Women in the Australian Senate

Parts of this article (those related to list) need to be updated. The reason given is: the 2025 Australian federal election. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (May 2025)

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There have been 122 women in the Australian Senate since the establishment of the Parliament of Australia. Women have had the right to stand for federal parliament since 1902, and there were three female candidates for the Senate at the 1903 federal election (Vida Goldstein, Nellie Martel, and Mary Moore-Bentley). However, it was not until Dorothy Tangney's victory at the 1943 federal election that a woman was elected. Since then, all states and territories have had multiple female senators – in chronological order: Western Australia (1943), Queensland (1947), Victoria (1950), South Australia (1955), Tasmania (1975), the Australian Capital Territory (1975), New South Wales (1987), and the Northern Territory (1998).

## History

[edit]

Dame Dorothy Tangney, the first woman in the Australian Senate

The passage of the Commonwealth Franchise Act allowed women to both vote and stand for election to the Parliament of Australia.[1][2] Three women stood unsuccessfully as independents or as representatives of minor parties for election to the Senate for the 1903 election. Nellie Martel and Mary Ann Moore-Bentley of New South Wales ran, each earning around 18,000 votes, with the leading man winning roughly 190,000 votes.[3] Vida Goldstein, from Victoria, ran and gained 51,497 votes, which was roughly half the votes the winning man gained.[3] She then ran unsuccessfully again in 1910 and 1917 after a short stint attempting to breakthrough into the House of Representatives.[3] In 1919, Mary McMahon of NSW ran unsuccessfully, and was not followed by another woman candidate until 1934 saw Lillie Beirne (NSW) and Joanna Helbach (QLD) run.[3] Following this, Jeanne Young of Western Australia ran in 1937 and Adela Walsh (NSW) and Dorothy Tangney (WA) ran in 1940.[3] However, women were not successful in entering federal politics until World War II. The major parties did not endorse any female candidates for the Senate before the War.

The first woman to be elected to the Senate was Labor representative Dorothy Tangney in 1943; she represented Western Australia.[3] Following Tangney's entry into politics, the Senate has continuously had women members. However, despite the success, the number of women running continued to fluctuate drastically. Prior to 1981, the proportion of women running as candidates peaked at 20% in 1977 but had a low of only 1.3% in 1953.[4] Between the years 1943 and 1969, there were only five elections of women and Enid Lyons accounted for three of these in the House of Representatives.[5] Despite this, 41 women were elected into the Senate between 1943 and 1980.[4] The proportion of women in the Senate can be seen over a long time period to have drastically grown, with the 1948 Senate being composed of 5.6% women, 14.1% in 1980, 23.7% in 1990, 28.9% in 2002, and 53% in 2021.[6]

The second woman elected to the Senate, Annabelle Rankin, also achieved a number of firsts for women: she was the first female Whip, and she was the first woman with a federal portfolio when she became Minister for Housing in 1966. In 1975, Margaret Guilfoyle became the first female cabinet minister with a portfolio. In 1996 Margaret Reid was the first woman elected as President of the Senate.[7]

Women in the Senate have made significant changes to Australian law which have benefited women. For example, a private member's bill written by Senator Susan Ryan was crucial to the development of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act 1986, the Public Service Reform Act 1984 and the Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987.

With the appointment of Sarah Henderson to the Senate on 11 September 2019, the number of women in the chamber was equal to the number of men for the first time in history.[8] With the resignation of Richard Di Natale and the appointment of Lidia Thorpe on 4 September 2020, the number of women (39) exceeded the number of men (37) for the first time.

## List of women in the Australian Senate

[edit]

Names in bold type indicate Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries. Names in italics indicate appointments made under section 15 of the Constitution, or through disqualification. Names marked with an asterisk (*) also served in the House of Representatives. Where no closing date is shown, the Senator's term of service is unexpired.

