Mabel Miller
Encyclopedia
Dame Mabel Flora Miller, DBE
(30 November 1906 - 30 December 1978) was an Australia
n lawyer and politician. She was the first woman elected to the Hobart City Council
and one of the first two women to be elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
.
Born in Broken Hill, the second child of South Australia
n-born parents, Joseph Christian Goodhart, a draper, and Alice Mary Humphries Goodhart, she was raised in Adelaide. She was educated at Girton House Girls' Grammar School and received her LLB from the University of Adelaide
in 1927, going on to practiced as a barrister in Sydney
and London
.
At St George's Anglican Church, Hobart, on 24 July 1930 she married Alan John Richmond Miller (d. 1965), a 31-year-old chemist. They settled in Tasmania
and had a daughter.
During World War II
, Mabel Miller served in the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF), from 1941 to 1944 she was stationed on airbases around Australia. After the war she was active in the Australian Red Cross Society, the Queen Alexandra Hospital, and the Mary Ogilvy Homes Society. She served as president of the National Council of Women
of Tasmania from 1952-1954.
She decided to enter local politics when she heard there was mismanagement occurring in the Hobart City Council. She was elected to the Hobart City Council in 1952, she spent 20 years on the council her first sitting ended in 1955 when she was elected to the House of Assembly in 1955 as the member for Franklin. Amelia Best
was also elected in 1955. She remained in Parliament until 1964. After her time in parliament she returned to the Council, serving as deputy mayor from 1964 to 1970, she unsuccessfully stood for mayor in 1970, and resigned in 1972.
In 1967 she was the Australian representative on the United Nations
' Status of Women Commission, and an Australian delegate to the General Assembly of the United Nations.
for "distinguished public service" on 1 January 1967.
nursing home, aged 72, from undisclosed causes, and was cremated. She was survived by her daughter.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(30 November 1906 - 30 December 1978) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n lawyer and politician. She was the first woman elected to the Hobart City Council
City of Hobart
The City of Hobart is a Local Government Area of Tasmania, Australia. It is one of three local government areas covering the metropolitan area of the state capital, Hobart.-Government:...
and one of the first two women to be elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
.
Born in Broken Hill, the second child of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n-born parents, Joseph Christian Goodhart, a draper, and Alice Mary Humphries Goodhart, she was raised in Adelaide. She was educated at Girton House Girls' Grammar School and received her LLB from the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
in 1927, going on to practiced as a barrister in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
At St George's Anglican Church, Hobart, on 24 July 1930 she married Alan John Richmond Miller (d. 1965), a 31-year-old chemist. They settled in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and had a daughter.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Mabel Miller served in the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF), from 1941 to 1944 she was stationed on airbases around Australia. After the war she was active in the Australian Red Cross Society, the Queen Alexandra Hospital, and the Mary Ogilvy Homes Society. She served as president of the National Council of Women
National Council of Women of Australia
The National Council of Women of Australia is an Australian organisation founded in 1931. The council is an umbrella organisation with which are affiliated seven State and Territory National Councils of Women...
of Tasmania from 1952-1954.
She decided to enter local politics when she heard there was mismanagement occurring in the Hobart City Council. She was elected to the Hobart City Council in 1952, she spent 20 years on the council her first sitting ended in 1955 when she was elected to the House of Assembly in 1955 as the member for Franklin. Amelia Best
Amelia Best
Amelia Martha Best MBE was one of the first two women elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly.Best was born in Lower Barrington, Tasmania, Australia...
was also elected in 1955. She remained in Parliament until 1964. After her time in parliament she returned to the Council, serving as deputy mayor from 1964 to 1970, she unsuccessfully stood for mayor in 1970, and resigned in 1972.
In 1967 she was the Australian representative on the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' Status of Women Commission, and an Australian delegate to the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Damehood
Mabel Miller was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for "distinguished public service" on 1 January 1967.
Death
Dame Mabel Miller died on 30 December 1978, in a New Town, TasmaniaNew Town, Tasmania
New Town is a suburb of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, located about 4 km north of the central business district of Hobart. One of the city's oldest suburbs, it is now an inner city residential suburb. Many of its streets are lined with Federation style cottages...
nursing home, aged 72, from undisclosed causes, and was cremated. She was survived by her daughter.