Licia Kokocinski
Encyclopedia
Licia Kokocinski is an Australia
n politician. She served as an Australian Labor Party
member of the Victorian Legislative Council
from 1988 to 1996, representing Melbourne West Province. She was the first woman from a non-English speaking background to be elected to the Victorian parliament.
, Italy
. She migrated to Australia
at the age of four, and studied at Hadfield High School and the University High School
Evening School, before graduating from the University of Melbourne
in 1984. She worked in a number of equal opportunity roles and as a WorkCare rehabilitation adviser before gaining preselection to contest a seat in the Legislative Council at the 1988 state election. In parliament, Kokocinski served on the Social Development, Parliament of Victoria, Community Development and House Committees, and served on the board of the Melton campus of the Victoria University of Technology.
Kokocinski was promoted to Secretary to Shadow Cabinet in March 1993, but only three months later, was cut out of a factional deal between the dominant left and right factions for preselection for the 1996 election, losing out to the right faction's Sang Nguyen
. She subsequently attacked the party as being "not serious about recognising women's participation" and resigned from her Cabinet position. She subsequently campaigned for the introduction of affirmative action preselection policies within the party. Lacking preselection to recontest her seat, she retired at the 1996 election.
After leaving politics, Kokocinski served as the national policy director for the ARPA Over 50s Association. Most recently, she has served as the Executive Director of disability rights organisation Action on Disabilities within Ethnic Communities. She was added to the Victorian Woman's Honour Roll in 2007.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. She served as an 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...
member of the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
from 1988 to 1996, representing Melbourne West Province. She was the first woman from a non-English speaking background to be elected to the Victorian parliament.
Biography
Kokocinski was born in AquileiaAquileia
Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She migrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the age of four, and studied at Hadfield High School and the University High School
University High School, Melbourne
The University High School is a public, co-educational high school, located in the Melbourne suburb of Parkville.-History:...
Evening School, before graduating from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in 1984. She worked in a number of equal opportunity roles and as a WorkCare rehabilitation adviser before gaining preselection to contest a seat in the Legislative Council at the 1988 state election. In parliament, Kokocinski served on the Social Development, Parliament of Victoria, Community Development and House Committees, and served on the board of the Melton campus of the Victoria University of Technology.
Kokocinski was promoted to Secretary to Shadow Cabinet in March 1993, but only three months later, was cut out of a factional deal between the dominant left and right factions for preselection for the 1996 election, losing out to the right faction's Sang Nguyen
Sang Nguyen
Sang Minh Nguyen is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council from May 1996 until November 2006, representing Melbourne West Province....
. She subsequently attacked the party as being "not serious about recognising women's participation" and resigned from her Cabinet position. She subsequently campaigned for the introduction of affirmative action preselection policies within the party. Lacking preselection to recontest her seat, she retired at the 1996 election.
After leaving politics, Kokocinski served as the national policy director for the ARPA Over 50s Association. Most recently, she has served as the Executive Director of disability rights organisation Action on Disabilities within Ethnic Communities. She was added to the Victorian Woman's Honour Roll in 2007.