Portrait  | Name
(lifespan) | State  | Term  | How ended  | Party

|
|
|
|
|

Term start  | Term end
| Dorothy Tangney

(1907–1985)

|  WA | 21 August 1943 | 30 June 1968 | Defeated  | Labor
| Annabelle Rankin

(1908–1986)

|  Qld | 1 July 1947 | 24 April 1971 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Agnes Robertson

(1882–1968)

|  WA | 22 February 1950 | 30 June 1962 | Retired  | Liberal
Independent
Country
| Ivy Wedgwood

(1896–1975)

|  Vic | 22 February 1950 | 30 June 1971 | Retired  | Liberal
| Nancy Buttfield

(1912–2005)

|  SA | 11 October 1955 | 30 June 1965 | Defeated  | Liberal
1 July 1968 | 11 April 1974 | Retired
| Marie Breen

(1902–1993)

|  Vic | 1 July 1962 | 30 June 1968 | Retired  | Liberal
| Margaret Guilfoyle

(1926–2020)

|  Vic | 1 July 1971 | 5 June 1987 | Retired  | Liberal
| Ruth Coleman

(1931–2008)

|  WA | 18 May 1974 | 5 June 1987 | Retired  | Labor
| Jean Melzer

(1926–2013)

|  Vic | 18 May 1974 | 30 June 1981 | Defeated  | Labor
| Kathy Sullivan*

(born 1942)

|  Qld | 18 May 1974 | 5 November 1984 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Susan Ryan

(1942–2020)

|  ACT | 13 December 1975 | 29 January 1988 | Resigned  | Labor
| Shirley Walters

(1925–2017)

|  Tas | 13 December 1975 | 30 June 1993 | Retired  | Liberal
| Janine Haines

(1945–2004)

|  SA | 14 December 1977 | 30 June 1978 | Retired  | Democrats
1 July 1981 | 1 March 1990 | Resigned
| Jean Hearn

(1921–2017)

|  Tas | 15 October 1980 | 30 June 1985 | Retired  | Labor
| Florence Bjelke-Petersen

(1920–2017)

|  Qld | 12 March 1981 | 30 June 1993 | Retired  | National
| Margaret Reid

(born 1935)

|  ACT | 5 May 1981 | 14 February 2003 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Patricia Giles

(1928–2017)

|  WA | 1 July 1981 | 30 June 1993 | Retired  | Labor
| Rosemary Crowley

(born 1938)

|  SA | 5 March 1983 | 30 June 2002 | Retired  | Labor
| Margaret Reynolds

(born 1941)

|  Qld | 5 March 1983 | 30 June 1999 | Retired  | Labor
| Olive Zakharov

(1929–1995)

|  Vic | 5 March 1983 | 6 March 1995 | Died  | Labor
| Sue Knowles

(born 1951)

|  WA | 1 December 1984 | 30 June 2005 | Retired  | Liberal
| Amanda Vanstone

(born 1952)

|  SA | 1 December 1984 | 26 April 2007 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Jo Vallentine

(born 1946)

|  WA | 1 July 1985 | 31 January 1992 | Resigned  | Nuclear Disarmament
Independent
Greens WA
| Jocelyn Newman

(1937–2018)

|  Tas | 13 March 1986 | 1 February 2002 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Janet Powell

(1942–2013)

|  Vic | 26 August 1986 | 30 June 1993 | Defeated  | Democrats
Independent
| Sue West

(born 1947)

|  NSW | 11 February 1987 | 5 June 1987 | Defeated  | Labor
1 July 1990 | 30 June 2002 | Retired
| Bronwyn Bishop*

(born 1942)

|  NSW | 11 July 1987 | 24 February 1994 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Jean Jenkins

(born 1938)

|  WA | 11 July 1987 | 30 June 1990 | Defeated  | Democrats
| Kay Patterson

(born 1944)

|  Vic | 11 July 1987 | 30 June 2008 | Retired  | Liberal
| Irina Dunn

(born 1948)

|  NSW | 21 July 1988 | 30 June 1990 | Defeated  | Nuclear Disarmament
Independent
| Meg Lees

