Women in the New South Wales Legislative Council

There have been 59 women in the New South Wales Legislative Council since its establishment in 1856. Women have had the right to stand as a candidate since 1918; the Council introduced direct election in 1978.

The first women appointed to the Legislative Council were Catherine Green and Ellen Webster in 1931, both appointed directly by the premier, Jack Lang. Green departed in 1932; after Webster's departure in 1934 women were absent from the Council until 1952, when Gertrude Melville became the first woman elected by the New South Wales Parliament to serve. Since then women have been continuously represented in the Legislative Council. The first Liberal woman to serve in the Legislative Council was Eileen Furley in 1962. The first National Party woman was Judy Jakins in 1984. The first minor-party woman was Democrat Elisabeth Kirkby, elected in 1981. The first Call to Australia/Christian Democrat woman was Marie Bignold in 1984; the first Greens woman was Lee Rhiannon in 1999. No female MLCs have been elected as independents, although Anne Press, Marie Bignold, Beryl Evans, Franca Arena and Helen Sham-Ho all left their parties and continued to sit as independents.

The first female minister in the Legislative Council was Virginia Chadwick, who was appointed Minister for Family and Community Services in 1988 by Premier Nick Greiner. Deirdre Grusovin and Carmel Tebbutt held ministerial positions in Labor governments before transferring to the Legislative Assembly.

List of women in the New South Wales Legislative Council

Names in bold type indicate ministers and parliamentary secretaries. Names in italics are of women who entered the parliament through by-election or appointment. Names marked with an asterisk (*) also served in the Legislative Assembly. Where no closing date is shown, the MLC’s term of service is unexpired.[1]

# Name Party Period of service
1 Catherine Green Labor 24 November 1931 7 September 1932 (resigned)
2 Ellen Webster Labor 26 November 1931 22 April 1934 (defeated)
3 Gertrude Melville Labor 10 September 1952 21 August 1959 (died)
4 Edna Roper Labor 23 April 1958 5 November 1978 (retired)
5 Anne Press Labor/Ind Labor/Liberal 22 October 1959 5 November 1978 (retired)
6 Amelia Rygate Ind Labor/Labor 7 September 1961 5 November 1978 (retired)
7 Eileen Furley Liberal 14 November 1962 22 April 1976 (retired)
8 Evelyn Barron Labor 23 April 1964 22 April 1976 (retired)
9 Margaret Davis Liberal 23 April 1967 15 September 1978 (resigned to run for LA)
10 Kath Anderson Labor 23 April 1973 28 August 1981 (retired)
Vi Lloyd Liberal 23 April 1973 28 August 1981 (retired)
12 Delcia Kite Labor 23 April 1976 3 March 1995 (retired)
13 Marie Fisher Labor 7 October 1978 22 February 1988 (retired)
14 Virginia Chadwick Liberal 6 November 1978 5 March 1999 (retired)
Deirdre Grusovin* Labor 6 November 1978 31 May 1990 (resigned to run for LA)
Dorothy Isaksen Labor 6 November 1978 22 February 1988 (defeated)
4 July 1990 5 March 1999 (retired)
17 Franca Arena Labor/Independent 27 October 1981 5 March 1999 (defeated)
Elisabeth Kirkby Democrats 27 October 1981 25 June 1998 (resigned)
19 Ann Symonds Labor 8 September 1982 30 April 1998 (resigned)
20 Beryl Evans Liberal/Independent 30 April 1984 3 March 1995 (defeated)
Judy Jakins National 30 April 1984 1 July 1991 (seat abolished)
22 Marie Bignold Call to Australia/Independent 5 December 1984 1 July 1991 (seat abolished)
Judith Walker Labor 5 December 1984 3 March 1995 (retired)
24 Marlene Goldsmith Liberal 19 March 1988 5 March 1999 (retired)
Elaine Nile Call to Australia/CDP 19 March 1988 27 August 2002 (resigned)
Helen Sham-Ho Liberal/Independent 19 March 1988 28 February 2003 (retired)
27 Meredith Burgmann Labor 25 May 1991 23 March 2007 (retired)
Jan Burnswoods Labor 25 May 1991 23 March 2007 (retired)
Patricia Forsythe Liberal 25 May 1991 22 September 2006 (resigned)
Jenny Gardiner National 25 May 1991 6 March 2015 (retired)
31 Janelle Saffin Labor 25 March 1995 28 February 2003 (retired)
Patricia Staunton Labor 25 March 1995 2 September 1997 (resigned)
33 Carmel Tebbutt* Labor 30 April 1998 26 August 2005 (resigned to run for LA)
34 Lee Rhiannon Greens 27 March 1999 19 July 2010 (resigned to run for Senate)
35 Amanda Fazio Labor 30 August 2000 6 March 2015 (retired)
36 Melinda Pavey* National 3 September 2002 6 March 2015 (retired to run for LA)
37 Catherine Cusack Liberal 22 March 2003
Kayee Griffin Labor 22 March 2003 4 March 2011 (retired)
Sylvia Hale Greens 22 March 2003 6 September 2010 (resigned)
Robyn Parker* Liberal 22 March 2003 4 March 2011 (retired to run for LA)
Christine Robertson Labor 22 March 2003 4 March 2011 (retired)
42 Penny Sharpe Labor 11 October 2005 5 March 2015 (resigned)
6 May 2015
43 Marie Ficarra* Liberal 24 March 2007 6 March 2015 (retired)
Lynda Voltz* Labor 24 March 2007 28 February 2019 (retired to run for LA)
Helen Westwood Labor 24 March 2007 6 March 2015 (defeated)
46 Sophie Cotsis Labor 7 September 2010 16 September 2016 (resigned to run for LA)
Cate Faehrmann Greens 7 September 2010 18 June 2013 (resigned to run for Senate)
15 August 2018
48 Jan Barham Greens 26 March 2011 13 February 2017 (resigned)
Natasha Maclaren-Jones Liberal 26 March 2011
Sarah Mitchell National 26 March 2011
51 Mehreen Faruqi Greens 19 June 2013 14 August 2018 (resigned to be appointed to Senate)
52 Courtney Houssos Labor 28 March 2015
Bronnie Taylor National 28 March 2015
54 Dawn Walker Greens 22 February 2017 23 March 2019 (defeated)
55 Natalie Ward Liberal 16 November 2017
56 Abigail Boyd Greens 23 March 2019
Emma Hurst Animal Justice 23 March 2019
Tara Moriarty Labor 23 March 2019
59 Rose Jackson Labor 8 May 2019

