Anne Cohen

{{Short description|Australian politician (1941–2026)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}} '''Anne Margaret Cohen''' (2 January 1941 – 10 May 2026) was an Australian politician. She was the Liberal member for Minchinbury and then Badgerys Creek from 1988 to 1995.

==Life and career== Cohen was born in Inverell, New South Wales on 2 January 1941. She was an editor and small business owner before entering politics. Married to Richard, she has two children.<ref name=nsw>{{cite NSW Parliament |title=Ms Anne Margaret Cohen (1941- ) |id=1977 |former=Yes |accessdate=11 May 2019}}</ref> In 1988, she was selected as the Liberal candidate for the new notionally Labor seat of Minchinbury; she had a narrow win.<ref name="Green Minchinbury">{{Cite NSW election |title=Elections for the District of Minchinbury |year=DistrictIndexes |district=Minchinbury |accessdate=10 September 2019}}</ref> In 1991 Minchinbury was replaced by Badgerys Creek, which Cohen also won. Shortly after that election she became Chief Secretary and Minister for Administrative Services. She was the last Chief Secretary of New South Wales, with the office being abolished in 1995. In 1995, she was very narrowly defeated by Labor candidate Diane Beamer.<ref name="Green Badgerys Creek">{{Cite NSW election |title=Elections for the District of Badgerys Creek |year=DistrictIndexes |district=BadgerysCreek |accessdate=10 September 2019}}</ref>

Later in 1995 she attempted to return to the NSW Parliament via a vacancy in the Legislative Council caused by the resignation of Stephen Mutch<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/128290391?searchTerm=Gallacher%20%22Stephen%20Mutch%22&searchLimits=|title=In Brief|newspaper=Canberra Times (Act : 1926 - 1995)|date=29 July 1995|page=7}}</ref> but was defeated in the preselection by Mike Gallacher.

Cohen died on 10 May 2026, at the age of 85.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anne COHEN Obituary (2026) - Sydney, New South Wales - The Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://tributes.smh.com.au/au/obituaries/smh-au/name/anne-cohen-obituary?id=61498704 |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=Legacy.com}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|au-nsw-la}} {{succession box | title=Member for Minchinbury | before=New seat | after=Abolished | years=1988–1991}} {{succession box | title=Member for Badgerys Creek | before=New seat | after=Diane Beamer | years=1991–1995}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Anne}} Category:1941 births Category:2026 deaths Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Category:Women members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Category:Ministers for customer service and digital government