(born 1948)

|  SA | 4 April 1990 | 30 June 2005 | Defeated  | Democrats
| Vicki Bourne

(born 1954)

|  NSW | 1 July 1990 | 30 June 2002 | Defeated  | Democrats
| Cheryl Kernot*

(born 1948)

|  Qld | 1 July 1990 | 15 October 1997 | Resigned  | Democrats
| Karin Sowada

(born 1961)

|  NSW | 29 August 1991 | 30 June 1993 | Defeated  | Democrats
| Christabel Chamarette

(born 1948)

|  WA | 12 March 1992 | 30 June 1996 | Defeated  | Greens WA
| Dee Margetts

(born 1955)

|  WA | 1 July 1993 | 30 June 1999 | Defeated  | Greens WA
| Judith Troeth

(born 1940)

|  Vic | 1 July 1993 | 30 June 2011 | Retired  | Liberal
| Kay Denman

(born 1937)

|  Tas | 24 August 1993 | 30 June 2005 | Retired  | Labor
| Belinda Neal*

(born 1963)

|  NSW | 8 March 1994 | 3 September 1998 | Resigned  | Labor
| Jacinta Collins

(born 1962)

|  Victoria | 3 May 1995 | 30 June 2005 | Defeated  | Labor
8 May 2008 | 15 February 2019 | Resigned
| Natasha Stott Despoja

(born 1969)

|  SA | 29 November 1995 | 30 June 2008 | Retired  | Democrats
| Kate Lundy

(born 1967)

|  ACT | 2 March 1996 | 24 March 2015 | Resigned  | Labor
| Sue Mackay

(born 1960)

|  Tas | 8 March 1996 | 27 June 2005 | Resigned  | Labor
| Lyn Allison

(born 1946)

|  Vic | 1 July 1996 | 30 June 2008 | Defeated  | Democrats
| Helen Coonan

(born 1947)

|  NSW | 1 July 1996 | 22 August 2011 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Jeannie Ferris

(1941-2007)

|  SA | 1 July 1996 | 2 April 2007 | Died  | Liberal
| Brenda Gibbs

(born 1947)

|  Qld | 1 July 1996 | 30 June 2002 | Defeated  | Labor
| Marise Payne

(born 1964)

|  NSW | 9 April 1997 | 30 September 2023 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Karen Synon

(born 1959)

|  Vic | 13 May 1997 | 30 June 1999 | Defeated  | Liberal
| Trish Crossin

(born 1956)

|  NT | 16 June 1998 | 6 September 2013 | Retired  | Labor
| Jan McLucas

(born 1958)

|  Qld | 1 July 1999 | 9 May 2016 | Retired  | Labor
| Linda Kirk

(born 1967)

|  SA | 1 July 2002 | 30 June 2008 | Retired  | Labor
| Claire Moore

(born 1956)

|  Qld | 1 July 2002 | 30 June 2019 | Retired  | Labor
| Kerry Nettle

(born 1973)

|  NSW | 1 July 2002 | 30 June 2008 | Defeated  | Greens
| Ursula Stephens

(born 1954)

|  NSW | 1 July 2002 | 30 June 2014 | Defeated  | Labor
| Ruth Webber

(born 1965)

|  WA | 1 July 2002 | 30 June 2008 | Defeated  | Labor
| Penny Wong

(born 1968)

|  SA | 1 July 2002 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

(born 1960)

|  NSW | 5 May 2005 | 30 June 2022 | Retired  | Liberal
| Judith Adams

(1943-2012)

|  WA | 1 July 2005 | 31 March 2012 | Died  | Liberal
| Annette Hurley

(born 1955)

|  SA | 1 July 2005 | 30 June 2011 | Retired  | Labor
| Anne McEwen

(born 1954)

|  SA | 1 July 2005 | 2 July 2016 | Retired  | Labor
| Christine Milne

(born 1953)

|  Tas | 1 July 2005 | 10 August 2015 | Resigned  | Greens
| Fiona Nash

(born 1965)

|  NSW | 1 July 2005 | 27 October 2017 | election voided  | National
| Helen Polley

