Helen Coonan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Coonan
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Official portrait, 2008
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| Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | Andrew Rogers |
| Occupation | Barrister/solicitor |
Helen Lloyd Coonan (born 29 October 1947) is a former Australian politician. She was a Senator for New South Wales from 1996 to 2011. She represented the Liberal Party.
Helen Coonan was a minister in the Howard government. She served as the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer from 2001 to 2004. Later, she became the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts from 2004 to 2007.
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Early Life and Education
Helen Coonan was born in Mangoplah, New South Wales. She went to a Catholic boarding school in Wagga Wagga.
She later studied at the University of Sydney. There, she earned a law degree. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a lawyer.
Serving in the Howard Government (1996–2007)
In 1996, Helen Coonan was elected to the federal Senate. She represented New South Wales as a Liberal senator. She was re-elected in 2001.
After her re-election, she became the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer. This made her the first woman to hold a Treasury role in Australia since the country's beginning.
As Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, she helped create a new role. This was the Inspector-General of Taxation. This person advises the government on tax matters to help taxpayers.
Leading Communications and Technology
In July 2004, Helen Coonan became the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. This was a very important job. She was also part of the Cabinet, which is a group of top government ministers.
Her job involved looking after Australia's TV and phone industries. She also oversaw the technology sector and Australia Post. She was also the main minister responsible for the arts.
In January 2006, she became the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate. She was the first woman to be in a leadership role for her political group. She stayed in this role until her party lost the election in November 2007.
Australia's Digital TV Switch
In July 2004, Australia was changing from old analogue TV signals to new digital television. The plan was to switch off analogue TV completely by 2008.
However, not many people were getting digital TV receivers. So, in September 2005, Helen Coonan announced a review. The government had spent a lot of money helping with the change.
She oversaw the creation of Digital Australia. This was a new government group. Its job was to help manage the switch to digital television.
Introducing Digital Radio
In October 2005, Helen Coonan announced a plan for Digital Audio Broadcasting. This meant bringing digital radio to Australia. It would start in big cities.
There were no plans to get rid of analogue radio. However, new radio licenses were put on hold for six years.
Changes to Media Ownership Rules
Helen Coonan played a key role in changing laws about media ownership. These changes made it easier for one company to own different types of media, like TV stations and newspapers. This was done through the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006.
Internet Safety for Kids
Helen Coonan also worked on ways to make the internet safer. She was asked about filtering systems to protect children from harmful content online.
She explained that internet providers in Australia offered filters. These tools helped parents control what their children could see online. This gave parents more confidence about their children's safety.
In August 2007, she announced more funding for the NetAlert program. This program aimed to help filter internet content for safe use in Australia. This was a change from her earlier idea. She had previously thought that filters on home computers were the best way to protect children.
However, a young schoolboy from Melbourne found ways to get around the filtering system. This showed that keeping children safe online was a complex challenge.
In Opposition (2007–2011)
After her party lost the election in 2007, Helen Coonan's role changed. She became the Shadow Minister for Human Services. This meant she was responsible for watching over the government's work in that area.
Later, she became the Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate. She also took on the important role of Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. She was the first woman to hold this position for her party.
In 2009, she moved to a new role as Shadow Minister for Finance, Competition Policy and Deregulation. On 18 August 2011, Helen Coonan announced that she would leave the Senate on 22 August.
After Parliament
After leaving politics, Helen Coonan joined the board of a gaming company called Crown Limited in 2011. She also became a member of an advisory group for an investment bank, J.P. Morgan & Co..
She is also a trustee of the Sydney Opera House Trust. This means she helps manage the famous Sydney Opera House. She also chairs the Conservation Council for the Opera House Trust.
Helen Coonan has held other important roles too. She was chair of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority and the Minerals Council of Australia. She also appeared regularly on a TV show called The Cabinet on Sky News Australia.
