Diana Warnock
Encyclopedia
Diana Muriel Warnock is a former Western Australian radio broadcaster, women's rights activist and state politician.
Warnock worked as a radio broadcaster with 720 ABC Perth
, 6PR
and 6NR.
She was elected to the State Parliament as the Member for Perth
in 1993, succeeding Dr Ian Alexander who had retired. She was re-elected in 1996 but did not contest the February 2001 election. Her political career was entirely from the opposition bench, during the Premiership
Richard Court
. Warnock served as Opposition whip
, spokesperson for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs and the Arts and spokesperson for Women's Interests and Racing & Gaming. She also served as President of the State Parliamentary Labor Party
.
In 1996, Warnock and upper house
MP Cheryl Davenport steered a controversial pro-choice bill through the parliament - the "Acts Amendment (Abortion) Bill", which effectively decriminalised abortion and enabled women to access abortions of pregnancies up to 20 weeks on the basis of informed consent.
In 1999 she was named the Australian Humanist of the Year by the Council of Australian Humanist Societies
. She is the current patron of the Perth International Arts Festival
.
Warnock was married to noted local novelist, playwright and arts patron Bill Warnock, who died in 2001.
She is a strong supporter of the cause of people with disabilities, and has acted as mistress of ceremonies for the opening ceremonies of art exhibitions held by artists with disabilities, including the "3 Daves" exhibition which opened at Perth Town Hall on 20 November 2009.
Warnock worked as a radio broadcaster with 720 ABC Perth
720 ABC Perth
720 ABC Perth is a radio station located in Perth, Western Australia broadcasting on 720 kHz on the AM band. The station is a member of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Local Radio network.-History:...
, 6PR
6PR
6PR, known as 882 6PR, is a commercial radio station based in Perth, Australia. Its focus is on news, talk and sport, and is Perth's only commercial talkback radio station. 6PR is owned by Fairfax Media, an Australian media company that owns television and radio businesses throughout Australia and...
and 6NR.
She was elected to the State Parliament as the Member for Perth
Electoral district of Perth
The Electoral district of Perth is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. Perth is named for the capital city of Western Australia whose central business district falls within its borders. It is one of the oldest electorates in Western Australia, with its first member...
in 1993, succeeding Dr Ian Alexander who had retired. She was re-elected in 1996 but did not contest the February 2001 election. Her political career was entirely from the opposition bench, during the Premiership
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
Richard Court
Richard Court
Richard Fairfax Court AC , was a Western Australian politician, representing the seat of Nedlands in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the Liberal Party of Australia from 1982 to 2001. He served as Premier of Western Australia from 1993 to 2001.Court was born into an old political...
. Warnock served as Opposition whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
, spokesperson for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs and the Arts and spokesperson for Women's Interests and Racing & Gaming. She also served as President of the State Parliamentary 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...
.
In 1996, Warnock and upper house
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
MP Cheryl Davenport steered a controversial pro-choice bill through the parliament - the "Acts Amendment (Abortion) Bill", which effectively decriminalised abortion and enabled women to access abortions of pregnancies up to 20 weeks on the basis of informed consent.
In 1999 she was named the Australian Humanist of the Year by the Council of Australian Humanist Societies
Council of Australian Humanist Societies
The Council of Australian Humanist Societies is the national umbrella organisation for Australian humanists. It is affiliated with the International Humanist and Ethical Union...
. She is the current patron of the Perth International Arts Festival
Perth International Arts Festival
The Perth International Arts Festival is Australia's longest running cultural festival, held annually in Western Australia between February-March. The program features contemporary and classical music, dance, theatre, opera, visual arts, large-scale public works, Lotterywest Festival Films and the...
.
Warnock was married to noted local novelist, playwright and arts patron Bill Warnock, who died in 2001.
She is a strong supporter of the cause of people with disabilities, and has acted as mistress of ceremonies for the opening ceremonies of art exhibitions held by artists with disabilities, including the "3 Daves" exhibition which opened at Perth Town Hall on 20 November 2009.