(born 1957)

|  Tas | 1 July 2005 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Rachel Siewert

(born 1961)

|  WA | 1 July 2005 | 6 September 2021 | Resigned  | Greens
| Dana Wortley

(born 1959)

|  SA | 1 July 2005 | 30 June 2011 | Defeated  | Labor
| Carol Brown

(born 1965)

|  Tas | 25 August 2005 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Sue Boyce

(born 1951)

|  Qld | 19 April 2007 | 30 June 2014 | Retired  | Liberal
| Mary Jo Fisher

(born 1962)

|  SA | 6 June 2007 | 14 August 2012 | Resigned  | Liberal
| Catryna Bilyk

(born 1959)

|  Tas | 1 July 2008 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Michaelia Cash

(born 1970)

|  WA | 1 July 2008 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Sarah Hanson-Young

(born 1981)

|  SA | 1 July 2008 | present  | Incumbent  | Greens
| Helen Kroger

(born 1959)

|  Vic | 1 July 2008 | 30 June 2014 | Defeated  | Liberal
| Louise Pratt

(born 1972)

|  WA | 1 July 2008 | 30 June 2014 | Defeated  | Labor
2 July 2016 | present  | Incumbent
| Bridget McKenzie

(born 1969)

|  Vic | 1 July 2011 | present  | Incumbent  | National
| Lee Rhiannon

(born 1951)

|  NSW | 1 July 2011 | 15 August 2018 | Resigned  | Greens
| Lisa Singh

(born 1972)

|  Tas | 1 July 2011 | 30 June 2019 | Defeated  | Labor
| Anne Urquhart

(born 1957)

|  Tas | 1 July 2011 | 28 March 2025 | Resigned  | Labor
| Larissa Waters

(born 1977)

|  Qld | 1 July 2011 | 18 July 2017 | Resigned  | Greens
6 September 2018 | present  | Incumbent
| Penny Wright

(born 1968)

|  SA | 1 July 2011 | 9 September 2015 | Resigned  | Greens
| Lin Thorp

(born 1953)

|  Tas | 20 June 2012 | 30 June 2014 | Defeated  | Labor
| Anne Ruston

(born 1967)

|  SA | 5 September 2012 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Sue Lines

(born 1953)

|  WA | 15 May 2013 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Nova Peris

(born 1971)

|  NT | 7 September 2013 | 9 May 2016 | Retired  | Labor
| Deborah O'Neill*

(born 1961)

|  NSW | 13 November 2013 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Jacqui Lambie

(born 1971)

|  Tas. | 1 July 2014 | 14 November 2017 | Resigned  | Palmer United
Independent
Lambie Network
1 July 2019 | present  | Incumbent
| Linda Reynolds

(born 1965)

|  WA | 1 July 2014 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Janet Rice

(born 1960)

|  Vic | 1 July 2014 | 19 April 2024 | Resigned  | Greens
| Katy Gallagher

(born 1970)

|  ACT | 26 March 2015 | 9 May 2018 | Resigned  | Labor
18 May 2019 | present  | incumbent
| Jenny McAllister

(born 1973)

|  NSW | 6 May 2015 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Joanna Lindgren

(born 1969)

|  Qld | 21 May 2015 | 2 July 2016 | Defeated  | Liberal
| Pauline Hanson*

(born 1954)

|  Qld | 2 July 2016 | present  | Incumbent  | One Nation
| Jane Hume

(born 1971)

|  Vic | 2 July 2016 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Skye Kakoschke-Moore

(born 1985)

|  SA | 2 July 2016 | 22 November 2017 | Resigned  | Xenophon Team
| Malarndirri McCarthy

(born 1970)

|  NT | 2 July 2016 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Kimberley Kitching

(1970–2022)

|  Vic | 25 October 2016 | 10 March 2022 | Died  | Labor
| Lucy Gichuhi

(born 1962)

|  SA | 19 April 2017 | 30 June 2019 | Defeated  | Family First
Independent
Liberal
| Kristina Keneally

