Vanessa Goodwin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vanessa Goodwin
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| Member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council for Pembroke | |
| In office 1 August 2009 – 2 October 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Allison Ritchie |
| Succeeded by | Jo Siejka |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 April 1969 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Died | 3 March 2018 (aged 48) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal Party |
| Alma mater | University of Tasmania |
| Profession | Lawyer, criminologist |
Vanessa Goodwin (born April 22, 1969 – died March 3, 2018) was an Australian politician. She was a member of the Liberal Party. From 2009 to 2017, she represented the area of Pembroke in the Tasmanian Legislative Council. This council is part of the government in the Australian state of Tasmania. She had to leave her role in 2017 because she was very sick with brain cancer.
Early Life and Education
Vanessa Goodwin was born in Hobart, which is the capital city of Tasmania. She was a very dedicated student.
- She earned two degrees from the University of Tasmania: a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws.
- She then studied at the University of Cambridge in England, where she earned a Master of Philosophy degree in Criminology. Criminology is the study of crime and how to prevent it.
- Later, she returned to the University of Tasmania and completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Her Career Journey
Vanessa Goodwin had an interesting career before becoming a politician. She used her knowledge of law and crime to help people.
- She worked as a criminologist and a lawyer.
- She also worked for the Department of Police and Public Safety. This department helps keep people safe.
- Earlier in her career, she was an assistant to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Tasmania.
- She also worked for a group that represents hotels and as a research assistant for the Tasmanian Governor.
Becoming a Politician
Vanessa Goodwin tried to become a politician a few times before she was elected.
- In 2006, she ran for a state seat called Franklin. She was not elected that time.
- In 2007, she ran for a federal seat, also called Franklin, but she was not elected then either.
Her chance came in 2009. A member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council for Pembroke resigned. This caused a special election, called a by-election. Vanessa Goodwin ran as the candidate for the Liberal Party. She won the election by a lot of votes. She was elected again in 2013.
After the state election in 2014, Vanessa Goodwin was given important jobs in the government.
- She became the Attorney-General, which is the main legal advisor to the government.
- She was also the Minister for Justice, Minister for Corrections (in charge of prisons), and Minister for the Arts.
- She also became the Leader for the Government in the Tasmanian Legislative Council.
Vanessa Goodwin resigned from her roles on October 2, 2017. She did this because of her health. Another special election was held to fill her seat. Jo Siejka from the Labor Party won this election.
Health Challenges
On March 25, 2017, Vanessa Goodwin was taken to the hospital. Doctors found that she had several brain tumors. A brain tumor is a growth in the brain.
On April 6, the Premier of Tasmania, Will Hodgman, told the parliament that she was not expected to get better.
Vanessa Goodwin sadly passed away from brain cancer on March 3, 2018. She was 48 years old. This was also the same day as the 2018 Tasmanian state election.
