RESEARCH PAPER SERIES, 2013–14              23 JUNE 2014

Australia’s female political leaders: a quick guide

Dr Joy McCann

Politics and Public Administration

Introduction

This Quick Guide draws together information about women who have held leadership positions in Australia from Federation to May 2014. It includes vice-regal appointments, presiding officers, government, opposition and parliamentary party leaders, and parliamentary party presidents.

This Quick Guide includes dates in office, positions held and significant firsts. It also includes women who have served as deputy leaders in the Commonwealth Parliament. The final table presents women who have held executive (non-parliamentary) leadership positions in the parliamentary parties.

This information has been compiled from a range of sources including the Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook, the Australian Electoral Commission, vice-regal, parliamentary and political party websites, biographies and archives relating to women in politics, and media articles relating to individual appointments.

A hyperlink to individual biographies is included where available, together with selected online sources for further reading. Using the arrows that appear in the header, the information may be ordered by name, party, jurisdiction, chamber and year of election/appointment.

The Parliamentary Library would appreciate receiving additional information or corrections that may assist in compiling future updates.

Selected facts

•        Dame Quentin Bryce (Governor-General of Australia, 2008 ̶ 14) is the only woman to have been appointed to the role of Governor-General of Australia. She previously served as Governor of Queensland (2003 ̶ 8).

•        Dame Roma Mitchell (Governor of South Australia, 1991 ̶ 96) was the first woman to be appointed to a vice-regal role in Australia. No woman has yet been appointed to a vice-regal role in Western Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, the Territory of Norfolk Island, or the Australian Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The Australian Capital Territory does not have an Administrator.

•        Anne Levy (President of the South Australia Legislative Council, 1986 ̶ 89) was the first woman to be elected as Presiding Officer in any Australian parliament. Joan Child (Speaker of the House of Representatives, 1986 ̶ 89) was the first woman to be elected as Presiding Officer in the Commonwealth Parliament. Since then all Australian parliaments except Western Australia have had at least one female Presiding Officer.

•        Julia Gillard (27th Prime Minister, 2010 ̶ 13) is the first female Prime Minister of Australia. No woman has yet served as Leader of the Opposition in the Commonwealth Parliament.

•        All states and territories except South Australia have had a female head of government (premier or chief minister). All states and territories have had a female opposition leader.

•        Rosemary Follett (Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, 1989 and 1991 ̶ 95) was the first woman to lead an Australian government.

•        Dr Carmen Lawrence (Premier of Western Australia, 1990 ̶ 93) was Australia’s first female state premier. Anna Bligh was the first women to be elected as state premier (Premier of Queensland, 2007 ̶ 12).

•        Shirley McKerrow was the first woman to serve as the state president of a parliamentary party in Australia (State President of the Victorian branch of the National Country Party of Australia, 1976). She subsequently became the first female federal president of a parliamentary party in Australia.[1]

Abbreviations

LA: Legislative Assembly

LC: Legislative Council

HA: House of Assembly

Reps: House of Representatives

AD: Australian Democrats

AG: Australian Greens or the Greens

ALP: Australian Labor Party

CLP: Country Liberal Party

LNP: Liberal National Party

LIB: Liberal Party of Australia

NAT: The Nationals

PHON: Pauline Hanson’s One Nation

Key

*First woman to hold position in jurisdiction or party

†First woman to hold position in Australia

Vice-regal appointments

Name

Jurisdiction

Government making appointment

Position held

*First woman to hold position

Year

Date from

Date to

Bashir, Marie

NSW

ALP

Governor of New South Wales

*

2001

01.03.2001

Current

Bryce, Quentin

Federal

ALP

Governor-General of Australia

*

2008

05.09.2008

28.03.2014

Bryce, Quentin

Qld

ALP

Governor of Queensland

2003

29.07.2003

29.07.2008

Forde, Leneen

Qld

ALP

Governor of Queensland

*

1992

29.07.1992

29.07.1997

Jackson-Nelson, Marjorie

SA

LIB

Governor of South Australia

2001

03.11.2001

08.08.2007

Mitchell, Dame Roma

SA

ALP

Governor of South Australia
†First woman to be appointed to a vice-regal role in Australia