(born 1968)

|  NSW | 14 February 2018 | 13 April 2022 | Resigned  | Labor
| Amanda Stoker

(born 1980)

|  Qld | 21 March 2018 | 30 June 2022 | Defeated  | Liberal
| Mehreen Faruqi

(born 1963)

|  NSW | 15 August 2018 | present  | Incumbent  | Greens
| Wendy Askew

(born 1963)

|  Tas | 6 March 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Sam McMahon

(born 1967)

|  NT | 18 May 2019 | 21 May 2022 | Defeated  | Country Liberal
| Claire Chandler

(born 1990)

|  Tas | 1 July 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Perin Davey

(born 1972)

|  NSW | 1 July 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | National
| Nita Green

(born 1983)

|  Qld | 1 July 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Hollie Hughes

(born 1975)

|  NSW | 1 July 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Susan McDonald

(born 1970)

|  Qld | 1 July 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | National
| Marielle Smith

(born 1986)

|  SA | 1 July 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Jess Walsh

(born 1971)

|  Vic | 1 July 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Sarah Henderson*

(born 1964)

|  Vic | 11 September 2019 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Lidia Thorpe

(born 1973)

|  Vic | 4 September 2020 | present  | Incumbent  | Greens
Independent
| Dorinda Cox

(born 1976)

|  WA | 14 September 2021 | present  | Incumbent  | Greens
| Karen Grogan

(born ?)

|  SA | 21 September 2021 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Jana Stewart

(born 1987)

|  Vic | 6 April 2022 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Jacinta Nampijinpa Price

(born 1980)

|  NT | 21 May 2022 | present  | Incumbent  | Country Liberal
| Penny Allman-Payne

(born 1970)

|  Qld | 1 July 2022 | present  | Incumbent  | Greens
| Kerrynne Liddle

(born 1967)

|  SA | 1 July 2022 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Fatima Payman

(born 1995)

|  WA | 1 July 2022 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
Independent
| Barbara Pocock

(born 1955)

|  SA | 1 July 2022 | present  | Incumbent  | Greens
| Tammy Tyrrell

(born 1970)

|  Tas | 1 July 2022 | present  | Incumbent  | Lambie Network
Independent
| Linda White

(born 1959/1960)

|  Vic | 1 July 2022 | 29 February 2024 | Died  | Labor
| Maria Kovacic

(born 1970)

|  NSW | 31 May 2023 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal
| Steph Hodgins-May

(born 1985)

|  Vic | 1 May 2024 | present  | Incumbent  | Greens
| Lisa Darmanin

(born ?)

|  Vic | 29 May 2024 | present  | Incumbent  | Labor
| Leah Blyth

(born ?)

|  SA | 6 February 2025 | present  | Incumbent  | Liberal

## Timeline

[edit]

## Proportion of women in the Senate

[edit]

Numbers and proportions are as they were directly after the beginning of Senate terms and do not take into account deaths, resignations, appointments, defections or other changes in membership. As senators typically serve six-year terms, in the absence of a double dissolution, the numbers of female senators overlap two "terms". State-based Coalition parties that caucus with one of the major parties (Liberal National Party, Country Liberal Party) have been included in the Liberals' or Nationals' totals.

