There have been 133 women elected to the House of Representatives since 1901.
Of these 133 members, 78 (58.64%) have been members of the ALP, whilst 45 (33.83%) have been from the United Australia Party, Liberal Party, or Liberal National Party.
The Nationals have had three female members (2.27%). In the table below, where Northern Territory Country Liberal members and Queensland Liberal National members have been elected, they are shown with a forward slash indicating whether they sat with the Liberals or Nationals in Canberra.
The Nick Xenophon Team, now known as Centre Alliance, has elected one female member, Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo).
There have been six independent and crossbench members (4.54%). This includes two incumbents – Zali Steggall (Warringah) and Helen Haines (Indi) – and Haines’ immediate predecessor, Cathy McGowan. It includes former members Kerryn Phelps (Wentworth), and independent Labour member Doris Blackburn (Bourke). It includes Pauline Hanson (Oxley), who was elected on a Liberal ticket in 1996, but was disendorsed during the election campaign. Hanson sat as an independent, and then formed the One Nation party.
| Women Members of the House of Representatives – By Party | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | ALP | UAP/Liberal/LNP | Nationals | Centre Alliance | Independent | Total |
Growth In Numbers of Female Members
Of the 1,203 men and women elected to the House of Representatives since 1901, only 133 have been women – 11.05%.
Of the 46 House of Representatives elections since 1901, no women were elected in 25 (54.34%). It wasn’t until the seventeenth election in 1943 that Dame Enid Lyons (UAP/Lib) became the first woman to be elected to the House. Concurrently, Dorothy Tangney (ALP) won election as the first female senator. Doris Blackburn (Independent Labour) was elected to the House in 1946.
There were no women elected to the House in the 1950s and just one each in the 1960s (Kay Brownbill) and 1970s (Joan Child). The 1977 federal election was the last time no women were elected to the House. Nine were elected in the 1980s. In the 1990s, 41 women were elected for the first time, whilst another 25 joined the House in the 2000s. In the four elections from 2010, including by-elections, another 53 women have been elected for the first time.
At the 2010 election, 7 new women members were elected. There were 13 following the 2013 election and another at a by-election. There were 14 at the 2016 election and another two at by-elections. Sixteen new women members were elected at the 2019 election, with a seventeenth elected at a by-election in 2020.
| Women Members of the House of Representatives – Number Elected by Decade | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decades | 1900-1943 | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
Current Numbers – 46th Parliament Elected 2019
There are currently 47 female members in the House of Representatives, following the 2019 federal election and the 2020 by-election in Eden-Monaro. This is 31.12% of the 151 members elected to the House, comprising ALP 29, Liberals/LNP 14, Nationals 1, Centre Alliance 1 and Independents 2.
At the 2019 federal election, sixteen women entered the House for the first time: Liberal 7, Nationals 1, ALP 6, Independent 2.
Thirteen woman departed the House at the 2019 election: Liberal 5, ALP 6, Independent 2. Of the departures, 6 retired, 4 were defeated, and 3 were defeated at preselection or retired under threat of preselection defeat.
At by-elections on July 28, 2018, Justine Keay (Braddon), Susan Lamb (Longman) and Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo) were re-elected, following their resignations due to breaches of Section 44 of the Constitution. Lamb and Keay were then defeated at the 2019 election, whilst Sharkie was re-elected.
Reflecting the relatively recent increase in female representation, the 47 members currently serving represent 35.33% of the 133 female members since Federation.
The oldest currently serving female is Nola Marino (Lib-Forrest), 69. The youngest is Anika Wells (ALP-Lilley), 37.
| Women Members of the 46th House of Representatives 2019 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State/Territory | Liberal/LNP | Nationals | Aust Labor Party | Centre Alliance | Independent | TOTAL |
| New South Wales (47) | ||||||
| Victoria (38) | ||||||
| Queensland (30) | ||||||
| Western Australia (16) | ||||||
| South Australia (10) | ||||||
| Tasmania (5) | ||||||
| Aust Capital Territory (3) | ||||||
| Northern Territory (2) | ||||||
| TOTAL (151) | ||||||
Assorted Statistics
- The longest-serving female member of the House of Representatives is Jenny Macklin, who represented the Victorian electorate of Jagajaga for the ALP for 23 years, 1 month, 9 days between 1996 and 2019.
- The shortest-serving female member of the House of Representatives is Dr Kerryn Phelps, who held the NSW seat of Wentworth for 6 months, 28 days between 2018 and 2019.
- Just ten (7.51%) of the 133 women elected to the House have died.
