Skip to section navigationSkip to content Commonwealth of Australia Coat of Arms Parliament of Australia - Parliamentary Library
HomeSenateHouse of RepresentativesLive BroadcastingThis Week in Parliament FindFrequently asked questionsContact




Background Note Index

Background Note

Women parliamentarians in Australia 1921–2009

Online only 17 March 2009 updated 4 May 2009

Janet Wilson
Politics and Public Administration Section
David Black, Parliament of Western Australia

Contents

Part 1: Women members of Australian Parliaments 1921–2009 by parliament
Commonwealth: House of Representatives
Commonwealth: Senate
New South Wales: Legislative Assembly
New South Wales: Legislative Council
Victoria: Legislative Assembly
Victoria: Legislative Council
Queensland: Legislative Assembly
Western Australia: Legislative Assembly
Western Australia: Legislative Council
South Australia: House of Assembly
South Australia: Legislative Council
Tasmania: House of Assembly
Tasmania: Legislative Council
Australian Capital Territory: Legislative Assembly (from 1989)
Northern Territory: Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly
Part 2: Women members of Australian Parliaments 1921–2009 by date
Sources
 

Introduction

Abbreviations

ACT

Australian Capital Territory

AD

Australian Democrats

ALP

Australian Labor Party

c

Approximate age

CLP

Country and Liberal Party (Northern Territory)

CP

Country Party

CNP

Country-National Party (Queensland)

CTA

Call to Australia (New South Wales)

Def

Defeated

Dis

Disqualified

Grn

Greens

GWA

Greens (Western Australia)

Ind

Independent

Ind Lab

Independent Labor

Ind Lib

Independent Liberal

Lang L

Lang Labor

LCL

Liberal and Country League (South Australia)

LNP

Liberal National Party (Queensland)

Nat

Nationalist

NCP

National (Country) Party (Western Australia)

NDP

Nuclear Disarmament Party

NP

National Country Party; National Party; The Nationals

ONP

One Nation Party

PHON

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation

Res

Resigned

Ret

Retired

TGr

Tasmanian Greens

UAP

United Australia Party

   

served in another House of Parliament

±

details of changes in party affiliation

*

by-election or casual vacancy

   

Introduction

This publication updates work published by David Black in 1966 under the title Women parliamentarians in Australia 1921–1996: a register of women members of Commonwealth, State and Territory Parliaments in Australia [1] . Professor Black very kindly provided electronic copies of his files to facilitate updating the records and has assisted with advice.

Section 1 consists of tables listing, by parliament, the women elected since 1921, in chronological order of election. The tables include:

  • their age at taking their seats
  • their party affiliation
  • the names of the electoral districts they represented
  • their dates of service, and
  • the way in which their period of service ended; whether they were defeated, retired, resigned, disqualified or died.

Section 2 includes lists of the women by the date of their election in 12 time periods of ten years in the beginning but five years since 1970. The lists are followed by tables summarising the numbers elected since 1921 and the changing percentage of representation since 1970.

The date given for a member entering parliament is the date of the election; where this differs from the commencement of the parliamentary term this date is also given, either in parentheses immediately following the date of election or as otherwise indicated. Because there is such variation between the parliaments regarding the date on which a member’s term ceases, the date of the end of the parliamentary term in this publication, except for premature resignation or death, is the date of the ensuing general election.

Where a given name is bolded or added in parentheses this indicates the name preferred by the member concerned. The designation ‘Dame’ in brackets indicates that the title was awarded some time after the member’s initial entry to parliament.

The sources used to compile the lists were mainly parliamentary handbooks and websites, but other biographical sources were used to fill in some gaps. Each of the state and territory parliamentary libraries provided invaluable assistance in supplying elusive details and in checking the tables, and without their cooperation this project would not have been possible.

In 1996 Professor Black listed 303 individual women; the number has now grown to 562.

It has not been possible to update yet the section on ministerial appointments that was included in the 1996 publication; however the number of female ministers has doubled since 1996, from 18 to 36.

