Women in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
There have been 44 women in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since its establishment in 1890. Women have had the right to vote since 1899 and the right to stand as candidates since 1920.
The first successful female candidate for the Legislative Assembly was Edith Cowan, who was elected as the member for West Perth in 1921 representing the Nationalist Party of Australia. This was the first time a woman had won election anywhere in Australia. Cowan was defeated in 1924 but in 1925 May Holman was elected to the seat of Forrest in a by-election, becoming the first successful Labor woman in Australia. Holman was joined by Florence Cardell-Oliver of the Nationalist Party in 1936, who would become the first female cabinet minister. Cardell-Oliver's retirement in 1956 led to a period of absence for women, until June Craig of the Liberal Party was elected in 1974, since which time women have been continuously represented in the Assembly.
Hilda Turnbull was the first National Party woman elected to the Assembly in 1989, and only two women – Elizabeth Constable (1991–2013) and Janet Woollard (2001–2013) – have been elected as independents. Adele Carles became the first Greens member of the Assembly in 2009, although she later quit the party. Only two Indigenous women have been elected to the Western Australia parliament, starting with Carol Martin in 2001.
List of women in the Western Australian Legislative 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 by-election. An asterisk (*) indicates that the member also served in the Legislative Council.
| Name | Party | Electoral Division | Period of service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edith Cowan | Nationalist | West Perth | 12 March 1921 – 22 March 1924 |
| May Holman | Labor | Forrest | 3 April 1925 – 18 March 1939 |
| Florence Cardell-Oliver | Nationalist/Liberal | Subiaco | 15 February 1936 – 7 April 1956 |
| June Craig | Liberal | Wellington | 30 March 1974 – 19 February 1983 |
| Pam Beggs | Labor | Whitford | 19 February 1983 – 6 February 1993 |
| Pam Buchanan | Labor/Independent | Pilbara | 19 February 1983 – 3 March 1992 |
| Yvonne Henderson | Labor | Gosnells Thornlie |
19 February 1983 – 14 December 1996 |
| Jackie Watkins | Labor | Joondalup Wanneroo |
19 February 1983 – 6 February 1993 |
| Carmen Lawrence | Labor | Subiaco Glendalough |
8 February 1986 – 14 February 1994 |
| Judyth Watson | Labor | Canning Kenwick |
8 February 1986 – 14 December 1996 |
| Cheryl Edwardes | Liberal | Kingsley | 4 February 1989 – 26 February 2005 |
| Hilda Turnbull | National | Collie | 4 February 1989 – 10 February 2001 |
| Judy Edwards | Labor | Maylands | 26 May 1990 – 6 September 2008 |
| Liz Constable | Independent | Floreat Churchlands |
20 July 1991 – 9 March 2013 |
| Kay Hallahan* | Labor | Armadale | 6 February 1993 – 14 December 1996 |
| June van de Klashorst | Liberal | Swan Hills | 6 February 1993 – 10 February 2001 |
| Diana Warnock | Labor | Perth | 6 February 1993 – 10 February 2001 |
| Michelle Roberts | Labor | Glendalough Midland |
19 March 1994 – |
| Rhonda Parker | Liberal | Helena Ballajura |
10 September 1994 – 10 February 2001 |
| Megan Anwyl | Labor | Kalgoorlie | 14 December 1996 – 10 February 2001 |
| Katie Hodson-Thomas | Liberal | Carine | 14 December 1996 – 6 September 2008 |
| Monica Holmes | Liberal | Southern River | 14 December 1996 – 10 February 2001 |
| Alannah MacTiernan* | Labor | Armadale | 14 December 1996 – 19 July 2010 |
| Sheila McHale | Labor | Thornlie | 14 December 1996 – 6 September 2008 |
| Dianne Guise | Labor | Wanneroo | 10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 |
| Carol Martin | Labor | Kimberley | 10 February 2001 – 9 March 2013 |
| Margaret Quirk | Labor | Girrahween | 10 February 2001 – |
| Jaye Radisich | Labor | Swan Hills | 10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 |
| Sue Walker | Liberal/Independent | Nedlands | 10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 |
| Janet Woollard | Independent | Alfred Cove | 10 February 2001 – 9 March 2013 |
| Judy Hughes | Labor | Kingsley | 26 February 2005 – 6 September 2008 |
| Lisa Baker | Labor | Maylands | 6 September 2008 – |
| Janine Freeman | Labor | Nollamara | 6 September 2008 – |
| Liza Harvey | Liberal | Scarborough | 6 September 2008 – |
| Andrea Mitchell | Liberal | Kingsley | 6 September 2008 – |
| Rita Saffioti | Labor | West Swan | 6 September 2008 – |
| Adele Carles | Greens/Independent | Fremantle | 16 May 2009 – 9 March 2013 |
| Mia Davies* | National | Central Wheatbelt | 9 March 2013 – |
| Wendy Duncan* | National | Kalgoorlie | 9 March 2013 – |
| Eleni Evangel | Liberal | Perth | 9 March 2013 – |
| Josie Farrer | Labor | Kimberley | 9 March 2013 – |
| Glenys Godfrey | Liberal | Belmont | 9 March 2013 – |
| Simone McGurk | Labor | Fremantle | 9 March 2013 – |
| Libby Mettam | Liberal | Vasse | 18 October 2014 – |
Timeline
