Lucy Horodny
Encyclopedia
Lucy Alesia Horodny is an Australia
n politician and environmentalist.
Horodny, who is of Ukrainian
descent, first made her name as an activist for the Wilderness Society
. She made a move into politics in 1995, when she ran as a Greens
candidate for the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
. She subsequently defeated liberal independent Helen Szuty
, and took her place as one of two new Green members in the Assembly, alongside Kerrie Tucker
.
Immediately after the 1995 election, Horodny and Tucker caused some controversy among sections of the left wing when they supported the installation of the conservative Kate Carnell
as Chief Minister
- though they often clashed with Carnell and her party in parliament over social and environmental issues.
In her one term in the Legislative Assembly, she was a strong advocate for environmental causes, both inside the ACT, such as the preservation of the Black Mountain area (which had been threatened by the Gungahlin Drive Extension
), and outside, such as her attempts to save Tasmania
's environmentally sensitive Tarkine wilderness area from logging and development. She also advocated for several progressive causes, such as a bid to legalise voluntary euthanasia
in the ACT (which only narrowly failed). She also vocally opposed the demolition of the Royal Canberra Hospital, preferring that the buildings be reused, and later, once the demolition became inevitable, opposed the government's preferred method, implosion, on environmental grounds.
Horodny adopted a daughter in late 1997, and announced soon after that she would take a year off from work and step down at the coming election. She was replaced in the Legislative Assembly by conservative independent Dave Rugendyke
.
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 and environmentalist.
Horodny, who is of Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
descent, first made her name as an activist for the Wilderness Society
The Wilderness Society (Australia)
The Wilderness Society is an Australian, community-based, not-for-profit non-governmental environmental advocacy organisation. Its purpose is to protect, promote and restore wilderness and natural processes across Australia for the survival and ongoing evolution of life on Earth.It is a...
. She made a move into politics in 1995, when she ran as a Greens
ACT Greens
The ACT Greens is a green political party located in the Australian Capital Territory, and a member of the federation of the Australian Greens....
candidate for the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory...
. She subsequently defeated liberal independent Helen Szuty
Helen Szuty
Helen Margaret Szuty is an Australian politician and was a member of the multi-member single constituency second Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. Szuty sought election on a party ticket with Michael Moore, called the 'Moore Independents Group', at the 1992 general election....
, and took her place as one of two new Green members in the Assembly, alongside Kerrie Tucker
Kerrie Tucker
Kerrie Robyn Tucker , former Australian politician, environmental and human rights activist, was a member of the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the multi-member electorate of Molonglo for the ACT Greens between 1995 and 2001...
.
Immediately after the 1995 election, Horodny and Tucker caused some controversy among sections of the left wing when they supported the installation of the conservative Kate Carnell
Kate Carnell
Anne Katherine Carnell AO was the third Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, serving from 1995 to 2000. She is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Food and Grocery Council.-Pharmacy career:...
as Chief Minister
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly usually takes on the role...
- though they often clashed with Carnell and her party in parliament over social and environmental issues.
In her one term in the Legislative Assembly, she was a strong advocate for environmental causes, both inside the ACT, such as the preservation of the Black Mountain area (which had been threatened by the Gungahlin Drive Extension
Gungahlin Drive Extension
The Gungahlin Drive Extension is a major road project in Canberra, Australia. It is 9 kilometres long and extended the previously existing Gungahlin Drive from the Barton Highway in the district of Gungahlin to the Glenloch Interchange to connect with Parkes Way and the Tuggeranong Parkway. The...
), and outside, such as her attempts to save 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...
's environmentally sensitive Tarkine wilderness area from logging and development. She also advocated for several progressive causes, such as a bid to legalise voluntary euthanasia
Voluntary euthanasia
Voluntary euthanasia refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner...
in the ACT (which only narrowly failed). She also vocally opposed the demolition of the Royal Canberra Hospital, preferring that the buildings be reused, and later, once the demolition became inevitable, opposed the government's preferred method, implosion, on environmental grounds.
Horodny adopted a daughter in late 1997, and announced soon after that she would take a year off from work and step down at the coming election. She was replaced in the Legislative Assembly by conservative independent Dave Rugendyke
Dave Rugendyke
David Ross "Dave" Rugendyke is an Australian politician and was a member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly elected to the multi-member of Ginninderra for the Osborne Independent Group. Rugendyke was elected on the Osborne Independents ticket at the 1998 general election but...
.