Term  | Labor | Liberal | National | Democrats | Greens | Others  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Women  | Total  | %  | Women  | Total  | %  | Women  | Total  | %  | Women  | Total  | %  | Women  | Total  | %  | Women  | Total  | %  | Women  | Total  | %
1944–1947  | 1 | 22 | 4.5%  | 0 | 12 | 0.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 1 | 36 | 2.8%
1947–1950  | 1 | 33 | 3.0%  | 1 | 2 | 50.0%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 2 | 36 | 5.6%
1950–1951  | 1 | 34 | 2.9%  | 3 | 21 | 14.3%  | 0 | 5 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 4 | 60 | 6.7%
1951–1953  | 1 | 28 | 3.6%  | 3 | 26 | 11.5%  | 0 | 6 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 4 | 60 | 6.7%
1953–1956  | 1 | 29 | 3.4%  | 3 | 26 | 11.5%  | 0 | 5 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 4 | 60 | 6.7%
1956–1959  | 1 | 28 | 3.6%  | 3 | 24 | 12.5%  | 1 | 6 | 16.7%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 5 | 60 | 8.3%
1959–1962  | 1 | 26 | 3.8%  | 3 | 25 | 12.0%  | 1 | 7 | 14.3%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 5 | 60 | 8.3%
1962–1965  | 1 | 28 | 3.6%  | 4 | 24 | 16.7%  | 0 | 6 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 5 | 60 | 8.3%
1965–1968  | 1 | 27 | 3.7%  | 3 | 23 | 13.0%  | 0 | 7 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 3 | 0.0%  | 4 | 60 | 6.7%
1968–1971  | 0 | 27 | 0.0%  | 3 | 21 | 14.2%  | 0 | 7 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 5 | 0.0%  | 3 | 60 | 5.0%
1971–1974  | 0 | 26 | 0.0%  | 2 | 21 | 9.5%  | 0 | 5 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 8 | 0.0%  | 2 | 60 | 3.3%
1974–1975  | 2 | 29 | 6.9%  | 2 | 23 | 8.7%  | 0 | 6 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 4 | 60 | 6.7%
1975–1978  | 3 | 27 | 11.1%  | 3 | 27 | 11.1%  | 0 | 8 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 6 | 64 | 9.4%
1978–1981  | 3 | 27 | 11.1%  | 3 | 28 | 10.7%  | 0 | 6 | 0.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 6 | 64 | 9.4%
1981–1983  | 4 | 27 | 14.8%  | 4 | 28 | 14.3%  | 1 | 3 | 33.3%  | 1 | 5 | 20.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 10 | 64 | 15.6%
1983–1984  | 7 | 30 | 23.3%  | 4 | 24 | 16.7%  | 1 | 4 | 25.0%  | 1 | 5 | 20.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 13 | 64 | 20.3%
1984–1987  | 6 | 34 | 17.6%  | 5 | 28 | 17.9%  | 1 | 5 | 20.0%  | 1 | 7 | 14.3%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 1 | 2 | 50.0%  | 14 | 76 | 18.4%
1987–1990  | 5 | 32 | 15.6%  | 7 | 24 | 29.2%  | 1 | 5 | 20.0%  | 3 | 7 | 42.9%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 1 | 3 | 33.3%  | 17 | 76 | 22.4%
1990–1993  | 5 | 32 | 15.6%  | 7 | 29 | 24.1%  | 1 | 5 | 20.0%  | 4 | 8 | 50.0%  | 1 | 1 | 100.0%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 18 | 76 | 23.7%
1993–1996  | 4 | 30 | 13.3%  | 7 | 30 | 23.3%  | 0 | 6 | 0.0%  | 3 | 7 | 42.9%  | 2 | 2 | 100.0%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 16 | 76 | 21.1%
1996–1999  | 9 | 29 | 31.0%  | 8 | 32 | 25.0%  | 0 | 5 | 0.0%  | 5 | 7 | 71.4%  | 1 | 2 | 50.0%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 23 | 76 | 30.3%
1999–2002  | 9 | 29 | 31.0%  | 9 | 32 | 28.1%  | 0 | 3 | 0.0%  | 4 | 9 | 44.4%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 22 | 76 | 28.9%
2002–2005  | 10 | 28 | 35.7%  | 8 | 31 | 25.8%  | 0 | 4 | 0.0%  | 4 | 8 | 50.0%  | 1 | 2 | 50.0%  | 0 | 3 | 0.0%  | 23 | 76 | 30.3%
2005–2008  | 12 | 28 | 42.9%  | 8 | 33 | 24.2%  | 1 | 6 | 16.7%  | 2 | 4 | 50.0%  | 3 | 4 | 75.0%  | 0 | 1 | 0.0%  | 26 | 76 | 34.2%
2008–2011  | 14 | 32 | 43.8%  | 9 | 32 | 28.1%  | 1 | 5 | 20.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 3 | 5 | 60.0%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 27 | 76 | 35.5%
2011–2014  | 14 | 31 | 45.2%  | 8 | 28 | 28.6%  | 2 | 6 | 33.3%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 6 | 9 | 66.7%  | 0 | 2 | 0.0%  | 30 | 76 | 39.5%
2014–2016  | 14 | 25 | 56.0%  | 5 | 27 | 18.5%  | 2 | 6 | 33.3%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 7 | 10 | 70.0%  | 1 | 8 | 12.5%  | 29 | 76 | 38.2%
2016–2019  | 14 | 26 | 53.8%  | 6 | 24 | 25.0%  | 2 | 6 | 33.3%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 5 | 9 | 55.6%  | 3 | 11 | 27.3%  | 30 | 76 | 39.5%
2019–2022  | 16 | 26 | 61.5%  | 10 | 30 | 33.3%  | 4 | 5 | 80.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 5 | 9 | 55.6%  | 2 | 6 | 33.3%  | 37 | 76 | 48.7%
2022–2025  | 16 | 26 | 61.5%  | 10 | 26 | 38.5%  | 4 | 6 | 66.7%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 8 | 12 | 66.7%  | 3 | 6 | 50.0%  | 41 | 76 | 53.9%
2025–  | 19 | 29 | 65.5%  | 11 | 23 | 47.8%  | 2 | 4 | 50.0%  | 0 | 0 | 0.0%  | 6 | 10 | 60.0%  | 5 | 10 | 50.0%  | 43 | 76 | 56.6%

