Timeline
There have been 38 women in the Tasmanian House of Assembly since its establishment in 1856. Women have had the right to vote since 1903 and the right to stand as candidates since 1921.
The first successful female candidates for the House of Assembly were Amelia Best and Mabel Miller, both Liberals, who were elected in 1955. In 1962, Miller (Best had lost election twice, in 1956 and 1959) was joined by the first Labor woman, Lynda Heaven. In 1964, both Miller and Heaven left the House, and women were not represented again until 1976, when Labor's Gill James was elected. Since then women have been continuously represented in the House.
Christine Milne and Di Hollister were the first women elected to represent the Greens in 1989. Kristie Johnston was the first independent woman elected in 2021, although Mary Willey, Madeleine Ogilvie and Sue Hickey had served as independents after leaving their parties. Kathryn Hay was the first Indigenous woman elected to the Tasmanian parliament in 2002.
Lara Giddings became the first female Premier of Tasmania on 24 January 2011.
With the re-election of Madeleine Ogilvie on 11 September 2019, the House of Assembly became Australia's first state to elect a majority of women members in one house, with 13 of the 25 members being female. [1]
Names in bold indicate women who have been appointed as Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries during their time in Parliament. Names in italics indicate women who were first elected at a recount, and * symbolises members that have sat as members in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.
| # | Name | Party | Electoral Division | Period of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amelia Best | Liberal | Wilmot | 19 February 1955 – 13 October 1956 (defeated) 24 November 1958 – 2 May 1959 (defeated) |
| Mabel Miller | Liberal | Franklin | 19 February 1955 – 2 May 1964 (defeated) | |
| 3 | Lynda Heaven | Labor | Franklin | 2 March 1962 – 2 May 1964 (defeated) |
| 4 | Gill James | Labor | Bass | 11 December 1976 – 8 February 1986 (defeated) 1 February 1992 – 20 July 2002 (retired) |
| 5 | Mary Willey | Labor/Independent | Bass | 28 July 1979 – 27 May 1982 (defeated) |
| 6 | Carmel Holmes | Liberal | Denison | 25 June 1984 – 8 February 1986 (defeated) |
| 7 | Judy Jackson | Labor | Denison | 8 February 1986 – 18 March 2006 (retired) |
| Fran Bladel | Labor | Franklin | 8 February 1986 – 9 April 2002 (retired) | |
| 9 | Christine Milne | Greens | Lyons | 13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) |
| Di Hollister | Greens | Braddon | 13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) | |
| 11 | Carole Cains | Liberal | Braddon | 1 February 1992 – 24 February 1996 (defeated) 17 July 1997 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) |
| Sue Napier | Liberal | Bass | 1 February 1992 – 19 March 2010 (retired) | |
| 13 | Peg Putt | Greens | Denison | 2 March 1992 – 7 July 2008 (resigned) |
| 14 | Denise Swan | Liberal | Lyons | 12 December 1995 – 20 July 2002 (defeated) |
| 15 | Lara Giddings | Labor | Lyons Franklin | 24 February 1996 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) 20 July 2002 – 3 March 2018 (retired) |
| Paula Wriedt | Labor | Franklin | 24 February 1996 – 18 January 2009 (resigned) | |
| 17 | Kathryn Hay | Labor | Bass | 20 July 2002 – 18 March 2006 (retired) |
| 18 | Heather Butler | Labor | Lyons | 10 May 2005 – 20 March 2010 (defeated) |
| 19 | Michelle O'Byrne | Labor | Bass | 18 March 2006 – |
| Lisa Singh | Labor | Denison | 18 March 2006 – 20 March 2010 (defeated) | |
| 21 | Cassy O'Connor | Greens | Denison/Clark | 21 July 2008 – |
| 22 | Elise Archer | Liberal | Denison/Clark | 20 March 2010 – |
| Jacquie Petrusma | Liberal | Franklin | 20 March 2010 – | |
| Rebecca White | Labor | Lyons | 20 March 2010 – | |
| 25 | Sarah Courtney | Liberal | Bass | 15 March 2014 – 10 February 2022 (resigned) |
| Madeleine Ogilvie | Labor/Independent/Liberal | Denison/Clark | 15 March 2014 – 3 March 2018 (defeated) 13 September 2019 – | |
| Joan Rylah | Liberal | Braddon | 15 March 2014 – 3 March 2018 (defeated) 26 February 2019 – 27 July 2020 (resigned) | |
| 28 | Andrea Dawkins | Greens | Bass | 9 June 2015 – 3 March 2018 (defeated) |
| 29 | Rosalie Woodruff | Greens | Franklin | 17 August 2015 – |
| 30 | Jen Butler | Labor | Lyons | 3 March 2018 – |
| Anita Dow | Labor | Braddon | 3 March 2018 – | |
| Ella Haddad | Labor | Denison/Clark | 3 March 2018 – | |
| Sue Hickey | Liberal/Independent | Denison/Clark | 3 March 2018 – 1 May 2021 (defeated) | |
| Jennifer Houston | Labor | Bass | 3 March 2018 – 1 May 2021 (defeated) | |
| Alison Standen | Labor | Franklin | 3 March 2018 – 1 May 2021 (defeated) | |
| 36 | Janie Finlay | Labor | Bass | 1 May 2021 – |
| Kristie Johnston | Independent | Clark | 1 May 2021 – | |
| 38 | Lara Alexander | Liberal | Bass | 25 February 2022 – |
Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories are broadly similar to the electoral system used in federal elections in Australia.
