Women in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
There have been 88 women in the Victorian Legislative Assembly since its establishment in 1856. Women have had the right to vote in Victoria, Australia since 1908 and the right to stand as a candidate for the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1923. As at November 2015, there were 33 women in the 88 member Legislative Assembly, 22 Labor Party members, seven Liberal Party members, two National Party members, one Greens, and one Independent.
The first successful female candidate for the Legislative Assembly was Millie Peacock, who was elected as a United Australia Party member for Allandale in a by-election in 1933, but she retired in 1935, stating that Parliament was "no place for a woman". Ivy Weber was the first woman to win a seat at a general election, winning Nunawading as an independent in 1937 (she was also the first female independent elected in Australia). She was joined in 1938 by Fanny Brownbill, Labor's first female member, elected at a by-election for the seat of Geelong. Weber resigned in 1943 and Brownbill died in 1948, after which there were no women in the Assembly until 1967, when Dorothy Goble was elected as the Liberal member for Mitcham. Since then there have continuously been female members in the Assembly.
The first female minister was Labor's Pauline Toner, who became a minister in 1982. Since then, the number of female members has continued to rise. Jeanette Powell was the first National Party member, elected to the Assembly in 2002. That election also brought 11 new Labor women into the Assembly. Since Ivy Weber, two other women, Susan Davies and Suzanna Sheed, have been elected to the Assembly as independents. Ellen Sandell was one of the two Greens candidates first elected to the Assembly at the 2014 state election.
List of women in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Names in bold indicate women who have been appointed as Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries during their time in Parliament. Names in italics indicate women who were first elected at a by-election, and * symbolises members that have sat as members in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.
| Name | Party | Electoral Division | Period of service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millie Peacock | UAP | Allandale | November 1933 – February 1935 (retired) |
| Ivy Weber | Independent | Nunawading | October 1937 – July 1943 (resigned) |
| Fanny Brownbill | Labor | Geelong | June 1938 – October 1948 (died) |
| Dorothy Goble | Liberal | Mitcham | April 1967 – February 1976 (retired) |
| Jeannette Patrick | Liberal | Brighton | March 1976 – January 1985 (retired) |
| Pauline Toner | Labor | Greensborough | November 1977 – February 1989 (resigned) |
| Joan Chambers | Liberal | Ballarat South | May 1979 – February 1982 (defeated) |
| Valerie Callister | Labor | Morwell | June 1981 – August 1988 (retired) |
| Prue Sibree | Liberal | Kew | August 1981 – February 1988 (resigned) |
| Jane Hill | Labor | Frankston Frankston North |
April 1982 – August 1992 (retired) |
| Margaret Ray | Labor | Box Hill | April 1982 – August 1992 (defeated) |
| Kay Setches | Labor | Ringwood | April 1982 – August 1992 (retired) |
| Jan Wilson | Labor | Dandenong North | March 1985 – August 1999 (retired) |
| Beth Gleeson | Labor | Thomastown | March 1985 – December 1989 (died) |
| Carolyn Hirsh* | Labor | Wantirna | March 1985 – August 1992 (defeated) |
| Jan Wade | Liberal | Kew | March 1988 – August 1999 (retired) |
| Ann Barker | Labor | Bentleigh Oakleigh |
October 1988 – August 1992 (defeated) September 1999 – November 2014 (retired) |
| Joan Kirner* | Labor | Williamstown | October 1988 – May 1994 (resigned) |
| Sherryl Garbutt | Labor | Greensborough Bundoora |
April 1989 – November 2006 (retired) |
| Lorraine Elliott | Liberal | Mooroolbark | October 1992 – November 2002 (retired) |
| Ann Henderson | Liberal | Geelong | October 1992 – August 1999 (defeated) |
| Carole Marple | Labor | Altona | October 1992 – March 1996 (retired) |
| Denise McGill | Liberal | Oakleigh | October 1992 – August 1999 (defeated) |
| Inga Peulich* | Liberal | Bentleigh | October 1992 – November 2002 (defeated) |
| Marie Tehan* | Liberal | Seymour | October 1992 – August 1999 (retired) |
| Leonie Burke | Liberal | Prahran | March 1996 – November 2002 (retired) |
| Christine Campbell | Labor | Pascoe Vale | March 1996 – November 2014 (retired) |
