Women in the Tasmanian Legislative Council
There have been 22 women in the Tasmanian Legislative Council since its establishment in 1825. Women have had the right to vote since 1903 and the right to stand as candidates since 1921.
The first successful female candidate for the Legislative Council was
Liberal
woman elected to the Council.
List of women in the Tasmanian Legislative Council
Names in bold indicate women who have been appointed as Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries during their time in Parliament. Names in italics indicate entry into Parliament through a by-election or by appointment.
| # | Name | Party | Electoral Division | Period of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Margaret McIntyre | Independent
|
Cornwall | 8 May 1948 – 2 September 1948 (died) |
| 2 | Lucy Grounds | Labor
|
Launceston | 29 September 1951 – 10 May 1958 (defeated) |
| 3 | Phyllis Benjamin | Labor
|
Hobart | 10 May 1952 – 22 May 1976 (retired) |
| 4 | Kath Venn | Labor
|
Hobart | 22 May 1976 – 27 May 1982 (defeated) |
| 5 | Jean Moore | Independent
|
Hobart | 11 April 1992 – 28 May 1994 (defeated) |
| 6 | Silvia Smith | Independent
|
Westmorland Windermere |
31 May 1997 – 3 May 2003 (defeated) |
| Sue Smith | Independent
|
Leven Montgomery |
31 May 1997 – 4 May 2013 (retired) | |
| 8 | Cathy Edwards | Independent
|
Pembroke | 28 August 1999 – 5 May 2001 (defeated) |
| Lin Thorp | Labor
|
Rumney | 28 August 1999 – 7 May 2011 (defeated) | |
| 10 | Allison Ritchie | Labor
|
Pembroke | 5 May 2001 – 20 June 2009 (resigned) |
| 11 | Norma Jamieson | Independent
|
Mersey | 3 May 2003 – 2 May 2009 (retired) |
| 12 | Tania Rattray | Independent
|
Apsley McIntyre |
1 May 2004 – |
| 13 | Ruth Forrest | Independent
|
Murchison | 7 May 2005 – |
| 14 | Vanessa Goodwin | Liberal
|
Pembroke | 12 August 2009 – 2 October 2017 (resigned) |
| 15 | Adriana Taylor | Independent
|
Elwick | 1 May 2010 – 7 May 2016 (defeated) |
| 16 | Rosemary Armitage | Independent
|
Launceston | 7 May 2011 – |
| 17 | Leonie Hiscutt | Liberal
|
Montgomery | 4 May 2013 – |
| 18 | Sarah Lovell | Labor
|
Rumney | 6 May 2017 – |
| 19 | Jo Siejka | Labor
|
Pembroke | 4 November 2017 – |
| 20 | Jane Howlett | Liberal
|
Prosser | 5 May 2018 – |
| 21 | Meg Webb | Independent | Nelson | 4 May 2019 – |
| 22 | Jo Palmer | Liberal
|
Rosevears | 1 August 2020 – |
Timeline
