Catryna Bilyk
Encyclopedia
Catryna Louise Bilyk is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor
member of the Australian Senate
since July 2008, representing the state of Tasmania
.
Bilyk was elected to serve a six-year term in the Senate at the 2007 federal election, after being placed in the third position on the Australian Labor Party
's Tasmania
n ticket. She was elected to the sixth Senate seat for Tasmania, on preferences distributed from Andrew Wilkie
, the Australian Greens
' second candidate for the Senate in Tasmania in the 2007 election. It was second time lucky for Bilyk, who had also been preselected in third spot on the Labor Senate ticket in Tasmania at the 2001 federal election, but failed to win a seat.
Bilyk was born in Hobart
. She worked as an industrial officer for trade union
s and has been ALP National Vice-President. She has worked as a nurse and a child carer. She is married with two adult children. In March 2008, she was diagnosed with two benign brain tumours, which were surgically removed.
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
since July 2008, representing the state of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Bilyk was elected to serve a six-year term in the Senate at the 2007 federal election, after being placed in the third position on the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
's Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n ticket. She was elected to the sixth Senate seat for Tasmania, on preferences distributed from Andrew Wilkie
Andrew Wilkie
Andrew Damien Wilkie is an Australian politician and independent federal member for Denison...
, the Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
' second candidate for the Senate in Tasmania in the 2007 election. It was second time lucky for Bilyk, who had also been preselected in third spot on the Labor Senate ticket in Tasmania at the 2001 federal election, but failed to win a seat.
Bilyk was born in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
. She worked as an industrial officer for trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s and has been ALP National Vice-President. She has worked as a nurse and a child carer. She is married with two adult children. In March 2008, she was diagnosed with two benign brain tumours, which were surgically removed.