*

1991

06.02.1991

21.07.1996

Thomas, Sally

NT

ALP

Administrator of the Northern Territory

*

2011

31.10.2011

Current

Wensley, Penelope

Qld

ALP

Governor of Queensland

2008

29.07.2008

Current

Sources: Vice-regal websites for each jurisdiction

Presiding Officers

Name

Party

Jurisdiction

Chamber

Position held

*First woman to hold position

Year

Date from

Date to

Aagaard, Jane

ALP

NT

LA

Speaker of the NT Legislative Assembly

2005

29.06.2005

22.10.2012

Bishop, Bronwyn

LIB

Federal

Reps

Speaker of the House of Representatives

2013

12.11.2013

Current

Braham, Loraine

CLP

NT

LA

Speaker of the NT Legislative Assembly

*

1997

25.11.1997

15.02.1999

Braham, Loraine

IND

NT

LA

Speaker of the NT Legislative Assembly

2001

16.10.2001

28.06.2005

Breuer, Lynette

ALP

SA

HA

Speaker of the SA House of Assembly

*

2010

06.05.2010

05.02.2013

Burgmann, Dr Meredith

ALP

NSW

LC

President of the NSW Legislative Council

1999

11.05.1999

02.03.2007

Burke, Anna

ALP

Federal

Reps

Speaker of the House of Representatives

2012

09.10.2012

05.08.2013

Chadwick, Virginia

LIB

NSW

LC

President of the NSW Legislative Council

*

1998

29.06.1998

05.03.1999

Child, Joan

ALP

Federal

Reps

Speaker of the House of Representatives

*

1986

11.02.1986

28.08.1989

Dunne, Vicki

LIB

ACT

LA

Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly

2012

06.11.2012

Current

Archer, Elise

LIB

Tas.

HA

Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly

*

2014

06.05.2014

Current

Fazio, Amanda

ALP

NSW

LC

President of the NSW Legislative Council

2009

24.11.2009

03.05.2011

Fyffe, Christine

LIB

Vic.

LA

Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly

2014

04.02.2014

Current

Gould, Monica

ALP

Vic.

LC

President, Victorian Legislative Council

*

2003

25.02.2003

18.12.2006

Hancock, Shelley

LIB

NSW

LA

Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly

*

2011

03.05.2011

Current

Levy, Anne

ALP

SA

LC

President of the SA Legislative Council

*
†First woman to be appointed as Presiding Officer in an Australian parliament[2]

1986

11.02.1986

13.04.1989

Lindell, Jenny

ALP

Vic.

LA

Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly

2006

19.12.2006

21.12.2010

Maddigan, Judith (Judy)

ALP

Vic.

LA

Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly

*

2003

25.02.2003

20.12.2006

McRae, Roberta

ALP

ACT

LA

Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly

*

1992

27.03.1992

09.03.1995

Purick, Kezia

CLP

NT

LA

Speaker of the NT Legislative Assembly

2012

23.10.2012

Current

Reid, Margaret

LIB

Federal

Senate

President of the Senate
†First female presiding officer in an upper house in an Australian parliament

*

1996

20.08.1996

30.06.2002

Simpson, Fiona

LNP

Qld

LA

Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly

*

2012

15.05.2012

Current

Smith, Sue

IND

Tas.

