Helen Jean Shardey OAM (born in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

) was an Australian State Politician for the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

who held the seat of Caulfield from 1996 to 2010. She served as the Shadow Minister for Ageing, Community Services, Muticultural Affairs, Housing, and later Shadow Minister for Health (including Mental Health). In 1999 as the Member for Caulfield Helen Shardey was awarded a Jerusalem Day Prize. In recognition of her support for the Melbourne Jewish Community and the State of Israel, after just three years in Parliament. In 2009 Helen announced that she would be retiring from the

Victorian parliament The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria that follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the King, represented by the Governor of Victoria, the Legislative Assembly and ...

at the 2010 State Election. Shardey went on to endorse current MP,

David Southwick David James Southwick (born 31 March 1968) is an Australian Liberal Party of Australia, Liberal politician, and has been the member for Electoral district of Caulfield, Caulfield in the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2010. Southwick has be ...

. In 2021 Shardey was awarded the

Medal Of The Order Of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

(OAM). This was in recognition for her long and continuous service to the Jewish Community and her work as the Member of Caulfield. Saying “I never felt like a Politician but a Parliamentarian. I represented everyone in my electorate, not just those who voted for me”. She is the former President of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) in Victoria and is the former Vice President of the Jewish National Fund Australia (2017). Helen has also served on the boards of Temple Beth Israel, Progressive Judaism Victoria and the Union for Progressive Judaism. After retiring from Parliament Shardey went on to chair the board of

Alfred Hospital The Alfred Hospital, also known as The Alfred or Alfred Hospital, is a leading tertiary teaching hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the second oldest hospital in Victoria, and the oldest Melbourne hospital still operating on its original site ...

, until she retired from the board in 2017. Currently, she serves as the president of The Australian Reform Zionist Associatio
(ARZA)
and the Vice President of the Union of Progressive Judaism UPJ.

References

1944 births Living people Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Victoria Converts to Reform Judaism Australian Reform Jews 21st-century Australian politicians 21st-century Australian women politicians Women members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Australian Zionists Reform Zionists {{Australia-Liberal-politician-stub