Helen Coonan
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The Honourable Helen Coonan BA, LLB (Syd) |
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|---|---|
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| Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts | |
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In office 18 July 2004 – 3 December 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Daryl Williams |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Conroy |
| Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer | |
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In office 26 November 2001 – 18 July 2004 |
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| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Rod Kemp |
| Succeeded by | Mal Brough |
| Senator for New South Wales | |
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In office 1 July 1996 – 22 August 2011 |
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| Succeeded by | Arthur Sinodinos |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Helen Lloyd Coonan 29 October 1947 Mangoplah, New South Wales |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse(s) | Andrew Rogers |
| Occupation | Barrister/Solicitor |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Helen Lloyd Coonan (born 29 October 1947) is a former Australian politician, who was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate representing New South Wales from July 1996 to August 2011.
She was born in Mangoplah, New South Wales, attended the Mount Erin convent Catholic boarding school in Wagga Wagga, and was educated at the University of Sydney, where she gained a law degree. She was a barrister and solicitor before entering politics. She was chair of the board of governors of the Law Foundation of New South Wales (1991–92).
In 1996, Helen Coonan was elected to the federal Senate as a Liberal senator for New South Wales. She was re-elected in 2001 and appointed Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer (2001–04), making her the first woman to hold an Australian Treasury portfolio since Federation.
As Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, Coonan appointed Mr David R Vos AM as the first Inspector-General of Taxation during August 2003; following from the passage of the Inspector-General of Taxation Bill 2002 and providing an adviser to government in the interests of taxpayers.
Coonan was appointed Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, with a seat in the Cabinet, in July 2004. Her portfolio was responsible for overseeing the Australian broadcasting and telecommunications industries as well as the ICT sector and Australia Post. Coonan was also the senior minister responsible for the Arts. She became Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate in January 2006, and was the first female in the Coalition Leadership team remaining in that role until the coalition was defeated at the polls on 24 November 2007.
In July 2004, Australia was in a transitional phase: digital television was broadcast in parallel to the old analog television signals. The stated plan was full handover to digital by 2008 and shutdown of all analog television broadcast.
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