LC

President of the Tasmanian Legislative Council

*

2008

10.06.2008

21.05.2013

Sources: Commonwealth, state and territory parliament websites

Government, opposition and parliamentary party leaders

Name

Party

Jurisdiction

Chamber

Position held

*First woman to hold position

Year

Date from

Date to

Allison, Lyn

AD

Federal

Senate

Federal party leader

2004

13.12.2004

30.06.2008

Bishop, Julie

LIB

Federal

Reps

Deputy leader of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party

*

2007

29.11.2007

Current

Bishop, Julie

LIB

Federal

Reps

Deputy Leader of the Opposition

2007

3.12.2007

18.9.2013

Bligh, Anna

ALP

Qld

HA

Premier of Queensland and state party leader (Qld)

*
†First female elected state premier in Australia

2007

13.09.2007

26.03.2012

Carnell, Kate

LIB

ACT

LA

Chief Minister of the ACT and territory party leader (ACT)

1995

02.03.1995

18.10.2000

Carnell, Kate

LIB

ACT

LA

Leader of the ACT Opposition

1993

21.04.1993

17.02.1995

Carney, Jodeen

CLP

NT

-

Leader of the NT Opposition and territory party (NT)

2005

27.06.2005

29.01.2008

Chikarovski, Kerry

LIB

NSW

LA

Leader of the NSW Opposition

*

1999

31.03.1999

28.03.2002

Chikarovski, Kerry

LIB

NSW

LA

State party leader (NSW)

1998

07.12.1998

28.03.2002

Martin, Clare

ALP

NT

LA

Chief Minister of the NT and territory party leader (NT)

*

2001

18.08.2001

26.11.2007

Follett, Rosemary

ALP

ACT

LA

Chief Minister of the ACT and territory party leader (ACT)

*
†First female head of government in Australia

1989
1991

11.05.1989
06.06.1991

05.12.1989
02.03.1995

Follett, Rosemary

ALP

ACT

LA

Leader of the ACT Opposition and territory party leader

*

1989
1995

05.12.1989
09.03.1995

06.06.1991
05.03.1996

Gallagher, Katy

ALP

ACT

LA

Chief Minister of the ACT and territory party leader (ACT)

2011

16.05.2011

Current

Giddings, Lara

ALP

Tas.

HA

Premier of Tasmania and state party leader (Tas.)

*

2011

24.01.2011

31.03.2014

Gillard, Julia

ALP

Federal

Reps

27th Prime Minister of Australia and leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party

*

2010

24.06.2010

27.06.2013

Gillard, Julia

ALP

Federal

Reps

Deputy Leader of the Opposition

2006

04.12.2006

03.12.2007

Gillard, Julia

ALP

Federal

Reps

Deputy Prime Minister and deputy leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party

*

2007

03.12.2007

24.06.2010

Haines, Janine

AD

Federal

Senate

Federal parliamentary party leader

*
†First female leader of a federal parliamentary party in Australia

1986

18.08.1986

24.03.1990

Hanson, Pauline

PHON

Federal

Reps

Federal party leader

*

1997

11.4.1997

2003

Hickey, Margaret

ALP

NT

LA

Leader of the NT Opposition and territory party leader (NT)

*

1996

23.04.1996

02.02.1999

Jakobsen, Carolyn

ALP

Federal

Reps

Chair, Federal Parliamentary Labor Party

*

1990

1990

1993?

Kanck, Sandra

AD

SA

LC

State party leader (SA)

2004

2004

2009

Keneally, Kristina

ALP

NSW

LA

Premier of NSW and state party leader (NSW)

*

2009

04.12.2009

28.03.2011

Kernot, Cheryl

AD

Federal

Senate

Federal party leader

1993

29.04.1993

15.10.1997

Kirner, Joan

ALP

Vic.

LA

Leader of the Victorian Opposition

*

1992

06.10.1992

22.03.1993

Kirner, Joan

ALP

Vic.

LA

Premier of Victoria and state party leader (Vic.)

*

1990

10.08.1990

06.10.1992

Kirner, Joan

ALP

Vic.

LA

State party leader (Vic.)

