The Australian Women's Register

Yvonne Henderson was born in Yorkshire in 1948 to Patrick Finn, a bookseller, and Daphne Wood. The family emigrated to Western Australia in 1949. Yvonne attended John Curtin Senior High School and then the University of Western Australia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education. She married Jeremy Henderson in 1971, embarked on a teaching career, and became an increasingly active member of the State School Teachers’ Union, as well as other community groups. Henderson was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the member for Gosnells in 1983, which she held until elected for Thornlie in 1989. Henderson held the seat of Thornlie until 1996, when she retired before the state election, spending a total fourteen years in Parliament. During this time, Henderson was a vigorous campaigner for the rights of minorities, and was instrumental in getting the Equal Opportunity Bill through the Legislative Assembly.
After leaving Parliament Henderson completed law studies and practised as a solicitor before being appointed head of the state government’s Equal Opportunity Commission, remaining in that position for ten years.
In the 2026 Australia Day Honours she was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) “for significant service to the people and Parliament of Western Australia, and to women.”