- Six of the 133 women have also served in the Senate, four before entering the House (Kathy Sullivan/Martin, Bronwyn Bishop, Cheryl Kernot and Belinda Neal), and two after leaving the House (Deborah O’Neill and Pauline Hanson).
- Ten of the 133 women have served in state or territory parliaments. Janice Crosio (NSW), Dr Carmen Lawrence (WA), Annette Ellis (ACT), Jill Hall (NSW), Janelle Saffin (NSW) and Linda Burney (NSW) served in the federal parliament after leaving state/territory parliament, whilst Silvia Smith (Tas), Michelle O’Byrne (Tas) and Yvette D’Ath (Qld) served first in the House. Janelle Saffin returned to the NSW parliament in 2019 as MLA for Lismore. The ALP’s Alannah MacTiernan (WA) served as a member and a minister at the state level before completing one term in the House and then returning as a member and minister at the state level. Janice Crosio and Linda Burney also served as ministers at the state level.
- Of the 86 former female members, 40 (46.51%) were defeated at an election. Sharryn Jackson was defeated, re-elected and defeated again. Joan Child, Fran Bailey and Teresa Gambaro were each defeated, re-elected, and then retired. They are counted on their final departure reason.
- Of the 86 former female members, 39 (44.04%) ultimately chose their own time to retire. Seven women (8.13%) left the House after losing a preselection or retiring in the face of a denial of preselection.
- One former member, (Jackie Kelly), was disqualified under Section 44 of the Constitution, but was comfortably re-elected and went on to win four terms, before being defeated.
- The oldest former female member of the House is Jeannette McHugh (ALP-Phillip/Grayndler), 88. The youngest former member is Kate Ellis (ALP-Adelaide), 45.
The table below lists each woman by the date of her first election to the House. It also shows details of those who also served in the Senate or other parliaments. Where members have left the House, the reason for departure is shown.
| Women Members of the House of Representatives Since 1901 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Party | Seat | Term Began | Term Ended |
Reason | Birth | Death | Age |
| (Dame) Enid Lyons | |||||||||
| Doris Blackburn | |||||||||
| Kay Brownbill | |||||||||
| Joan Child | 18.10.1980 |
19.02.1990 |
retired |
||||||
| Elaine Darling | |||||||||
| Ros Kelly | |||||||||
| Wendy Fatin | Brand (WA) |
01.12.1984 |
29.01.1996 |
||||||
| Jeannette McHugh | Grayndler (NSW) |
13.03.1993 |
29.01.1996 |
||||||
| Helen Mayer | |||||||||
| Carolyn Jakobsen | |||||||||
| Kathy Sullivan (Martin) | Moncrieff (Qld) |
01.12.1984 |
08.10.2001 |
||||||
| Mary Crawford | |||||||||
| Elizabeth Harvey | |||||||||
| Fran Bailey | 02.03.1996 |
19.07.2010 |
retired |
||||||
| Janice Crosio | |||||||||
| Christine Gallus | Hindmarsh (SA) |
13.03.1993 |
31.08.2004 |
||||||
| Maggie Deahm | |||||||||
| Mary Easson | |||||||||
| Marjorie Henzell | |||||||||
| Judi Moylan | |||||||||
| Silvia Smith | MLC Windermere (Tas) |
31.05.1997 |
03.05.2003 |
||||||
| Trish Worth | |||||||||
| Dr Carmen Lawrence | MLA Subiaco MLA Glenalough Fremantle (WA) |
1986 1989 12.03.1994 |
1989 1994 17.10.2007 |
new seat resigned retired |
|||||
| Bronwyn Bishop | Mackellar (NSW) |
26.03.1994 |
09.05.2016 |
preselection |
|||||
| Trish Draper | |||||||||
| Annette Ellis | Canberra (ACT) |
03.10.1998 |
19.07.2010 |
||||||
| Kay Elson | |||||||||
| Teresa Gambaro | Brisbane (Qld) |
21.08.2010 |
09.05.2016 |
retired |
|||||
| Joanna Gash | |||||||||