Part 1: Women members of Australian Parliaments 1921-2009

Commonwealth: House of Representatives

Name

Age

Party

Constituency

Date elected

Left Parliament

Why

(Dame) Enid Muriel Lyons

46

UAP

Darwin (Tas)

21 Aug 1943

3 Mar 1951

Ret

Doris Amelia Blackburn

57

Ind Lab

Bourke (Vic)

28 Sep 1946

10 Dec 1949

Def

Kay Cathrine Millin Brownbill

52

Lib

Kingston (SA)

26 Nov 1966

25 Oct 1969

Def

Gloria Joan Liles Child

52

ALP

Henty (Vic)

Henty (Vic)

18 May 1974

18 Oct 1980

13 Dec 1975

19 Feb 1990

Def

Ret

Elaine Elizabeth Darling

44

ALP

Lilley (Qld)

18 Oct 1980

13 Mar 1993

Ret

Roslyn Joan Kelly

32

ALP

Canberra (ACT)

18 Oct 1980

30 Jan 1995

Res

Wendy Frances Fatin

41

ALP

Canning (WA)

Brand (WA)

5 Mar 1983

1 Dec 1984

until elected for

2 Mar 1996

Ret

Jeannette McHugh

48

ALP

Phillip (NSW)

Grayndler (NSW)

5 Mar 1983

13 Mar 1993

until elected for

2 Mar 1996

Ret

Helen Mayer

50

ALP

Chisholm (Vic)

5 Mar 1983

11 Jul 1987

Def

Carolyn Anne Jakobsen

37

ALP

Cowan (WA)

1 Dec 1984

13 Mar 1993

Def

Kathryn Jean Sullivan (Martin)†

42

Lib

Moncrieff (Qld)

1 Dec 1984

10 Nov 2001

Ret

Mary Catherine Crawford

40

ALP

Forde (Qld)

11 Jul 1987

2 Mar 1996

Def

Elizabeth Robyn Harvey

40

ALP

Hawker (SA)

11 Jul 1987

24 Mar 1990

Def

Frances Esther Bailey

43

Lib

McEwen (Vic)

McEwen (Vic)

24 Mar 1990

2 Mar 1996

13 Mar 1993

Def

Janice Ann Crosio†

51

ALP

Prospect (NSW)

24 Mar 1990

9 Oct 2004

Ret

Christine Ann Gallus

46

Lib

Hawker (SA)

Hindmarsh (SA)

24 Mar 1990

13 Mar 1993

until elected for

9 Oct 2004

Ret

Margaret Joan Deahm

54

ALP

Macquarie (NSW)

13 Mar 1993

2 Mar 1996

Def

Mary Louise Easson

37

ALP

Lowe (NSW)

13 Mar 1993

2 Mar 1996

Def

Marjorie Madeline Henzell

44

ALP

Capricornia (Qld)

13 Mar 1993

2 Mar 1996

Def

Judith Eleanor Moylan

49

Lib

Pearce (WA)

13 Mar 1993

   

Silvia Joy Smith

53

ALP

Bass (Tas)

13 Mar 1993

2 Mar 1996

Def

Patricia Mary Worth

46

Lib

Adelaide (SA)

13 Mar 1993

9 Oct 2004

Def

Carmen Mary Lawrence†

46

ALP

Fremantle (WA)

12 Mar 1994*

24 Nov 2007

Ret

Bronwyn Kathleen Bishop†

51

Lib

Mackellar (NSW)

26 Mar 1994*

   

Patricia Draper

36

Lib

Makin (SA)

2 Mar 1996

24 Nov 2007

Ret

Annette Louise Ellis†

49

ALP

Namadgi (ACT)

Canberra (ACT)

2 Mar 1996

3 Oct 1998

until elected for

 

Kay Selma Elson

49

Lib

Forde (Qld)

