Linda Burney Husband, Illness, Parents, Children, Family, Salary, Net Worth, Height, Age, Voice, Stroke, Speech Illness

Linda Burney Biography – Linda Burney Wiki

Linda Burney is an Australian politician and former teacher. She is the Minister for Indigenous Australians and the member for Barton. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP).

Linda was elected federal member for Barton in 2016, following a 13 year career in the NSW Parliament as Member for Canterbury. During her state political career she served as minister in a number of senior portfolios including as Minister for Community Services and later as Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Following her election to the Federal House of Representatives she was immediately appointed as Shadow Minister for Human Services. Then appointed Shadow Minister for Preventing Family Violence in addition to Human Services.

As a proud member of the Wiradjuri nation, Linda was the first Aboriginal person to be elected to the NSW Parliament and the first Aboriginal woman to serve in the Australian House of Representatives. Linda’s commitment to Indigenous issues spans more than 30 years.

She began her career as a teacher in Western Sydney and then as an education bureaucrat before being appointed Director General of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in 2000. Charles Sturt University awarded her, its first Aboriginal graduate, an Honorary Doctorate in Education in 2002.

Linda has a long held commitment to the prevention of domestic and family violence, and has detailed publicly her personal experience with it. She has held senior positions in the non-government sector serving on a number of boards including the SBS, the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, and the NSW Board of Studies.

Linda Burney Age

She was born on 25 April 1957 in Whitton, New South Wales, Australia.

Linda Burney Parents

Linda Burney is the daughter of Laurence “Nonnie” Ingram, an Aboriginal folk singer. She was raised by her great-uncle, William, and his sister, Letitia, who were already in their 60s when they took her in, the baby abandoned at birth by their niece. At age 28, Linda met her father for the first time. Her mother had refused to speak of him.

Linda Burney Husband

In 2006, Linda Burney’s partner of nine years, Rick Farley, died following a brain aneurism and accident. A one-time journalist and government advisor, an architect of the Landcare program and the Mabo reforms, Rick was the man whom Linda describes as the love of her life.

Linda Burney Children

Linda Burney has two children, Willurei and Binni. In 2006, Linda’s daughter Willurei was diagnosed with a rare neurological illness and she came close to death. Binni passed away in October 2017.

Burney released a statement saying her son had struggled with mental illness and addiction and that while the cause of his death was unknown, it did not appear to be suspicious. She said it was a “dire, grief-stricken time”.

“Binni is 33 years old. He is a caring and loving man,” she said. “[Binni] has struggled with mental health and with addiction. He tried so hard to conquer his demons, as I and my family have tried so hard to support him in every way we could.

“I don’t want to pre-empt subsequent inquiry, but we all thought we were getting somewhere. I don’t know what life will be like without him.”

Linda Burney Salary

Linda Burney receives an estimated annual salary of $211,250. She also receives $32,000 electorate allowance, according to the Remuneration Tribunal.

Linda Burney Net Worth

Hon Linda Burney has an estimated net worth of $2 million.

Linda Burney Illness

Linda Burney has been battling health challenges, The Guardian reported. In 2020, she had a mini-stroke and subsequently underwent heart surgery for a hole in her heart.

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Linda opened up about the health issues she has been plagued with for years, revealing a medical diagnosis behind her noticeably different voice. Burney’s health had been the subject of rumours for months after her voice changed noticeably.

“My voice has changed,” she told ABC TV’s Kitchen Cabinet with Annabel Crabb. “What’s happened is I’ve had surgery that’s affected my voice. I get too much oxygen in my lungs, so I need to expel that oxygen before I give a speech or go to Question Time.”

She now takes regular medication, undergoes speech therapy and uses a kazoo before giving speeches to help regulate her voice. Ms Burney added the vocal alteration was a common side effect of heart surgery, and the condition hasn’t affected her in any way except for her chest.

However, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported that cardiologists had advised that hole-in-the-heart surgery does not result in speech alterations. She then checked with her doctor and clarified the speech changes were likely a result of her medication. Her doctor said the politician had made a “full recovery with no residual deficit”.

Linda Burney Height

Linda Burney stands at a height of 1.65 m (5 feet 5 inches).