| Mary Gillett | Labor | Werribee Tarneit |
March 1996 – November 2006 (retired) |
| Lynne Kosky | Labor | Altona | March 1996 – January 2010 (resigned) |
| Andrea McCall | Liberal | Frankston | March 1996 – November 2002 (defeated) |
| Judy Maddigan | Labor | Essendon | March 1996 – November 2010 (retired) |
| Helen Shardey | Liberal | Caulfield | March 1996 – November 2010 (retired) |
| Susan Davies | Independent | Gippsland West | March 1997 – November 2002 (defeated) |
| Mary Delahunty | Labor | Northcote | September 1998 – November 2006 (retired) |
| Jacinta Allan | Labor | Bendigo East | September 1999 – |
| Louise Asher* | Liberal | Brighton | September 1999 – |
| Liz Beattie | Labor | Tullamarine Yuroke |
September 1999 – November 2014 (retired) |
| Joanne Duncan | Labor | Gisborne Macedon |
September 1999 – November 2014 (retired) |
| Christine Fyffe | Liberal | Evelyn | September 1999 – November 2002 (defeated) November 2006 – |
| Jenny Lindell | Labor | Carrum | September 1999 – November 2010 (defeated) |
| Karen Overington | Labor | Ballarat West | September 1999 – November 2010 (retired) |
| Bronwyn Pike | Labor | Melbourne | September 1999 – 7 May 2012 (resigned) |
| Denise Allen | Labor | Benalla | May 2000 – November 2002 (defeated) |
| Dympna Beard | Labor | Kilsyth | November 2002 – November 2006 (defeated) |
| Rosy Buchanan | Labor | Hastings | November 2002 – November 2006 (defeated) |
| Lily D'Ambrosio | Labor | Mill Park | November 2002 – |
| Anne Eckstein | Labor | Ferntree Gully | November 2002 – November 2006 (defeated) |
| Danielle Green | Labor | Yan Yean | November 2002 – |
| Tammy Lobato | Labor | Gembrook | November 2002 – November 2010 (defeated) |
| Kirstie Marshall | Labor | Forest Hill | November 2002 – November 2010 (defeated) |
| Heather McTaggart | Labor | Evelyn | November 2002 – November 2006 (defeated) |
| Maxine Morand | Labor | Mount Waverley | November 2002 – November 2010 (defeated) |
| Janice Munt | Labor | Mordialloc | November 2002 – November 2010 (defeated) |
| Lisa Neville | Labor | Bellarine | November 2002 – |
| Jeanette Powell* | National | Shepparton | November 2002 – November 2014 (retired) |
| Judith Graley | Labor | Narre Warren South | November 2006 – |
| Fiona Richardson | Labor | Northcote | November 2006 – |
| Marsha Thomson* | Labor | Footscray | November 2006 – |
| Heidi Victoria | Liberal | Bayswater | November 2006 – |
| Mary Wooldridge | Liberal | Doncaster | November 2006 – November 2014 (transferred to LC) |
| Marlene Kairouz | Labor | Kororoit | June 2008 – |
| Jill Hennessy | Labor | Altona | February 2010 – |
| Donna Bauer | Liberal | Carrum | November 2010 – November 2014 (defeated) |
| Maree Edwards | Labor | Bendigo West | November 2010 – |
| Jane Garrett | Labor | Brunswick | November 2010 – |
| Bronwyn Halfpenny | Labor | Thomastown | November 2010 – |
| Natalie Hutchins | Labor | Keilor Sydenham |
November 2010 – |
| Sharon Knight | Labor | Ballarat West Wendouree |
November 2010 – |
| Cindy McLeish | Liberal | Seymour Eildon |
November 2010 – |
| Elizabeth Miller | Liberal | Bentleigh | November 2010 – November 2014 (defeated) |
| Dee Ryall | Liberal | Mitcham Ringwood |
November 2010 – |
| Lorraine Wreford | Liberal | Mordialloc | November 2010 – November 2014 (defeated) |
| Jennifer Kanis | Labor | Melbourne | July 2012 – November 2014 (defeated) |
| Lizzie Blandthorn | Labor | Pascoe Vale | November 2014 – |
| Christine Couzens | Labor | Geelong | November 2014 – |
| Emma Kealy | National | Lowan | November 2014 – |
| Sonya Kilkenny | Labor | Carrum | November 2014 – |
| Steph Ryan | National | Euroa | November 2014 – |
| Ellen Sandell | Greens | Melbourne | November 2014 – |
| Suzanna Sheed | Independent | Shepparton | November 2014 – |
| Ros Spence | Labor | Yuroke | November 2014 – |
| Louise Staley | Liberal | Ripon | November 2014 – |
| Natalie Suleyman | Labor | St Albans | November 2014 – |
| Mary-Anne Thomas | Labor | Macedon | November 2014 – |
| Vicki Ward | Labor | Eltham | November 2014 – |
| Gabrielle Williams | Labor | Dandenong | November 2014 – |
| Roma Britnell | Liberal | South-West Coast | October 2015 – |
Timeline
Proportion of women in the Assembly
Numbers and proportions are as they were directly after the relevant election and do not take into account by-elections, defections or other changes in membership. The Liberal column also includes that party's predecessor, the United Australia and Liberal & Country parties.