2 Mar 1996

24 Nov 2007

Ret

Teresa Gambaro

37

Lib

Petrie (Qld)

2 Mar 1996

24 Nov 2007

Def

Joanna Gash

51

Lib

Gilmore (NSW)

2 Mar 1996

   

Elizabeth Jane Grace

55

Lib

Lilley (Qld)

2 Mar 1996

3 Oct 1998

Def

Pauline Lee Hanson

41

Ind

Oxley (Qld)

2 Mar 1996

3 Oct 1998

Def

Susan Barbara Jeanes

38

Lib

Kingston (SA)

2 Mar 1996

3Oct 1998

Def

Henrike (Ricky) Johnston

52

Lib

Canning (WA)

2 Mar 1996

3 Oct 1998

Def

De-Anne Margaret Kelly

41

NP

Dawson (Qld)

2 Mar 1996

24 Nov 2007

Def

Jacqueline (Jackie) Marie Kelly‡

32

Lib

Lindsay (NSW)

Lindsay (NSW)

2 Mar 1996

19 Oct 1996*

11 Sep 1996

24 Nov 2007

Dis

Ret

Jennifer Louise Macklin

42

ALP

Jagajaga (Vic)

2 Mar 1996

   

Sharman Nancy Stone

44

Lib

Murray (Vic)

2 Mar 1996

   

Danna Sue Vale

51

Lib

Hughes (NSW)

2 Mar 1996

   

Andrea Gail West

43

Lib

Bowman (Qld)

2 Mar 1996

3 Oct 1998

Def

Julie Isabel Bishop

47

Lib

Curtin (WA)

3 Oct 1998

   

Anna Elizabeth Burke

32

ALP

Chisholm (Vic)

3 Oct 1998

   

Jane Frances Gerick

32

ALP

Canning (WA)

3 Oct 1998

10 Nov 2001

Def

Julia Eileen Gillard

37

ALP

Lalor (Vic)

3 Oct 1998

   

Jill Griffiths Hall†

48

ALP

Shortland (NSW)

3 Oct 1998

   

Kelly Joy Hoare

35

ALP

Charlton (NSW)

3 Oct 1998

24 Nov 2007

Ret

Kay Elizabeth Hull

44

NP

Riverina (NSW)

3 Oct 1998

   

Julia Claire Irwin

47

ALP

Fowler (NSW)

3 Oct 1998

   

Cheryl Kernot†

49

ALP

Dickson (Qld)

3 Oct 1998

10 Nov 2001

Def

Kirsten Fiona Livermore

28

ALP

Capricornia

3 Oct 1998

   

Margaret Ann May

48

Lib

McPherson (Qld)

3 Oct 1998

   

Jann Sonya McFarlane

54

ALP

Stirling (WA)

3 Oct 1998

9 Oct 2004

Def

Michelle Anne O’Byrne†

30

ALP

Bass (Tas)

3 Oct 1998

9 Oct 2004

Def

Tanya Joan Plibersek

28

ALP

Sydney (NSW)

3 Oct 1998

   

Nicola Louise Roxon

31

ALP

Gellibrand (Vic)

3 Oct 1998

   

Ann Kathleen Corcoran

48

ALP

Isaacs (Vic)

12 Aug 2000*

24 Nov 2007

Ret

Leonie Margaret Short

45

ALP

Ryan (Qld)

17 Mar 2001*

10 Nov 2001

Def

Jennie George

54

ALP

Throsby (NSW)

10 Nov 2001

   

Sharon Joy Grierson

50

ALP

Newcastle (NSW)

10 Nov 2001

   

Sharryn Maree Jackson

39

ALP

Hasluck (WA)

Hasluck (WA)

10 Nov 2001

24 Nov 2007

9 Oct 2004

Def

Catherine Fiona King

35

ALP

Ballarat (Vic)

10 Nov 2001

   

Sussan Penelope Ley

39

Lib

Farrer (NSW)

10 Nov 2001

   

Sophie Panopoulos (later Mirabella)