1994

1994

1995

Lawrence, Dr Carmen

ALP

WA

LA

Leader of the WA Opposition

*

1993

16.02.1993

07.02.1994

Lawrence, Dr Carmen

ALP

WA

LA

Premier of WA

*
†First female state premier in Australia

1990

12.02.1990

16.02.1993

Lawrence, Dr Carmen

ALP

WA

LA

State party leader (WA)

1990

12.02.1990

07.02.1994

Lawrie, Delia

ALP

NT

LA

Leader of the NT Opposition[3]

2012

29.8.2012

Current

Lees, Meg

AD

Federal

Senate

Federal party leader

1997

15.10.1997
05.12.1997

05.12.1997
06.04.2001

Macklin, Jenny

ALP

Federal

Reps

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party

*

2001

22.11.2001

04.12.2006

Martin, Clare

ALP

NT

LA

Leader of the NT Opposition

1999

03.02.1999

18.08.2001

Milne, Christine

AG

Federal

Senate

Federal party leader

*

2012

13.04.2012

Current

Milne, Christine

AG

Tas.

HA

State party leader (Tas.)

*

1993

1993

1998

Napier, Suzanne

LIB

Tas.

HA

Leader of the Tasmanian Opposition
State party leader (Tas.)

*

1999

02.07.1999

20.08.2001

Palaszczuk, Annastacia

ALP

Qld

HA

Leader of the Queensland Opposition and state party leader (Qld)

*

2012

10.3.2012

Current

Plibersek, Tanya

ALP

Federal

Reps

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and deputy leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party

2013

14.10.2013

Current

Powell, Janet

AD

Federal

Senate

Federal party leader

1990

01.07.1990

19.08.1991

Powell, Janet

AD

Vic.

-

State party leader (Vic.)

*

1983

1983

1985

Redmond, Isobel

LIB

SA

HA

Leader of the SA Opposition
State party leader (SA)

*
*

2009

08.07.2009

04.02.2013

Stott Despoja, Natasha

AD

Federal

Senate

Federal party leader

2001

06.04.2001

21.08.2002

Source: Compiled by Parliamentary Library from Parliamentary Handbook, government and political party websites in each jurisdiction

Parliamentary party presidents

Name

Party

Jurisdiction

Position held

**First woman to hold position in party

Year

Date from

Date to

Abbott, Dr Jacky

NAT

SA

State president of The Nationals (SA)

2009

2009

2011

Bishop, Bronwyn

LIB

NSW

State president of Liberal Party (NSW)

**

1985

1985

1987

Bligh, Anna

ALP

Federal

Federal president of ALP

2010

2010

2011

Burridge, Nina

AD

Federal

Federal president of Australian Democrats[4]

2004

2004

2006

Dickie, Helen

NAT

Federal

Federal president of The Nationals[5]

1999

1999

2005

Dickie, Helen

NAT

NSW

State president of The Nationals (NSW)

**

1997

1997

2002

Duncan, Wendy

NAT

WA

State president of The Nationals (WA)

**

2004

2004

2008

Ferguson, Christine

NAT

Federal

Federal president of The Nationals[6]

2012

2012

2012

Ferguson, Christine

NAT

NSW

State president of The Nationals (NSW)

2007

2007

2012

Howley, Joy

LIB

Vic.

State president of Liberal Party (Vic.)

1997

1997

2000

Jeffcoat, Heather

AD

Federal

Federal president of Australian Democrats

2006

2006

2007

Kroger, Helen

LIB

Vic.

State president of Liberal Party (Vic.)

2003

2003

2006

Lawrence, Dr Carmen

ALP

WA

Federal president of ALP

**

2003

13.11.2003

Dec 2004?

McAllister, Jenny

ALP

Federal

Federal president of ALP[7]

2011

01.07.2011

Current

McDiven, Christine

LIB

Federal

Federal president of Liberal Party[8]

**

2005

2005

2008

McDiven, Christine

LIB

NSW

State president of Liberal Party (NSW)[9]

2000

2000

2005

McEwen, Anne

ALP

SA

State president of ALP (SA)

2005

2005

McKerrow, Shirley

NAT

Federal

Federal president of The Nationals

**
†First female federal president of a parliamentary party in Australia[10]

1981

1981

1987

McKerrow, Shirley

NAT

Vic.

