Janet Powell

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Janet Frances Powell (born September 29, 1942) in Nhill, Victoria, is an Australian politician.

Her original occupation was a teacher, she earning her BA and Dip(Ed) at the University of Melbourne.

She was appointed a Senator for Victoria, representing the Australian Democrats, upon the resignation of the party's founder, Don Chipp in 1986. She was elected by the people the following year.

She became the third leader of the party, from July 1, 1990 to August 19, 1991.

After internal disagreements related to her loss of the leadership she resigned from the party in 1992 and formed her own political party, the Janet Powell Independents' Network. She continued as a Senator until she was defeated at the 1993 election, achieving 33,177 votes (1.2%), well below the quota required for a seat. Preferences did not bring her over the line. The fledgling political party was voluntarily deregistered after her defeat. Meg Lees followed this pattern fifteen years later.

In 1996, she campaigned for Greens leader Bob Brown.

In 2004, she joined the Australian Greens, citing that they were more capable of achieving the function of a third force in Australian politics.

In the Victorian legislative election, 2006 she stood for the Greens in the Eastern Metropolitan Region. She was the last on the Greens ticket, though she polled the most votes of any non-lead Greens candidate in that electorate. Her 642 votes were not enough to gain a seat, however.

[edit] References

• Janet Powell, Senate Biography
• Janet Powell, Greens candidate for Eastern Metropolitan Region
• Notice of party deregistration

Preceded by Janine Haines

Leader of the Australian Democrats 1990-1991

Succeeded by John Coulter