33

Lib

Indi (Vic)

10 Nov 2001

   

Maria Vamvakinou

42

ALP

Calwell (Vic)

10 Nov 2001

   

Sharon Leah Bird

41

ALP

Cunningham (NSW)

9 Oct 2004

   

Justine Maria Elliot

37

ALP

Richmond (NSW)

9 Oct 2004

   

Katherine (Kate) Margaret Ellis

27

ALP

Adelaide (SA)

9 Oct 2004

   

Louise Elizabeth Markus

46

Lib

Greenway (NSW)

9 Oct 2004

   

Julie Ann Owens

45

ALP

Parramatta (NSW)

9 Oct 2004

   

Jodie Louise Campbell

35

ALP

Bass (Tas)

24 Nov 2007

   

Julie Maree Collins

36

ALP

Franklin (Tas)

24 Nov 2007

   

Yvette Maree D’Ath

37

ALP

Petrie (Qld)

24 Nov 2007

   

Maxine Margaret McKew

54

ALP

Bennelong (NSW)

24 Nov 2007

   

Nola Bethwyn Marino

53

Lib

Forrest (WA)

24 Nov 2007

   

Belinda Jane Neal†

44

ALP

Robertson (NSW)

24 Nov 2007

   

Melissa Parke

41

ALP

Fremantle (WA)

24 Nov 2007

   

Kerry Marie Rea

44

ALP

Bonner (Qld)

24 Nov 2007

   

Amanda Louise Rishworth

29

ALP

Kingston (SA)

24 Nov 2007

   

Janelle Anne Saffin†

53

ALP

Page (NSW)

24 Nov 2007

   

* by-election

† see Table 2 for list of women who have been members of more than one Australian House of Parliament

‡ Jackie Kelly: disqualified on 11 Sep 1996; re-elected at by-election on 19 Oct 1996

Commonwealth: Senate

(date in brackets indicates when term commenced)

