Senator Helen Polley

Senator Helen Polley

Senator for TAS

Positions
Chair of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement
Party
Australian Labor Party
Chamber
Senate

Seating Plan

Seating map

Electorate Office

(Principal Office)

'The Charles', Suite 101
287 Charles Street
Launceston, TAS, 7250

Postal address

PO Box 1223
Launceston, TAS, 7250

Telephone:
(03) 6331 2599
Fax:
(03) 6331 2588
Local Call*:
1300 013 923

*Calls will be charged at a local rate. Charges may vary for mobile phones

Parliament Office

PO Box 6100
Senate
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Telephone:
(02) 6277 3129

Biography

Parliamentary service
  • Elected to the Senate for Tasmania 2004. Re-elected 2010, 2016 and 2022.
Parliamentary positions
  • Temporary Chair of Committees from 28.9.2010 to 11.11.2013.
  • Temporary Chair of Committees from 25.11.2019.
Committee service
  • Joint Select: Australia's Family Law System served from 15.10.2019 to 22.11.2021
  • Joint Standing: Migration served from 6.12.2006 to 6.12.2006; Migration served as Deputy Chair from 7.12.2006 to 17.10.2007; Migration served from 18.10.2007 to 1.7.2008; Electoral Matters served from 30.9.2010 to 5.8.2013; National Capital and External Territories served from 28.7.2022 to present; Trade and Investment Growth served from 28.7.2022 to present
  • Joint Statutory: Australian Crime Commission served from 1.7.2005 to 25.11.2010; Law Enforcement served from 25.11.2010 to 5.8.2013; Law Enforcement served from 4.7.2019 to 11.4.2022; Law Enforcement served from 28.7.2022 to 3.8.2022; Law Enforcement served as Chair from 3.8.2022 to present; Parliamentary Standards served from 10.10.2024 to present
  • Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: Legislation served from 1.7.2005 to 10.9.2006; Community Affairs: References served from 1.7.2005 to 10.9.2006; Community Affairs served from 11.9.2006 to 1.7.2008; Finance and Public Administration served from 12.2.2008 to 12.2.2008; Finance and Public Administration served as Chair from 13.2.2008 to 13.5.2009; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Chair from 14.5.2009 to 11.11.2013; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 14.5.2009 to 11.11.2013; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 25.6.2009 to 16.11.2009; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 4.9.2012 to 4.9.2012; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 3.12.2015 to 9.5.2016; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 15.9.2016 to 20.6.2017; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 16.8.2017 to 3.4.2019; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 5.12.2019 to 25.7.2022; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 28.7.2022 to present; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 28.7.2022 to 29.2.2024; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 28.7.2022 to 1.8.2022
  • Senate Select: State Government Financial Management served from 14.2.2008 to 18.9.2008
  • Senate Standing: Parliamentary Library served from 1.7.2005 to 11.2.2008; Publications served from 1.7.2005 to 28.2.2007; Scrutiny of Bills served from 12.11.2013 to 10.2.2014; Procedure served from 12.11.2013 to 11.2.2014; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 11.2.2014 to 9.5.2016; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 1.9.2016 to 25.7.2022; Publications served from 2.7.2019 to present; Privileges served from 28.7.2022 to present
Parliamentary party positions
  • Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.07.2005 to present
  • Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
  • Shadow Assistant Minister for Ageing from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
  • Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania) from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
  • Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 27.9.2010 to 18.9.2013.
Party positions
  • Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference.
  • Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (Tas.).
  • Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Tas.) from 1984.
  • President of the Australian Labor Party (Tas.) from 1992 to 1995.
Personal
  • Born: 9.2.1957, Ulverstone, Australia
  • Gender: Female
  • Marital Status: Married
Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament
  • DipBusAdmin (Launceston Business College).
  • Adviser to the Premier, the Hon. J Bacon, MHA (Tas.) from 1998 to 2004.
  • Adviser to the Premier, the Hon. P Lennon, MHA (Tas.), 2004.

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.