Women in the Victorian Legislative Council

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There have been 60 women in the Victorian Legislative Council 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 Council since 1923. As of September 2020, there were 17 women in the 40 member Legislative Council.

The first successful female candidates for the Legislative Council were Gracia Baylor and Joan Coxsedge of the Liberal and Labor parties respectively, who were elected in 1979. Since then there have continuously been female members in the Council. The first National Party female member was Jeanette Powell, elected in 1996.

List of women in the Victorian Legislative Council[]

Names in bold indicate women who have been appointed as Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries during their time in the Legislative Council. Names in italics indicate entry into Parliament through a by-election or by appointment and * symbolises members that have sat as members in both the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly.

# Name Party Province/Region Period of service
1 Gracia Baylor Liberal Boronia 5 May 1979 – 1 March 1985 (resigned)
Joan Coxsedge Labor Melbourne West 5 May 1979 – 3 October 1992 (retired)
3 Caroline Hogg Labor Melbourne North 3 April 1982 – 18 September 1999 (retired)
Judith Dixon Labor Boronia 3 April 1982 – 1 October 1988 (defeated)
Joan Kirner* Labor Melbourne West 3 April 1982 – 1 October 1988 (transferred to LA)
6 Maureen Lyster Labor Chelsea 2 March 1985 – 3 October 1992 (defeated)
Jean McLean Labor Boronia
Melbourne West 		2 March 1985 – 2 October 1992
3 October 1992 – 18 September 1999 (retired)
8 Rosemary Varty Liberal Nunawading
Silvan 		17 August 1985 – 2 October 1992
3 October 1992 – 18 September 1999 (retired)
9 Marie Tehan* Liberal Central Highlands 21 March 1987 – 2 October 1992 (transferred to LA)
10 Licia Kokocinski Labor Melbourne West 1 October 1988 – 30 March 1996 (retired)
11 Louise Asher* Liberal Monash 3 October 1992 – 18 September 1999 (transferred to LA)
Sue Wilding Liberal Chelsea 3 October 1992 – 18 September 1999 (defeated)
13 Monica Gould Labor Doutta Galla 28 September 1993 – 24 November 2006 (retired)
14 Maree Luckins Liberal Waverley 30 March 1996 – 30 November 2002 (ran for LA)
Jeanette Powell* National North Eastern 30 March 1996 – 30 November 2002 (transferred to LA)
Wendy Smith Liberal Silvan 30 March 1996 – 30 November 2002 (defeated)
17 Candy Broad Labor Melbourne North
Northern Victoria 		18 September 1999 – 25 November 2006
25 November 2006 – 9 May 2014 (resigned)
Elaine Carbines Labor Geelong 18 September 1999 – November 2006 (defeated)
Andrea Coote Liberal Monash
Southern Metropolitan 		18 September 1999 – 25 November 2006
25 November 2006 – 29 November 2014 (retired)
Kaye Darveniza Labor Melbourne West
Northern Victoria 		18 September 1999 – 25 November 2006
25 November 2006 – 29 November 2014 (retired)
Dianne Hadden Labor/Independent Ballarat 18 September 1999 – 25 November 2006 (defeated)
Jenny Mikakos Labor Jika Jika
Northern Metropolitan 		18 September 1999 – 25 November 2006
25 November 2006 – 26 September 2020 (resigned)
Glenyys Romanes Labor Melbourne 18 September 1999 – 25 November 2006 (defeated)
Marsha Thomson* Labor Melbourne North 18 September 1999 – 25 November 2006 (transferred to LA)
25 Lidia Argondizzo Labor Templestowe 30 November 2002 – 25 November 2006 (defeated)
Helen Buckingham Labor Koonung 30 November 2002 – 25 November 2006 (retired)
Carolyn Hirsh* Labor/Independent Silvan 30 November 2002 – 25 November 2006 (retired)
Wendy Lovell Liberal North Eastern
Northern Victoria 		30 November 2002 – 25 November 2006
25 November 2006 –
29 Colleen Hartland Greens Western Metropolitan 25 November 2006 – 8 February 2018 (resigned)
Jan Kronberg Liberal Eastern Metropolitan 25 November 2006 – 29 November 2014 (retired)
Sue Pennicuik Greens Southern Metropolitan 25 November 2006 – 24 November 2018 (defeated)
Donna Petrovich Liberal Northern Victoria 25 November 2006 – 1 July 2013 (resigned)
Inga Peulich* Liberal South Eastern Metropolitan 25 November 2006 – 24 November 2018 (defeated)
Jaala Pulford Labor Western Victoria 25 November 2006 –
Gayle Tierney Labor Western Victoria 25 November 2006 –
36 Jennifer Huppert Labor Southern Metropolitan 3 February 2009 – 27 November 2010 (defeated)
37 Georgie Crozier Liberal Southern Metropolitan 27 November 2010 –
38 Amanda Millar Liberal Northern Victoria 22 August 2013 – 29 November 2014 (defeated)
39 Marg Lewis Labor Northern Victoria 11 June 2014 – 29 November 2014 (retired)
40 Rachel Carling-Jenkins DLP/Conservatives/Independent Western Metropolitan 29 November 2014 – 24 November 2018 (ran for LA)
Samantha Dunn Greens Eastern Metropolitan 29 November 2014 – 24 November 2018 (defeated)
Margaret Fitzherbert Liberal Southern Metropolitan 29 November 2014 – 24 November 2018 (defeated)
Fiona Patten Sex Party/Reason Northern Metropolitan 29 November 2014 –
Harriet Shing Labor Eastern Victoria 29 November 2014 –
Nina Springle Greens South Eastern Metropolitan 29 November 2014 – 24 November 2018 (defeated)
Jaclyn Symes Labor Northern Victoria 29 November 2014 –
Mary Wooldridge* Liberal Eastern Metropolitan 29 November 2014 – 8 December 2019 (resigned)
48 Melina Bath National Eastern Victoria 16 April 2015 –
49 Samantha Ratnam Greens Northern Metropolitan 19 October 2017 –
50 Huong Truong Greens Western Metropolitan 21 February 2018 – 24 November 2018
51 Catherine Cumming Justice Western Metropolitan 24 November 2018 –
Jane Garrett* Labor Eastern Victoria 24 November 2018 –
Tania Maxwell Justice Northern Victoria 24 November 2018 –
Bev McArthur Liberal Western Victoria 24 November 2018 –
Ingrid Stitt Labor Western Metropolitan 24 November 2018 –
Nina Taylor Labor Southern Metropolitan 24 November 2018 –
Sonja Terpstra Labor Eastern Metropolitan 24 November 2018 –
Kaushaliya Vaghela Labor Western Metropolitan 24 November 2018 –
59 Sheena Watt Labor Northern Metropolitan 13 October 2020 –
60 Cathrine Burnett-Wake Liberal Eastern Victoria 2 December 2021 –