| Elizabeth Grace | |||||||||
| Pauline Hanson | One Nation |
Senate (Qld) |
02.07.2016 |
– |
– |
||||
| Susan Jeanes | |||||||||
| Ricky Johnston | |||||||||
| De-Anne Kelly | |||||||||
| Jackie Kelly | 19.10.1996 |
17.10.2007 |
retired |
||||||
| Jenny Macklin | |||||||||
| Dr Sharman Stone | |||||||||
| Danna Vale | |||||||||
| Andrea West | |||||||||
| Julie Bishop | |||||||||
| Anna Burke | |||||||||
| Jane Gerick | |||||||||
| Julia Gillard | |||||||||
| Jill Hall | Shortland (NSW) |
03.10.1998 |
09.05.2016 |
retired |
|||||
| Kelly Hoare | |||||||||
| Kay Hull | |||||||||
| Julia Irwin | |||||||||
| Cheryl Kernot | Dickson (Qld) |
03.10.1998 |
10.11.2001 |
defeated |
|||||
| Kirsten Livermore | |||||||||
| Margaret May | |||||||||
| Jann McFarlane | |||||||||
| Michelle O’Byrne | MHA Bass (Tas) |
18.03.2006 |
– |
– |
|||||
| Tanya Plibersek | |||||||||
| Nicola Roxon | |||||||||
| Ann Corcoran | |||||||||
| Leonie Short | |||||||||
| Jennie George | |||||||||
| Sharon Grierson | |||||||||
| Sharryn Jackson | 24.11.2007 |
21.08.2010 |
defeated |
||||||
| Catherine King | |||||||||
| Sussan Ley | |||||||||
| Sophie Mirabella | |||||||||
| Maria Vamvakinou | |||||||||
| Sharon Bird | |||||||||
| Justine Elliot | |||||||||
| Kate Ellis | |||||||||
| Louise Markus | Macquarie (NSW) |
21.08.2010 |
02.07.2016 |
||||||
| Julie Owens | |||||||||
| Jodie Campbell | |||||||||
| Julie Collins | |||||||||
| Yvette D’Ath | MLA Redcliffe |
22.02.2014 |
– |
– |
|||||
| Nola Marino | |||||||||
| Maxine McKew | |||||||||
| Belinda Neal | Robertson (NSW) |
24.11.2007 |
19.07.2010 |
preselection |
|||||
| Melissa Parke | |||||||||
| Kerry Rea | |||||||||
| Amanda Rishworth | |||||||||
| Janelle Saffin | MLA Lismore |
23.03.2019 |
– |
– |
|||||
| Kelly O’Dwyer | |||||||||
| Karen Andrews | |||||||||
| Gai Brodtmann | |||||||||
| Natasha Griggs | |||||||||
| Deborah O’Neill | Senate (NSW) |
13.11.2013 |
– |
||||||
| Jane Prentice | |||||||||
| Michelle Rowland | |||||||||
| Laura Smyth | |||||||||
| Lisa Chesters | |||||||||
| Sharon Claydon | |||||||||
| Sarah Henderson | |||||||||
| Michelle Landry | |||||||||
| Alannah MacTiernan | MLA Armadale Perth (WA) MLC North Metro |
14.12.1996 07.09.2013 2017 |
19.07.2010 09.05.2016 – |
resigned retired – |
|||||
| Cathy McGowan | |||||||||
| Karen McNamara | |||||||||
| Clare O’Neil | |||||||||
| Melissa Price | |||||||||
| Joanne Ryan | |||||||||
| Fiona Scott | |||||||||
| Ann Sudmalis | |||||||||
| Lucy Wicks | |||||||||
| Terri Butler | |||||||||
| Anne Aly | |||||||||
| Julia Banks | |||||||||
| Linda Burney | |||||||||
| Nicolle Flint | |||||||||
| Emma Husar | |||||||||
| Justine Keay | 28.07.2018 |
18.05.2019 |
defeated |
||||||
| Madeleine King | |||||||||
| Susan Lamb | 28.07.2018 |
18.05.2019 |
defeated |
||||||
| Emma McBride | |||||||||
| Cathy O’Toole | |||||||||
| Rebekha Sharkie | CA |
28.07.2018 |
– |
– |
|||||
| Anne Stanley | |||||||||
| Meryl Swanson | |||||||||
| Susan Templeman | |||||||||
| Ged Kearney | |||||||||
| Dr Kerryn Phelps | |||||||||
| Katie Allen | |||||||||
| Bridget Archer | |||||||||
| Angie Bell | |||||||||
| Libby Coker | |||||||||
| Dr Helen Haines | |||||||||
| Celia Hammond | |||||||||
| Gladys Liu | |||||||||
| Fiona Martin | |||||||||
| Melissa McIntosh | |||||||||
| Peta Murphy | |||||||||
| Alicia Payne | |||||||||
| Fiona Phillips | |||||||||
| Zali Steggall | |||||||||
| Kate Thwaites | |||||||||
| Anne Webster | |||||||||
| Anika Wells | |||||||||
| Kristy McBain | |||||||||
