Women in the Tasmanian House of Assembly
There have been 29 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. To date no women have been elected as independent members, although Mary Willey left the Labor Party at the end of her term. Kathryn Hay is the only Indigenous woman to have been elected to the Tasmanian parliament.
Lara Giddings became the first female Premier of Tasmania on 24 January 2011.
List of women in the Tasmanian House of Assembly
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| Lynda Heaven | Labor | Franklin | 2 March 1962 – 2 May 1964 (defeated) |
| Gill James | Labor | Bass | 11 December 1976 – 8 February 1986 (defeated) 1 February 1992 – 20 July 2002 (retired) |
| Mary Willey | Labor/Independent | Bass | 28 July 1979 – 27 May 1982 (defeated) |
| Carmel Holmes | Liberal | Denison | 25 June 1984 – 8 February 1986 (defeated) |
| Judy Jackson | Labor | Denison | 8 February 1986 – 18 March 2006 (retired) |
| Fran Bladel | Labor | Franklin | 8 February 1986 – 9 April 2002 (retired) |
| Christine Milne | Greens | Lyons | 13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) |
| Di Hollister | Greens | Braddon | 13 May 1989 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) |
| 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) |
| Peg Putt | Greens | Denison | 2 March 1992 – 7 July 2008 (resigned) |
| Denise Swan | Liberal | Lyons | 12 December 1995 – 20 July 2002 (defeated) |
| Lara Giddings | Labor | Lyons Franklin |
24 February 1996 – 29 August 1998 (defeated) 20 July 2002 – |
| Paula Wriedt | Labor | Franklin | 24 February 1996 – 18 January 2009 (resigned) |
| Kathryn Hay | Labor | Bass | 20 July 2002 – 18 March 2006 (retired) |
| Heather Butler | Labor | Lyons | 10 May 2005 – 20 March 2010 (defeated) |
| Michelle O'Byrne | Labor | Bass | 18 March 2006 – |
| Lisa Singh | Labor | Denison | 18 March 2006 – 20 March 2010 (defeated) |
| Cassy O'Connor | Greens | Denison | 21 July 2008 – |
| Elise Archer | Liberal | Denison | 20 March 2010 – |
| Jacquie Petrusma | Liberal | Franklin | 20 March 2010 – |
| Rebecca White | Labor | Lyons | 20 March 2010 – |
| Sarah Courtney | Liberal | Bass | 15 March 2014 – |
| Madeleine Ogilvie | Labor | Denison | 15 March 2014 – |
| Joan Rylah | Liberal | Braddon | 15 March 2014 – |
| Andrea Dawkins | Greens | Bass | 9 June 2015 – |
| Rosalie Woodruff | Greens | Franklin | 17 August 2015 – |
Timeline