| Term | Labor | Liberal | National | Others | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | |
| 1932–1935 | 0 | 16 | 0.0% | 0 | 31 | 0.0% | 0 | 14 | 0.0% | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 0 | 65 | 0.0% |
| 1935–1937 | 0 | 17 | 0.0% | 0 | 25 | 0.0% | 0 | 20 | 0.0% | 0 | 3 | 0.0% | 0 | 65 | 0.0% |
| 1937–1940 | 0 | 20 | 0.0% | 0 | 21 | 0.0% | 0 | 20 | 0.0% | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 1 | 65 | 1.5% |
| 1940–1943 | 1 | 22 | 4.5% | 0 | 16 | 0.0% | 0 | 22 | 0.0% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 2 | 65 | 3.1% |
| 1943–1945 | 1 | 22 | 4.5% | 0 | 13 | 0.0% | 0 | 25 | 0.0% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 2 | 65 | 3.1% |
| 1945–1947 | 1 | 31 | 3.2% | 0 | 10 | 0.0% | 0 | 18 | 0.0% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 1 | 65 | 1.5% |
| 1947–1950 | 1 | 17 | 5.9% | 0 | 27 | 0.0% | 0 | 20 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 65 | 1.5% |
| 1950–1952 | 0 | 24 | 0.0% | 0 | 27 | 0.0% | 0 | 13 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 0 | 65 | 0.0% |
| 1952–1955 | 0 | 37 | 0.0% | 0 | 11 | 0.0% | 0 | 12 | 0.0% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 0 | 65 | 0.0% |
| 1955–1958 | 0 | 20 | 0.0% | 0 | 33 | 0.0% | 0 | 11 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0 | 66 | 0.0% |
| 1958–1961 | 0 | 18 | 0.0% | 0 | 39 | 0.0% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 66 | 0.0% |
| 1961–1964 | 0 | 17 | 0.0% | 0 | 39 | 0.0% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 0 | 66 | 0.0% |
| 1964–1967 | 0 | 18 | 0.0% | 0 | 38 | 0.0% | 0 | 10 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 66 | 0.0% |
| 1967–1970 | 0 | 16 | 0.0% | 1 | 44 | 2.3% | 0 | 12 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 73 | 1.4% |
| 1970–1973 | 0 | 22 | 0.0% | 1 | 42 | 2.4% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 73 | 1.4% |
| 1973–1976 | 0 | 18 | 0.0% | 1 | 46 | 2.2% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 73 | 1.4% |
| 1976–1979 | 0 | 21 | 0.0% | 1 | 52 | 1.9% | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 81 | 1.2% |
| 1979–1982 | 1 | 32 | 3.1% | 2 | 41 | 4.9% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 3 | 81 | 3.7% |
| 1982–1985 | 5 | 49 | 10.2% | 2 | 24 | 8.3% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 7 | 81 | 8.6% |
| 1985–1988 | 8 | 47 | 17.0% | 1 | 31 | 3.2% | 0 | 10 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 9 | 88 | 10.2% |
| 1988–1992 | 9 | 46 | 19.6% | 1 | 33 | 3.0% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 10 | 88 | 11.3% |
| 1992–1996 | 4 | 27 | 14.8% | 6 | 52 | 11.5% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 10 | 88 | 11.3% |
| 1996–1999 | 6 | 29 | 20.7% | 9 | 49 | 18.4% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 15 | 88 | 17.0% |
| 1999–2002 | 13 | 42 | 31.0% | 7 | 36 | 19.4% | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 1 | 3 | 33.3% | 21 | 88 | 23.9% |
| 2002–2006 | 24 | 62 | 38.7% | 2 | 17 | 11.8% | 1 | 7 | 14.3% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 27 | 88 | 30.7% |
| 2006–2010 | 20 | 55 | 36.4% | 5 | 23 | 21.7% | 1 | 9 | 11.1% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 26 | 88 | 29.5% |
| 2010–2014 | 19 | 43 | 44.2% | 9 | 35 | 25.7% | 1 | 10 | 10.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 29 | 88 | 33.0% |
| 2014–2018 | 22 | 47 | 46.8% | 6 | 30 | 20.0% | 2 | 8 | 25.0% | 2 | 3 | 66.7% | 32 | 88 | 36.4% |