Denise Margaret Allen (29 March 1953 – 22 January 2022) was an Australian politician, political strategist, social commentator and disability advocate.
She also owned a modelling agency, beauty therapy studio and retail fashion store.
[1] In 2000, Allen was the Labor Party candidate in the by-election for the seat of Benalla in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, which was being vacated by former deputy premier and state Nationals leader Pat McNamara.
Benalla was a staunchly conservative division in rural north-eastern Victoria and had been in National hands for all but nine years since 1920.
In the 2002 state election, she was defeated by Sykes in a rematch, despite the Labor government being re-elected in a landslide.