Timeline

Rose Jackson (politician)Tara MoriartyEmma HurstAbigail BoydNatalie Ward (politician)Dawn WalkerBronnie TaylorCourtney HoussosMehreen FaruqiSarah MitchellNatasha Maclaren-JonesJan BarhamCate FaehrmannSophie CotsisHelen WestwoodLynda VoltzMarie FicarraPenny SharpeChristine RobertsonRobyn ParkerSylvia HaleKayee GriffinCatherine Cusack (politician)Melinda PaveyAmanda FazioLee RhiannonCarmel TebbuttPatricia StauntonJanelle SaffinJenny GardinerPatricia ForsytheJan BurnswoodsMeredith BurgmannHelen Sham-HoElaine NileMarlene GoldsmithJudith WalkerMarie BignoldJudy JakinsBeryl EvansAnn SymondsElisabeth KirkbyFranca ArenaDorothy IsaksenDeirdre GrusovinVirginia ChadwickMarie FisherDelcia KiteVi LloydKath AndersonMargaret DavisEvelyn BarronEileen FurleyAmelia RygateAnne PressEdna RoperGertrude MelvilleEllen WebsterCatherine Green (Australian politician)

Proportion of women in the Council

Numbers and proportions are as they were directly after the beginning of Council terms and do not take into account deaths, resignations, appointments, defections or other changes in membership.

Term Labor Liberal National Greens Others Total
Women Total % Women Total % Women Total % Women Total % Women Total % Women Total %
1952–1955 0330.0% 0140.0% 0110.0% 000.0% 020.0% 0600.0%
1955–1958 1352.9% 0120.0% 0110.0% 000.0% 020.0% 1601.7%
1958–1961 2345.9% 0130.0% 0110.0% 000.0% 020.0% 2603.3%
1961–1964 1234.3% 0110.0% 0150.0% 000.0% 11010.0% 2593.4%
1964–1967 2277.4% 1119.1% 0120.0% 000.0% 2825.0% 5588.6%
1967–1970 32910.3% 21216.7% 0120.0% 000.0% 1714.3% 66010.0%
1970–1973 32711.1% 31520.0% 0110.0% 000.0% 060.0% 65910.2%
1973–1976 42416.7% 42020.0% 0110.0% 000.0% 040.0% 85913.6%
1976–1978 42317.4% 32213.6% 0130.0% 000.0% 010.0% 75911.9%
1978–1981 52321.7% 21414.3% 060.0% 000.0% 000.0% 74316.3%
1981–1984 52420.8% 1128.3% 060.0% 000.0% 1250.0% 74415.9%
1984–1988 62425.0% 21118.2% 1714.3% 000.0% 1333.3% 104522.2%
1988–1991 52123.8% 41233.3% 1714.3% 000.0% 3560.0% 134528.9%
1991–1995 71838.9% 61338.5% 1714.3% 000.0% 2450.0% 154235.7%
1995–1999 71741.2% 41330.8% 1520.0% 010.0% 2633.3% 144233.3%
1999–2003 41625.0% 1911.1% 1425.0% 1250.0% 21118.2% 94221.4%
2003–2007 61833.3% 3933.3% 2450.0% 2366.7% 080.0% 134231.0%
2007–2011 61931.6% 31030.0% 2540.0% 2450.0% 040.0% 134231.0%
2011–2015 51435.7% 31323.1% 3742.9% 2540.0% 040.0% 134231.0%
2015–2019 41233.3% 21315.4% 2728.6% 2540.0% 050.0% 104223.8%
2019–2023 41330.8% 31127.2% 2440.0% 2450.0% 1812.5% 124228.6%

References

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