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Department of Premier and Cabinet

Political Timeline - Tasmanian Women

  
 

19021903 -  1911191319201921192919411943
19481949 - 1951 - 19521954 - 1955196219681969
197319751976 - 1979 - 19801984 - 198619871989
1991 - 199219931995199619971998 - 19992001

2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2009 -  2008 - 2010
- 2011- 2012 - 2013
- 2014 - 2015

A  list of women members of the Tasmanian Parliament and their terms.

1902 The Commonwealth Franchise Act passed, enabling all women (with the exception of Aboriginal women in some States) who were British subjects, 21 years and older, to vote for the Federal Parliament and to stand for Parliament.
1903 Women eligible to vote for House of Assembly (universal) with limited suffrage for Legislative Council. The franchise for Legislative Council for owners  of freehold of 10 pounds annual value or leasehold of 30 pounds was extended to women.
1911

Compulsory enrolment introduced

Elections held on Saturdays


1913Alicia O'Shea Patterson - first woman to stand for election to Commonwealth Parliament in Tasmania
1920 Women who had served as nurses in the First World War eligible to vote in Legislative Council elections
1921 Women eligible to stand for the Tasmanian House of Assembly
1929Irene Longman born in Tasmania, became the first woman to both to stand for and be elected to the Queensland Parliament
1941 Franchise for the Legislative Council extended to all "servicemen and women in any war" and the age limit reduced from 30 to 21 years of age
1943Dame Enid Lyons (Tasmania), in House of Representatives, representing the United Australia Party, and Senator Dorothy Tangney (WA), representing the Australian Labor Party, are elected.
1948Margaret McIntyre          First woman Member of Parliament in Tasmania elected to Legislative Council
1949Dame Enid Lyons first woman to hold Cabinet rank as Vice President of the Executive Council in the Liberal-Country Party coalition Government of Sir Robert Menzies
1951Lucy Grounds second woman elected to Legislative Council
1952Phyllis Benjamin third woman elected to Legislative Council
1954 Spouses of property owners became eligible to vote in Legislative Council elections
1955Millie Best and Mabel Miller elected to House of Assembly
1962Lynda Heaven elected to House of Assembly
1968 Full adult franchise for Legislative Council for those over 21 years of age
Phyllis Benjamin - First woman leader of an Upper House in Australia. Longest serving woman member of any State Parliament (1952-1976)
1969Kath Venn  becomes first female party secretary (ALP)
1973 Federal voting age lowered to 18 years
1975Shirley Walters first woman to represent Tasmania in the Senate
1976Gill James elected to House of Assembly
Kath Venn elected to Legislative Council
1979Mary Willey elected to House of Assembly
1980Jean Hearn elected to the Senate
Gill James first woman Minister in Tasmanian Government
1984Carmel Holmes elected to House of Assembly
1986Fran Bladel and Judy Jackson elected to House of Assembly
Jocelyn Newman chosen by Tasmanian Parliament to fill a Senate vacancy
1987Margaret Reynolds (Senator for Queensland) first Tasmanian born woman to serve in Federal Ministry (Minister for Local Government and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women).
1989

Dianne Hollister and Christine Milne elected to House of Assembly

Judy Jackson appointed Minister for Community Services and Minister for Parks, Wildlife and Heritage

1991Judy Jackson appointed Minister for Roads and Transport.
1992Sue Napier and Carole Cains elected to House of Assembly
Jean Moore elected to Legislative Council
1993Sylvia Smith elected to the House of Representatives
Christine Milne First woman party leader in Tasmania
Peg Putt elected to House of Assembly
Kaye Denman chosen by Tasmanian Parliament to fill a Senate vacancy
1995Denise Swan elected to House of Assembly
1996

Sue Napier becomes Tasmania's first female Deputy Premier

Paula Wriedt elected to House of Assembly

Lara Giddings - Youngest woman elected to an Australian Parliament at age 23 years


Sue Mackay chosen by Tasmanian Parliament to fill a Senate vacancy


1997

Silvia Smith - elected to Legislative Council and becomes the first Tasmanian woman member to sit in State and Federal Parliament.

Susan Smith elected to Legislative Council

Carole Cains is elected to replace retiring member, Roger Groom.


1998

Paula Wriedt - youngest ever woman member of a Tasmanian Cabinet and is Minister for Education.

