Christabel Chamarette
Encyclopedia
Christabel Marguerite Alain Chamarette, sometimes Christabel Bridge (born 1 May 1948) was a Greens Western Australia
Senator
for Western Australia
from 1992 to 1996.
and French Huguenot ancestry. Chamarette has worked as a clinical psychologist at Fremantle Prison
and as a community worker in Bangladesh
. She has been a member of the Anglican Social Responsibilities Commission, the Aboriginal Driver Training Programme, the Psychologists for the Prevention of War and the Christian Justice Association. In 1998, Chamarette led an eight-week discussion group called "Conversations for the 21st Century", while working as a psychologist with child sexual abuse cases and completing a doctorate on the psychopathology of politics.
Chamarette celebrated her 50th birthday by walking the 800 km (497.1 mi) Pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostella
, in 35 days.
. In 1995, Chamarette proposed an Export Control Amendment Bill that would ban woodchip exports from old-growth forests. She was opposed to privatising Telstra
and delayed the Mabo
legislation by demanding the inclusion of mineral rights in the compensation package for native title holders.
She was defeated at the 1996 general election; her term ended several months later on 30 June 1996. Chamarette said that when working in the Senate, she thought it was the most important work of her life, but she now refers to it as simply "useful experience".
Chamarette was one of the four members of the Western Australian parole
board who resigned in 2005 after the State Government's response to the Mahoney inquiry. After six months of inquiry, Dennis Mahoney, a retired NSW
Supreme Court judge delivered 148 recommendations to improve and retain the parole board. Premier Geoff Gallop
instead announced that the board would be replaced. Chamarette said in her resignation letter:
Greens Western Australia
The Greens Western Australia is the state branch of the Australian Greens in Western Australia. The Greens WA was formed following the merger of the WA Greens and the Green Earth Alliance...
Senator
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,...
for Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
from 1992 to 1996.
Personal life
Born in Hyderabad, India in 1948, Chamarette is of Anglo-IndianAnglo-Indian
Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
and French Huguenot ancestry. Chamarette has worked as a clinical psychologist at Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison is a former Australian prison located in The Terrace, Fremantle, in Western Australia. The site includes the prison, gatehouse, perimeter walls, cottages, tunnels, and prisoner art...
and as a community worker in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. She has been a member of the Anglican Social Responsibilities Commission, the Aboriginal Driver Training Programme, the Psychologists for the Prevention of War and the Christian Justice Association. In 1998, Chamarette led an eight-week discussion group called "Conversations for the 21st Century", while working as a psychologist with child sexual abuse cases and completing a doctorate on the psychopathology of politics.
Chamarette celebrated her 50th birthday by walking the 800 km (497.1 mi) Pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostella
Way of St. James
The Way of St. James or St. James' Way is the pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried....
, in 35 days.
Politics
Chamarette was appointed to the Senate in 1992, following the resignation of Jo VallentineJo Vallentine
Josephine Vallentine is a peace activist and a former Australian Senator for Western Australia. Vallentine entered the Senate on 1 July 1985 after she had been elected as a member of the Nuclear Disarmament Party but she sat as an independent and then as a member of the Greens Western Australia...
. In 1995, Chamarette proposed an Export Control Amendment Bill that would ban woodchip exports from old-growth forests. She was opposed to privatising Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
and delayed the Mabo
Mabo v Queensland
Mabo v Queensland was a landmark High Court of Australia decision recognising native title in Australia for the first time...
legislation by demanding the inclusion of mineral rights in the compensation package for native title holders.
She was defeated at the 1996 general election; her term ended several months later on 30 June 1996. Chamarette said that when working in the Senate, she thought it was the most important work of her life, but she now refers to it as simply "useful experience".
Chamarette was one of the four members of the Western Australian parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
board who resigned in 2005 after the State Government's response to the Mahoney inquiry. After six months of inquiry, Dennis Mahoney, a retired NSW
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Supreme Court judge delivered 148 recommendations to improve and retain the parole board. Premier Geoff Gallop
Geoff Gallop
Geoffrey Ian Gallop, AC is an Australian academic and former politician. He was the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. He currently resides in Sydney.-Early life and education:...
instead announced that the board would be replaced. Chamarette said in her resignation letter:
"I have been disturbed by the way the Government (including the Premier and Minister for Justice) have not only failed to defend the board but have directly or by omission added to the attacks on the board. I cannot excuse the failure of the Government to inform the public that the Mahoney inquiry found no fault with the board, or any members of it, and recommended that it be granted legislatively enhanced powers, increased resources and financial independence from the Department of Justice."