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AUSPOLLIEWATCH EVERY CLAIM LINKS TO ITS SOURCE · NOT A SCORECARD

Portrait of Helen Polley

Helen Polley

Australian Labor Party · Senate · TAS · incumbent

Helen Beatrice Polley was born on 9 February 1957 in Ulverstone, Tasmania, the daughter of Michael and Eileen Polley. She was educated at Deloraine High School, Launceston Community College and Launceston Business College, where she obtained a Diploma of Business Administration. She has served as an Australian Labor Party senator for Tasmania since 1 July 2005. [source]

Administrative and finance roles in finance, transport and manufacturing; adviser to Senator Terry Aulich, Premier Michael Field, Senator Shayne Murphy, and Premiers Jim Bacon and Paul Lennon between 1984 and 2005. First female president of the Tasmanian branch of the ALP. [source]

Sourced positions

A verified position is the member's own stated view or vote, supported by the listed sources. This page records public statements and conduct only — see methodology.

Faith & religion verified

Polley identifies as Catholic, which she has cited in informing her positions on issues such as same-sex marriage.

Freedom of speech verified

Voted against the second reading of the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017, which proposed replacing 'offend, insult, humiliate' with 'harass' in section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act (Senate, 30 March 2017; Ayes 32, Noes 29). Voted against Schedule 1 of that bill standing as printed, the provision making the substitution; the Schedule was negatived and the change did not proceed (Senate, in committee, 30-31 March 2017; Ayes 28, Noes 31).

Record last updated 2026-08-13.