Name Denise Allen | ||
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Seascape in acrylic with denise allen
Denise Margaret Allen (born 29 March 1953) is a former Australian politician, political strategist, social/political commentator and disability advocate.
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Born in Alexandra, Victoria to Jack Donald and Bette Doreen Boote, she attended local public schools before graduating in 1970. Prior to entering politics Denise was a life skills/motivational tutor. She also owned a modelling agency, beauty therapy studio and retail fashion store.
In 2000, she was the Labor Party candidate for the by-election for Benalla in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, which was being vacated by former Deputy Premier and state Nationals leader Pat McNamara. On paper, Allen faced daunting odds. Benalla was a staunchly conservative seat in rural northeastern Victoria, and had been in National hands for all but nine years since 1920. However, she won a surprise victory over new Nationals candidate Bill Sykes, winning by only 237 votes. She was the first Labor member ever to win it. A Buddhist, she was the inaugural chairperson of the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet. In the 2002 state election, she was defeated by Sykes in a rematch despite Labor being reelected in a massive landslide Although Allen led on the primary vote, she was defeated on the third count after Liberal candidate Andrew Dwyer's preferences flowed overwhelmingly to Sykes.