Helen Polley

Helen Beatrice Polley (born 9 February 1957) is an Australian politician. A member of the Australian Labor Party, she has served as a member of the Australian Senate representing Tasmania since 1 July 2005.

Born in Ulverstone, Tasmania, Polley is the daughter of Michael and Eileen Polley, and the sister of Michael Polley, former Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. She was educated at Deloraine High School, Launceston Community College and Launceston Business College, where she obtained a Diploma of Business Administration.

Senator Polley started work in administrative roles and work in finance, transport and manufacturing.

Polley spent time working as an adviser to Senator Terry Aulich from 1984 to 1992, Premier Michael Field from 1992 to 1995, Senator Shayne Murphy from 1995 to 1998, and Premiers Jim Bacon from 1998 to 2004 and Paul Lennon from 2004 to 2005.

She was also the first female President of the Tasmanian branch of the ALP from 1992 to 1995, before being elected as Senator for Tasmania at the 2004 Federal Election.

Polley took up her position on 1 July 2005 and retained her Senate seat at the 2010 and 2016 Federal Elections.

Polley is a committee member of the Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network and Law Enforcement – Parliamentary Joint Committee.

Polley served as Deputy Government Whip in the Senate in the Second Gillard Ministry and Second Rudd Ministry from 2010 to 2013, and then as Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care from 2013 to 2016.