{{Short description|Australian public servant}} {{Other people}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} '''Bethia Wilson''' is an author and former senior Australian public servant. Best known as '''Beth Wilson''', she held the position of Victoria's Health Services Commissioner between 1997 and 2012. Before that, she worked as the President of Victoria's Mental Health Review Board.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc/downloads/beth_wilson_bio.pdf |title=Beth Wilson<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=26 September 2007 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172810/http://www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc/downloads/beth_wilson_bio.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> She is a well known public speaker, and conducts over 100 speeches and lectures each year. She made headlines in 2007 when she revealed her personal experience with abortion, and urged Victorian MPs to remove abortion from the ''Crimes Act''.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/health-chief-tells-of-abortion-experience/2007/08/17/1186857774689.html Health chief tells of abortion experience - National - theage.com.au<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Wilson left school at the age of 15, unable to support herself financially. For several years, she worked in factories. She eventually began night school at RMIT studying science,<ref>[https://www.alumni.rmit.edu.au/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=479 Dr Bethia Wilson] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225011208/https://www.alumni.rmit.edu.au/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=479 |date=25 February 2012 }}. RMIT University Alumni. RMIT University. Retrieved on 2010-07-22.</ref> and then managed to gain entrance to Monash University as a mature age student. She graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws.<ref name=RMIT>{{Cite web |url=http://www.alumni.rmit.edu.au/fame/fame_profile.asp?id=306 |title=Alumni<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2007-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829010907/http://www.alumni.rmit.edu.au/fame/fame_profile.asp?id=306 |archive-date=2007-08-29 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2003, Wilson was awarded a Centenary Medal for her contribution to Australian health,<ref>[http://www.monash.edu.au/alumni/prominent-alumni/beth-wilson.html Beth Wilson - Prominent Monash Alumna<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829193227/http://www.monash.edu.au/alumni/prominent-alumni/beth-wilson.html |date=August 29, 2007 }}</ref> and holds an honorary doctorate from RMIT.<ref name=RMIT /> She was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2008<ref name="Honour Roll 2008">{{cite web |title=Victorian Honour Roll Booklet 2008 |url=https://herplacemuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2008-Honour-Roll-Booklet-1.pdf |access-date=2024-10-05 |publisher=Office of Women's Policy, Department for Victorian Communities}}</ref> and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2013 Australia Day Honours, recognising her "significant service to the community of Victoria through the provision of dispute resolution in the area of health services".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dr Bethia WILSON |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1146867 |access-date=2024-10-05 |website=Australian Honours Search Facility}}</ref>
Wilson teamed up with Penny Webster to form Wilson and Webster Consultancy Services, specializing in complaint handling, grievances and workplace mediation.<ref>[http://www.wilsonandwebster.com.au Wilson and Webster Consultancy Services]</ref>
In 2020 she published her first novel, ''The Lost Lovelies Foundation,'' with Laneway Press.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Lost Lovelies Foundation|url=https://lanewaypress.com.au/blog/portfolio/the-lost-lovelies-foundation/|access-date=2021-06-04|website=Laneway Press|language=en-AU}}</ref> Set in Melbourne, it tells the story of The Lost Lovelies Foundation and its mercurial founder, Anita Hammond-Jones. Wilson is currently{{when|date=June 2021}} working on her second novel, ''The Pardon.''
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Beth}} Category:Australian public servants Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Monash Law School alumni
Category:Members of the Order of Australia