Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Alexandra, Victoria, Australia
About Denise Allen
- Denise Margaret Allen (born 29 March 1953) is a former Australian politician, political strategist, social/political commentator and disability advocate. Born in Alexandra, Victoria to Jack Donald and Bette Doreen Boote, she attended local public schools before graduating in 1970.
- Prior to entering politics, Allen was a life skills/motivational tutor.
- She also owned a modelling agency, beauty therapy studio and retail fashion store.In 2000, Allen was the Labor Party candidate for the by-election for Benalla in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, which was being vacated by former Deputy Premier and state Nationals leader Pat McNamara.
- On paper, Allen faced daunting odds.
- Benalla was a staunchly conservative seat in rural northeastern Victoria, and had been in National hands for all but nine years since 1920.
- However, she won a surprise victory over new Nationals candidate Bill Sykes, winning by only 237 votes.
- She was the first Labor member ever to win it.
- A Buddhist, she was the inaugural chairperson of the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet.
- In the 2002 state election, she was defeated by Sykes in a rematch despite Labor being reelected in a massive landslide Although Allen led on the primary vote, she was defeated on the third count after Liberal candidate Andrew Dwyer's preferences flowed overwhelmingly to Sykes.
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