Millicent Preston-Stanley
Encyclopedia
Millicent Preston-Stanley (9 September 1883 - 23 June 1955) was an Australia
n feminist, politician and the first female member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
and the second woman to enter government in Australia.
Preston-Stanley was born in Sydney
. She was actively involved in women's groups such as the Women's Liberal League and served as the president of the Feminist Club from 1919 to 1934 and from 1952 until her death in 1955.
In 1925 Preston-Stanley became the first female member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, representing the Eastern Suburbs as a member of the Nationalist Party
, one of the historic predecessor parties to today's Liberal Party
. After a failed bid in the 1921 election she persevered and picked the seat up in 1925.
In parliament she campaigned on the issues of women's mortality in childbirth, child welfare, institutional care for the mentally ill, and custody rights in divorce.
She personally took up the cause of Emilie Polini who lost custody because she intended to take a child overseas with her. Her private member's bill on equal custody rights failed she continued the campaign.
She left parliament in 1927 after an electoral redistribution of the newly created seat of Bondi saw her defeated at the polls.
Preston-Stanley married Crawford Vaughan
, former Premier of South Australia, in 1934. She died in the Sydney
suburb of Randwick
.
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 feminist, politician and the first female member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
and the second woman to enter government in Australia.
Preston-Stanley was born 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...
. She was actively involved in women's groups such as the Women's Liberal League and served as the president of the Feminist Club from 1919 to 1934 and from 1952 until her death in 1955.
In 1925 Preston-Stanley became the first female member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
, representing the Eastern Suburbs as a member of the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
, one of the historic predecessor parties to today's Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
. After a failed bid in the 1921 election she persevered and picked the seat up in 1925.
In parliament she campaigned on the issues of women's mortality in childbirth, child welfare, institutional care for the mentally ill, and custody rights in divorce.
She personally took up the cause of Emilie Polini who lost custody because she intended to take a child overseas with her. Her private member's bill on equal custody rights failed she continued the campaign.
She left parliament in 1927 after an electoral redistribution of the newly created seat of Bondi saw her defeated at the polls.
Preston-Stanley married Crawford Vaughan
Crawford Vaughan
Crawford Vaughan , was Premier of South Australia between 3 April 1915 and 14 July 1917.Vaughan unsuccessfully campaigned for a seat in the Australian House of Representatives in 1901, and for the Australian Senate in 1903...
, former Premier of South Australia, in 1934. She died in the 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...
suburb of Randwick
Randwick, New South Wales
Randwick is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick...
.