State president of The Nationals (Vic.)

**
†First female state president of an Australian parliamentary party

1975

1975

1980

Mein, Joy

LIB

Vic.

State president of Liberal Party (Vic.)[11]

**

1976

1976

1979

Melland, Julia

AD

Federal

Federal president of Australian Democrats[12]

2008

2008
2009

2009
2011

Oss-Emer, Liz

AD

Federal

Federal president of Australian Democrats

2002

2002

2003

Ritchie, Eda

LIB

Vic.

State president of Liberal Party (Vic.)

1984

1984

1987

Southcott, Heather

AD

Federal

Federal president of Australian Democrats

**

1984

1984
1988

1987
1994

Wiese, Barbara

ALP

SA

State president of ALP (SA)

**

1980

1980

1981

Sources: Political party websites in each jurisdiction[13]

Selected online sources for further reading

Australian Electoral Commission, Electoral milestones for women, Canberra, 26 September 2013

Australian Women’s Archives Project, The Australian women’s register, National Foundation for Australian Women and The University of Melbourne

Australian Women’s Archives Project, The encyclopedia of women & leadership in twentieth-century Australia, 2 May 2014

Australian Women’s History Forum, Timeline

EMILY’s List, Current members of parliament, EMILY’s List Australia website

Francis, R, P Grimshaw and A Standish, eds, Seizing the initiative: Australian women leaders in politics, workplaces and communities, Australian Women’s Archives Project, 2012

McCann, J, Women in parliament and politics: a quick guide to key internet links, Research papers 2013–14, Parliamentary Library, 6 December 2013

McCann, J and J Wilson, Representation of women in Australian parliaments, Research paper 2011–12, Parliamentary Library, 7 March 2012

National Centre of Biography, Australian dictionary of biography, Australian National University, Canberra

Sawer, M, ‘Australian political parties’, The encyclopedia of women & leadership in twentieth-century Australia, Australian Women’s Archives Project, 2 May 2014

Wilson, J and D Black, Women parliamentarians in Australia 1921–2013, Research papers 2013–14, Parliamentary Library, updated 14 February 2014

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[1].               Subsequently renamed as the National Party of Australia in 1982 and The Nationals since 2003. Judy Mundey was national president of the Communist Party of Australia, a non-parliamentary party, between 1979 and 1982.

[2].               She was elected on the same day and a few hours before Joan Child became the first Speaker of the House of Representatives.

[3].               ‘Delia Lawrie new NT opposition leader’, Tracker, 28 August 2012, accessed 30 April 2014.

[4].               Australian Democrats honour roll, accessed 30 April 2014.

[5].               ‘Distinguished women in The Nationals’, The Nationals website, accessed 29 May 2014.

[6].               ‘Distinguished women in The Nationals’, The Nationals website, accessed 29 May 2014.

[7].               P Osborne, ‘Left wing reformer elected ALP president’, Sydney Morning Herald, 25 November 2011, accessed 29 October 2013.

[8].               ‘Party people’, Liberal Party of Australia website; L Yaxley, ‘Liberal Party elects first female President’, ABC, 25 June 2005, all accessed 29 May 2014.

[9].               I Hancock, The Liberals: the NSW Division 1945–2000, Federation Press, Annandale, NSW, 2007.

[10].               ‘Distinguished women in The Nationals’, The Nationals website; see also M Pavey, ‘Women, at last, get a fair go’, The Sun-Herald, 30 August 2009, all accessed 29 May 2014.

[11].               ‘Liberal Women’s Council history’, Liberal Victoria; State presidents, Liberal Victoria, all accessed 29 May 2014.

[12].               Co-president with Aron Paul.

[13].               This list has been compiled from information currently available online but may not be complete.