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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-21 Daily Xml
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EMILY'S LIST

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:43): I am a very proud member of the organisation EMILY's List, as are a number of Labor women in this place. In addition to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, many women across Australia—particularly members of parliament—are members of EMILY's List. On the weekend, I had the opportunity to be part of the celebrations to commemorate some of the EMILY's List trailblazers. The event, called Premiers Event, celebrated the work of Rosemary Follett AO, who was the chief minister of the ACT from 1989 to 1990 and then from 1991 to 1995. Not only was Rosemary Follett the ACT's first chief minister and treasurer, but she was also the first woman to head government at that level in Australia.

We celebrated Professor Dr Carmen Lawrence, premier of Western Australia from 1990 to 1993. Dr Lawrence came into politics from a research psychology background at the University of Western Australia, and it is interesting that she has gone back into academia since retiring. She was also in federal and state politics for 21 years and held many portfolio responsibilities in both state and federal parliament.

She was the first woman premier and treasurer of a state government, and I know that Western Australia holds her in very dear stead for the work that she did. She was the national president of the Labor Party in 2004.

We were also celebrating my absolute 'shero' and mentor Joan Kirner AM, who was the premier in Victoria from 1990 to 1992. She was the 42nd and first woman premier in Victoria, and that happened in August 1990. She is a founding member of EMILY's List, and she was also the inaugural national convenor from 1996 to 2006. She is now an ambassador for EMILY's List.

I think that anyone who has met Joan Kirner, where ever they come from in the political spectrum, would agree that she has always been a great role model to everyone about how a member of parliament should behave and the work that is needed. She is a great role model.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. S.W. KEY: She is also a very good rock'n'roll singer, as the member for Bragg points out. I understand reliably from the member for Florey that she had a birthday yesterday. I thought that she was 70 something, and the member for Florey says that she is 73. To see someone operating with such activity is pretty impressive.

Clare Martin was also celebrated. She was the chief minister of the Northern Territory from 2001-07. She had a background in journalism. She was a broadcaster in TV and radio, particularly with our beloved ABC. She was elected into parliament in 1990; and, as she said on the weekend, it was a shock in 2001 not only for Labor to get in as the government but also that she became the chief minister, a position she held for six years. She has gone back into academia at the Charles Darwin University, and she is involved in an important program looking at alcohol management in the Northern Territory region.

Anna Bligh is our first popularly-elected female Premier in Australia. She was elected on 21 March 2009 in the Queensland election. She also served as Premier in that state from 13 September 2007 following the resignation of Peter Beattie.

I also need to mention Lara Giddings MP who became Tasmania's 44th and first woman Premier in January 2011. I also mention Katy Gallagher, the second woman Chief Minister in the ACT, who attained that role in May 2011 after the resignation of chief minister Jon Stanhope.

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