Name

Age

Party

State

Date elected

Left Parliament

Why

(Dame) Dorothy Margaret Tangney

32

ALP

WA

21 Aug 1943

30 Jun1968

Def

(Dame) Annabelle Jane Mary Rankin

38

Lib

Qld

28 Sep 1946 (1 Jul 1947)

24 May 1971

Res

Agnes Robertson Robertson

67

Lib;CP±

WA

10 Dec 1949 (22 Feb 1950)

30 Jun1962

Ret

(Dame) Ivy Evelyn Wedgwood

53

Lib

Vic

10 Dec 1949 (22 Feb 1950)

30 Jun1971

Ret

Nancy Eileen Buttfield

42

Lib

SA

11 Oct 1955*

25 Nov 1967 (1 Jul 1968)

30 Jun1965

11 Apr 1974

Def

Ret

(Dame) Marie Freda Breen

59

Lib

Vic

9 Dec 1961 (1 Jul 1962)

30 Jun1968

Ret

(Dame) Margaret Georgina Constance Guilfoyle

44

Lib

Vic

21 Nov 1970 (1 Jul 1971)

11 Jul 1987

Ret

Ruth Nancy Coleman

42

ALP

WA

18 May 1974

11 Jul 1987

Ret

Kathryn Jean Martin (Sullivan)†

32

Lib

Qld

18 May 1974

5 Nov 1984

Res

Jean Isabel Melzer

48

ALP

Vic

18 May 1974

30 Jun1981

Def

Susan Maree Ryan

33

ALP

ACT

13 Dec 1975

29 Jan 1988

Res

Mary (Shirley) Walters

50

Lib

Tas

13 Dec 1975

30 Jun1993

Ret

Janine Haines

32

AD

SA

14 Dec 1977*

18 Oct 1980 (1 Jul 1981)

30 Jun1978

1 Mar 1990

Ret

Res

Jean Margaret Hearn

59

ALP

Tas

15 Oct 1980*

30 Jun1985

Ret

Florence Isabel Bjelke-Petersen

60

NP

Qld

18 Oct 1980 (12 Mar 1981)

30 Jun1993

Ret

Margaret Elizabeth Reid

45

Lib

ACT

5 May 1981*

14 Feb 2003

Res

Patricia Jessie Giles

51

ALP

WA

18 Oct 1980 (1 Jul 1981)

30 Jun1993

Ret

Rosemary Anne Crowley

44

ALP

SA

5 Mar 1983

30 Jun 2002

Ret

Margaret Reynolds

41

ALP

Qld

5 Mar 1983

30 Jun 1999

Ret

Alice Olive Zakharov

53

ALP

Vic

5 Mar 1983

6 Mar 1995

Died

Susan Christine Knowles

33

Lib

WA

1 Dec 1984

30 Jun 2005

Ret

Amanda Eloise Vanstone

31

Lib

SA

1 Dec 1984

26 Apr 2007

Res

Josephine (Jo) Vallentine

38

NDP; Ind;

GWA±

WA

1 Dec 1984 (1 Jul 1985)

31 Jan 1992

Res

Jocelyn Margaret Newman

48

Lib

Tas

13 Mar 1986*

1 Feb 2002

Res

Janet Frances Powell

43

AD

Vic

26 Aug 1986*

30 Jun1993

Def

Suzanne Margaret West

39

ALP

NSW

11 Feb 1987*

24 Mar 1990 (1 Jul 1990)

11 Jul 1987

30 Jun 2002

Def

Ret

Bronwyn Kathleen Bishop†

44

Lib

NSW

11 Jul 1987

24 Feb 1994

Res

Jean Alice Jenkins

49

AD

WA

11 Jul 1987

30 Jun1990

Def

Kay Christine Lesley Patterson

42

Lib

Vic

11 Jul 1987

30 Jun 2008

Ret

Patricia Irene (Irina) Dunn

40c

NDP; Ind ±

NSW

21 Jul 1988*

30 Jun1990

Def

Victoria Worrall Bourne

35

AD

NSW

24 Mar 1990 (1 Jul 1990)

30 Jun 2002

Def

Cheryl Kernot†

38

AD

Qld

24 Mar 1990 (1 Jul 1990)

15 Oct 1997

Res

Meg Heather Lees

41

AD

SA

4 April 1990*

30 Jun 2005

Def

Karen Nicole Sowada

29

AD

NSW

29 Aug 1991*

30 Jun1993

Def

Christabel Marguerite Alain Chamarette

43

GWA

WA

12 Mar 1992*

30 Jun1996

Def

Diane (Dee) Elizabeth Margetts†

38

GWA

WA

13 Mar 1993 (1 Jul 1993)

30 Jun 1999

Def

Judith Mary Troeth

52

Lib

Vic

13 Mar 1993 (1 Jul 1993)

   

Kay Janet Denman

56

ALP

Tas

24 Aug 1993*

30 Jun 2005

Ret

Belinda Jane Neal†

31

ALP

NSW

8 Mar 1994*

3 Sep 1998

Res

Jacinta Mary Ann Collins

32

ALP

Vic

3 May 1995*

24 Nov 2007 (8 May 2008)

30 Jun 2005

Def

Natasha Jessica Stott Despoja

26

AD

SA

29 Nov 1995*

30 Jun 2008

Ret

Kate Alexandra Lundy

28

ALP

ACT

2 Mar 1996

   

Susan Mary Mackay

35

ALP

Tas

2 Mar 1996 (8 Mar 1996)

29 Jul 2005

Res

Lynette (Lyn) Fay Allison

49

AD

Vic

2 Mar 1996 (1 Jul 1996)

30 Jun 2008

Def

Helen Coonan

48

Lib

NSW

2 Mar 1996 (1 Jul 1996)

   