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart.
The Tasmanian Legislative Council is the upper house of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. It is one of the two chambers of the Parliament, the other being the House of Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart. Members of the Legislative Council are often referred to as MLCs.
Edmund John Chisholm Dwyer-Gray was an Irish-Australian politician, who was the 29th Premier of Tasmania from 11 June to 18 December 1939. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP).
Government in Australia is elected by universal suffrage and Australian women participate in all levels of the government of the nation. In 1902, the newly formed Commonwealth of Australia became the first nation on earth to enact equal suffrage, enabling women to both vote and stand for election alongside men Women have been represented in Australian state parliaments since 1921, and in the Federal Parliament since 1943. The first female leader of an Australian State or Territory was elected in 1989, and the first female Prime Minister took office in 2010. In 2019 for the first time, a majority of members of the Australian Senate were women. At the time of its foundation in 1901, and again since 1952, Australia has had a female monarch as ceremonial Head of State, while the first female Governor of an Australian State was appointed in 1991, and the first female Governor-General of Australia took office in 2008.
William Edward Felix Hodgman is an Australian diplomat and former politician who has been the High Commissioner of Australia to Singapore since February 2021. He was the 45th Premier of Tasmania and a member for the Division of Franklin in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from the 2002 state election until his resignation in January 2020. He became premier following the 2014 state election, having been Leader of the Opposition since 2006. He was re-elected to a second term in government following victory in the 2018 state election.
David John Bartlett is an Australian former politician in the state of Tasmania, serving as the 43rd Premier of Tasmania from May 2008 until January 2011. He was a Labor Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly seat of Denison from 2004 to 2011 when he retired.
Graeme Lindsay Sturges is an Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 2002 to 2010 and 2011 to 2014, representing the Hobart-based electorate of Denison. He was elected twice before losing his seat in 2010, regained it in a countback following the resignation of David Bartlett in 2011, and retired at the 2014 election. He was the state Minister for Infrastructure from 2008 until 2010.
The 1931 Tasmanian state election was held on 9 May 1931 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 30 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system — six members were elected from each of five electorates. For the first time, voting was compulsory, resulting in a high voter turnout.
The 1934 Tasmanian state election was held on 9 June 1934 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 30 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system — six members were elected from each of five electorates.
The 1941 Tasmanian state election was held on 13 December 1941 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 30 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system — six members were elected from each of five electorates.
The 1955 Tasmanian state election was held on 19 February 1955 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 30 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system — six members were elected from each of five electorates.
The 2010 Tasmanian state election was held on 20 March 2010 to elect members to the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The 12-year incumbent Labor government, led by Premier of Tasmania David Bartlett, won a fourth consecutive term against the Liberal opposition, led by Will Hodgman, after Labor formed a minority government with the support of the Greens.
The 2014 Tasmanian state election was held on 15 March 2014 to elect all 25 members to the House of Assembly. The 16-year incumbent Labor government, led by the Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings, sought to win a fifth consecutive term against the Liberal opposition, led by Opposition Leader Will Hodgman. Also contesting the election was the Greens led by Nick McKim. The Palmer United Party made a significant effort in the election.
Lynda Agnes Victoria Heaven was an Australian politician. She was the first female Labor Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, and represented the electorate of Franklin between 1962 and 1964.
Eric James Ogilvie was an Australian politician. He was born in Hobart. In 1928 he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Labor member for Wilmot. He served until his resignation in 1940. Ogilvie died in Hobart in 1962.
The 2018 Tasmanian state election was held on 3 March 2018 to elect all 25 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly.
Madeleine Ruth Ogilvie is an Australian lawyer and politician. She is a Liberal Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly representing the Division of Clark and is the Minister for Small Business, Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries, Science and Technology, Racing and Heritage in the Rockliff ministry. She was previously the Minister for Hospitality, Racing, Small Business, Women and Disability Services in the Second Gutwein Ministry for six weeks.
The 2021 Tasmanian state election was held on 1 May 2021 to elect all 25 members to the Tasmanian House of Assembly.
The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Tasmanian Labor, is the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Labor Party. It has been one of the most successful state Labor parties in Australia in terms of electoral success.