Michelle O'Byrne elected to House of Representatives

Judy Jackson appointed Minister for Health and Human Services


1999

Sue Napier - first woman leader of the Tasmanian Parliamentary Liberal Party and first woman Opposition Leader.


Cathy Edwards and Lin Thorp elected to Legislative Council


2001Allison Ritchie elected to Legislative Council
 
Kathryn Hay - first Aboriginal elected to the Tasmanian Parliament
 
Peg Putt  elected as Leader of the Greens (sole Greens member from 1998-2002
2002

Paula Wriedt appointed Minister for Women

Judy Jackson appointed Attorney General

2003Norma Jamieson elected to Legislative Council  
2004

Tania Rattray-Wagner elected to Legislative Council

Lara Giddings becomes Minister for Economic Development and the Arts


2005

Carol Brown chosen by Tasmanian Parliament to fill a Senate Vacancy
Helen Polley and Christine Milne elected to the Senate

Ruth Forrest elected to Legislative Council

Heather Butler elected on recount for seat of Lyons to the House of Assembly


2006

Michelle O'Byrne elected to House of Assembly and from October 2006 was Minister for Community Development, Minister Assisting the Premier on Local Government and Minister responsible for Sport and Recreation.

Lara Giddings becomes Minister for Health and Human Services

Paula Wriedt becomes Minister for Tourism, Arts and Environment

Lisa Singh elected to House of Assembly


2007Catryna Bilyk elected to Senate
Julie Collins elected to House of Representatives
Jodie Campbell elected to House of Representatives
2008

Sue Smith MLC becomes the first female president of the Legislative Council

Lara Giddings becomes first female Deputy Tasmanian Premier and is Attorney General and Minister for Justice.

Paula Wriedt becomes Minister for Economic Development and Tourism.

In February, Michelle O'Byrne is appointed Minister for the Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts.  In September, she is appointed Minister for Tourism.

Lin Thorp becomes Minister for Human Services.

Senator Christine Milne becomes the Deputy Leader of the Greens

2009Vanessa Goodwin elected to the Legislative Council on 1 August 2009.

2010

Cassy O'Connor becomes the first female member of the Tasmanian Greens to hold the position of Secretary to Cabinet

Lara Giddings becomes Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Economic Development and Minister for the Arts.

Michelle O'Byrne becomes Minister for Health.

Lisa Singh and Anne Urquhart elected as Tasmanian Labor Senators in August 2010.

Rebecca White elected to the House of Assembly.

Adriana Taylor becomes a Member of the Legislative Council.  Ms Taylor was the Mayor of Glenorchy from 2005 to 2011.

Lin Thorp becomes Minister for Education and Skills, Minister for Children, Minister for Police and Emergency Management.


2011

The Hon Julie Collins MP was the Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Community Services, Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, and Minister for the Status of Women from 14 December 2011 to 18 September 2013.

Lisa Singh and Anne Urquhart begin their terms as Senators for Tasmania in July 2011.

Rosemary Armitage becomes a Member of the Legislative Council.


2012

Senator Christine Milne elected leader of the Australian Greens in April.

Lin Thorp chosen by the Parliament of Tasmania to represent the State in the Senate.


2013

Leonie Hiscutt becomes a Member of the Legislative Council.

Jacqui Lambie, of the Palmer United Party, elected as a Senator for Tasmania.


2014

Rebecca White MP is appointed Minister for Human Services in January 2014.

Elise Archer MP becomes Tasmania's first female Speaker in the House of Assembly.

Vanessa Goodwin MLC becomes Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Correction and Minister for the Arts.

Jacquie Petrusma MP becomes Minister for Human Services and Minister for Women after the State Election in March 2014.

Sarah Courtney elected to the House of Assembly.

Joan Rylah elected to the House of Assembly.

Madeleine Ogilvie elected to the House of Assembly.

Senator Jacqui Lambie becomes the Palmer United Party's Deputy Leader in the Senate and Deputy Whip from 1 July 2014 to 19 November 2014.  From 24 November 2014, Senator Lambie becomes an Independent.

2015Cassy O'Connor becomes Tasmanian Greens Leader
Dr Rosalie Woodruff becomes the new Greens MP for Franklin after Greens Leader, Nick McKim, replaces Christine Milne as a Senator for Tasmania.
Andrea Dawkins becomes Greens MP for Bass after the resignation of Kim Booth
Senator Jacqui Lambie registers a new political party the Jacqui Lambie Network
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