, liberalisation of gay laws, an apology to the Indigenous stolen generation and support for an Australian republic.[6]
In 1998, the major parties voted to restructure the House of Assembly from 35 to 25 seats, increasing the quota of votes required to be elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly. Liberal Premier Tony Rundle immediately called an election, which his party subsequently lost. Due to the changes, Milne lost her seat, leaving the Greens with one remaining seat.
After her career in state politics, she was an adviser to Senator Bob Brown from 2000 until she was elected to represent Tasmania in the Federal Senate at the 2004 federal election.[7] Preferences to Family First from the Australian Labor Party almost prevented her from being elected; however, she managed to reach a quota mostly as a result of the high level of below-the-line voting in Tasmania. The other Green elected at that election was Rachel Siewert from Western Australia. Milne was part of Bob Brown's frontbench covering the portfolios of Arts, Climate change, Competition Policy & Small Business, Finance & Administration, Food Security, Regional Australia, Resources & Energy, and Trade.
Milne was Vice-President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, also known as the World Conservation Union) from 2005 to 2008.[8] She became Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens on 10 November 2008.[7]
In 2009, she debated the shortcomings of Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009 in the federal parliament.[9]
On 13 April 2012, Milne became the leader of the Australian Greens after the resignation of Bob Brown.[10] She reorganised the Green's front bench.
On 6 May 2015, Milne announced her immediate resignation from the leadership of the Australian Greens, and foreshadowed her departure from the Senate.[11] Milne resigned from the Senate on 10 August 2015.[12]
References
- Misha Schubert, Stephanie Peatling and Gary Tippet, Milne takes a soft sell approach , The Age, 15 April 2012
- Parliamentary Library profile, Parliament of Tasmania
- "Bob Brown resigns as Greens leader and Senator". The Age. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- "Senator Christine Milne". Q&A. ABC Television. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
- Ward, Airlie (10 March 2006). "Minority Government". Stateline Tasmania. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
- , "ABC's Q&A"
- "Christine Milne, Senate Biography". aph.gov.au. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Senator Christine Milne, National Press Club of Australia
- Australian Senate Hansard Monday, 30 November 2009 Archived 24 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- As it happened: Bob Brown resigns as Greens leader – Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- Christine Milne announces her resignation and leaves the Senate – Retrieved 6 May 2015.
- @AuSenate. "Senator @ChristineMilne has resigned as a senator for Tasmania". Twitter. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Christine Milne. |
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Elected at 2004 election | Senator for Tasmania 2005–2015 |
Succeeded by Nick McKim |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Bob Brown |
Federal Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens 2012–2015 |
Succeeded by Richard Di Natale |
| New office | Deputy Federal Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens 2008–2012 |
Succeeded by Adam Bandt |
| Parliament of Tasmania | ||
| Preceded by Chris Batt |
Member for Lyons 1989–1998 |
Lost seat at 1998 state election |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Bob Brown |
Leader of the Tasmanian Greens 1993–1998 |
Succeeded by Peg Putt |