Jeannie Ferris‡

54

Lib

SA

2 Mar 1996 (1 Jul 1996)

24 Jul 1996*

12 Jul 1996

2 Apr 2007

Dis

Died

Brenda Gibbs

48

ALP

Qld

2 Mar 1996 (1 Jul 1996)

30 Jun 2002

Def

Marise Ann Payne

32

Lib

NSW

9 Apr 1997*

   

Karen Margaret Synon

39

Lib

Vic

13 May 1997*

30 Jun 1999

Def

Patricia (Trish) Margaret Crossin

42

ALP

NT

16 Jun 1998*

   

Jan Elizabeth McLucas

41

ALP

Qld

3 Oct 1998 (1 Jul 1999)

   

Linda Jean Kirk

35

ALP

SA

10 Nov 2001 (1 Jul 2002)

30 Jun 2008

Ret

Claire Mary Moore

46

ALP

Qld

10 Nov 2001 (1 Jul 2002)

   

Kerry Michelle Nettle

28

Grn

NSW

10 Nov 2001 (1 Jul 2002)

30 Jun 2008

Def

Ursula Mary Stephens

47

ALP

NSW

10 Nov 2001 (1 Jul 2002)

   

Ruth Stephanie Webber

37

ALP

WA

10 Nov 2001 (1 Jul 2002)

30 Jun 2008

Def

Penny Ying Yen Wong

33

ALP

SA

10 Nov 2001 (1 Jul 2002)

   

Concetta (Connie) Anna Fierravanti-Wells

44

Lib

NSW

9 Oct 2004 (5 May 2005)*

   

Judith Anne Adams

58

Lib

WA

9 Oct 2004 (1 Jul 2005)

   

Annette Kay Hurley†

50c

ALP

SA

9 Oct 2004 (1 Jul 2005)

   

Ann McEwen

50

ALP

Qld

9 Oct 2004 (1 Jul 2005)

   

Christine Anne Milne†

52

Grn

Tas

9 Oct 2004 (1 Jul 2005)

   

Fiona Joy Nash

39

Nats

NSW

9 Oct 2004 (1 Jul 2005)

   

Helen Beatrice Polley

48

ALP

Tas

9 Oct 2004 (1 Jul 2005)

   

Rachel Mary Siewert

43

Grn

WA

9 Oct 2004 (1 Jul 2005)

   

Dana Wortley

46c

ALP

SA

9 Oct 2004 (1 Jul 2005)

   

Carol Louise Brown

42

ALP

Tas

25 Aug 2005*

   

Suzanne (Sue) Kay Boyce

56

Lib

Qld

19 Apr 2007*

   

Mary Jo Fisher

44

Lib

SA

6 Jun 2007*

   

Catryna Louise Bilyk

49

ALP

Tas

24 Nov 2007 (1 Jul 2008)

   

Michaelia Clare Cash

37

Lib

WA

24 Nov 2007 (1 Jul 2008)

   

Sarah Coral Hanson-Young

26

Grn

SA

24 Nov 2007 (1 Jul 2008)

   

Helen Evelyn Kroger

49

Lib

Vic

24 Nov 2007 (1 Jul 2008)

   

Louise Clare Pratt†

36

ALP

WA

24 Nov 2007 (1 Jul 2008)

   

* casual vacancy

† see Table 2 for list of women who have been members of more than one Australian House of Parliament

‡ Jeannie Ferris: resigned on 12 Jul 1996 (her eligibility in question); chosen by SA Parliament to fill that casual vacancy on 24 Jul 1996

± Agnes Robertson: Lib; Country Party from 1955

± Irina Dunn: NDP; Independent Senator for Nuclear Disarmament from 22 Aug 1988

± Jo Vallentine: NDP; Independent Senator for Nuclear Disarmament from 17 May 1985; GWA from 1 Jul 1990



[1] .       David Black, Women parliamentarians in Australia 1921–1996: a register of women members of Commonwealth, State and Territory Parliaments in Australia, Western Australian Parliamentary History Project, Perth, 1996.

For copyright reasons some linked items are only available to members of Parliament.

top