Timeline[]

Cathrine Burnett-WakeSheena WattKaushaliya VaghelaSonja TerpstraNina TaylorIngrid StittBev McArthurTania MaxwellJane GarrettCatherine CummingHuong TruongSamantha RatnamMelina BathMary WooldridgeJaclyn SymesNina SpringleHarriet ShingFiona PattenMargaret FitzherbertSamantha DunnRachel Carling-JenkinsMarg LewisAmanda MillarGeorgie CrozierJennifer HuppertGayle TierneyJaala PulfordInga PeulichDonna PetrovichSue PennicuikJan KronbergColleen HartlandWendy LovellCarolyn HirshHelen BuckinghamLidia ArgondizzoMarsha ThomsonGlenyys RomanesJenny MikakosDianne HaddenKaye DarvenizaAndrea CooteElaine CarbinesCandy BroadWendy Smith (politician)Jeanette PowellMaree LuckinsMonica GouldSue WildingLouise AsherLicia KokocinskiMarie TehanRosemary VartyJean McLean (politician)Maureen LysterJoan KirnerJudith DixonCaroline HoggJoan CoxsedgeGracia Baylor

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 %
1979–1982 1 13 7.7% 1 27 3.7% 0 4 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 2 44 4.5%
1982–1985 4 19 21.1% 1 21 4.8% 0 4 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 5 44 11.4%
1985–1988 6 23 26.1% 0 16 0.0% 0 5 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 6 44 13.6%
1988–1992 5 19 26.3% 2 19 10.5% 0 6 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 7 44 15.9%
1992–1996 3 14 21.4% 3 24 12.5% 0 6 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 6 44 13.6%
1996–1999 3 10 30.0% 6 28 21.4% 1 6 16.7% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 9 44 20.5%
1999–2002 8 14 57.1% 3 24 12.5% 1 6 16.7% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 12 44 27.3%
2002–2006 11 25 44.0% 2 14 14.3% 0 5 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 13 44 29.6%
2006–2010 5 19 26.3% 5 15 33.3% 0 2 0.0% 2 3 66.7% 0 1 0.0% 12 40 30.0%
2010–2014 5 16 31.2% 6 18 33.3% 0 3 0.0% 2 3 66.7% 0 0 0.0% 13 40 32.5%
2014–2018 5 14 35.7% 5 14 35.7% 0 2 0.0% 4 5 80.0% 2 5 40.0% 16 40 40.0%
2018–2022 10 18 55.6% 4 10 40.0% 1 1 100.0% 1 1 100.0% 3 10 30.0% 19 40 47.5%

See also[]

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