## See also

[edit]

* Women and government in Australia
* Women in the Australian House of Representatives

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Women in South and Western Australia voted in the 1901 election.

2. ^ Indigenous Australian women did not achieve federal franchise in all jurisdictions until 1962, and were not required by law to enrol to vote until 1983.
3. ^ a b c d e f Sherrard, Kathleen (1943). "The Political History of Women in Australia". The Australian Quarterly. 15 (4): 36–51\. doi:10.2307/20631140. JSTOR 20631140.
4. ^ a b van Tassell, G. Lane (1981). "Recruitment of Women in Australian National Politics: A Research Note". The Australian Quarterly. 53 (3): 334–342\. doi:10.2307/20635131. ISSN 0005-0091. JSTOR 20635131.
5. ^ Cass, Deborah; Rubenstein, Kim (2021), Rubenstein, Kim (ed.), "Representation/s of Women in the Australian Constitutional System", Traversing the Divide, Honouring Deborah Cass's Contributions to Public and International Law (1 ed.), ANU Press, pp. 179–226, doi:10.2307/j.ctv1j9mjhx.16, JSTOR j.ctv1j9mjhx.16, S2CID 241304498, retrieved 18 December 2021
6. ^ Uhr, John (2002). "Explicating the Australian Senate". The Journal of Legislative Studies. 8 (3): 3–26\. doi:10.1080/714003923. ISSN 1357-2334. S2CID 145705033.
7. ^ Macdonald, Emma (7 January 2001). "Rising Above the Genteel Rumble of the Pink Palace". Canberra Times. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. p. 18\. ProQuest 1016152950.
8. ^ Macmillan, Jade (10 September 2019). "Gender equality set to be achieved in the Senate for the first time". Australia: ABC News. Retrieved 14 September 2019.

## References

[edit]

* "Women in the 45th Parliament". Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 12 July 2017.
* "Senate Brief No. 3". Parliament of Australia. November 2017. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017.

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Women and government in Australia

List of female heads of government in Australia

Federal|

* Cabinet ministers
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State|

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Parliamentary
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House of
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Members|

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House of
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Parliaments|

* Chronology of Australian federal parliaments
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Procedure|

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Related|

* List of members of the Australian Parliament who died in office
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Women in government

Lists of female holders of political office|

* Constituent and dependent territory leaders
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Related|

* All-women shortlist
* Council of Women World Leaders
* Gender power gap
* Muslim women political leaders
* Women Political Leaders

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