Women in the Australian Senate - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

There have been 80 women in the Australian Senate since the establishment of the Parliament of Australia

Parliament of Australia

The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...

. Women have had the right to both vote and sit in parliament since 1902 and all states and territories have been represented by a woman in the Senate

Australian Senate

The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...

. In the 43rd and current Parliament of Australia 29 of the 76 senators are female.

History

The passage of the Commonwealth Franchise Act
Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902
The Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 was an Act of the Parliament of Australia which defined who was allowed to vote in Australian federal elections. The Act granted Australian women the right to vote at a national level, and to stand for election to the Parliament...

allowed women to both vote and stand for election to the Parliament of Australia. Numerous women stood unsuccessfully as independents or as representatives of minor parties for election to the Senate, including prominent South Australian suffragist Vida Goldstein

Vida Goldstein

Vida Jane Mary Goldstein was an early Australian feminist politician who campaigned for women's suffrage and social reform.-Early years:...

, who ran in 1903, 1910 and 1917. However, women were not successful in entering federal politics until 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...

. 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

Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...

representative Dorothy Tangney

Dorothy Tangney

Dame Dorothy Margaret Tangney DBE was an Australian politician and the first woman member of the Australian Senate.Dorothy Tangney started her career as a school teacher in Western Australia...

in 1943; she represented Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

. Following Tangney's entry into politics, the Senate has continuously had women members. (By contrast, although the first woman member of the House of Representatives

Australian House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....

, Dame Enid Lyons

Enid Lyons

Dame Enid Muriel Lyons, AD, GBE was an Australian politician and the first woman to be elected to the Australian House of Representatives as well as the first woman appointed to the federal Cabinet...

, was also elected in 1943, that house has had women members continuously only since 1980.)

The second woman elected to the Senate, Annabelle Rankin

Annabelle Rankin

Dame Annabelle Jane Mary Rankin DBE was the second woman member of the Australian Senate, the first woman from Queensland to sit in the Parliament of Australia, the first woman to have a federal portfolio and the first woman to be appointed head of a foreign mission.-Biography:Rankin was born in...

, also achieved a number of firsts for women: she was the first female Whip

Whip (politics)

A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...

, and she was the first woman with a federal portfolio when she became Minister for Housing in 1966. In 1975, Margaret Guilfoyle

Margaret Guilfoyle

Dame Margaret Georgina Constance Guilfoyle, AC, DBE was a British-born Australian Senator for the state of Victoria from 1971 to 1987. She was the second woman to receive a federal ministerial portfolio, after Dame Enid Lyons...

became the first female cabinet minister with a portfolio. In 1996 Margaret Reid

Margaret Reid

Margaret Elizabeth Reid AO is a former Australian politician. She was the first woman to be President of the Australian Senate.-Early years:...

was the first woman elected as President of the Senate.

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

Susan Ryan

Susan Maree Ryan AO is an Australian educator who served as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory 1975–87...

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.

List of women in the Australian Senate

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

Australian House of Representatives

. Where no closing date is shown, the Senator’s term of service is unexpired.

Name	Party	State	Period of service
Dorothy Tangney Dorothy Tangney Dame Dorothy Margaret Tangney DBE was an Australian politician and the first woman member of the Australian Senate.Dorothy Tangney started her career as a school teacher in Western Australia...	Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...	WA Western Australia Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...	21 August 1943 – 30 June 1968 (defeated)
Annabelle Rankin Annabelle Rankin Dame Annabelle Jane Mary Rankin DBE was the second woman member of the Australian Senate, the first woman from Queensland to sit in the Parliament of Australia, the first woman to have a federal portfolio and the first woman to be appointed head of a foreign mission.-Biography:Rankin was born in...	Liberal 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...	Qld Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...	1 July 1947 – 24 April 1971 (resigned)
Agnes Robertson Agnes Robertson Agnes Robertson Robertson was an Australian Senator for Western Australia.She was elected to the senate in 1950 as a Liberal Party representative; in 1955 she switched her allegiance and represented the Country Party for the remainder of her parliamentary service; for this reason she is regarded...	Liberal; Country Party National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...	WA	22 February 1950 – 30 June 1962 (retired)
Ivy Wedgwood Ivy Wedgwood Dame Ivy Evelyn Wedgwood, DBE was an Australian Senator for Victoria.Wedgwood was the first female Senator to represent Victoria. During her 21 year term, which ran from 1950 to 1971, she became the first woman to chair a Senate Committee in 1968....	Liberal	Vic Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....	22 February 1950 – 30 June 1971 (retired)
Nancy Buttfield Nancy Buttfield Dame Nancy Buttfield DBE was an Australian Senator and the first woman to serve in the Australian Parliament as a representative of the state of South Australia....	Liberal	SA 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...	11 October 1955 – 30 June 1965 (defeated) 1 July 1968 –11 April 1974 (retired)
Marie Breen Marie Breen Dame Marie Breen, DBE was an Australian Senator representing the Liberal Party of Australia in the state of Victoria.-Biography:She was born in St Kilda, Melbourne. and christened Marie Freda Chamberlin...	Liberal	Vic	1 July 1962 – 30 June 1968 (retired)
Margaret Guilfoyle Margaret Guilfoyle Dame Margaret Georgina Constance Guilfoyle, AC, DBE was a British-born Australian Senator for the state of Victoria from 1971 to 1987. She was the second woman to receive a federal ministerial portfolio, after Dame Enid Lyons...	Liberal	Vic	1 July 1971 – 5 June 1987 (retired)
Ruth Coleman Ruth Coleman Ruth Nancy Coleman was an Australian Senator who represented the Australian Labor Party for the state of Western Australia. She served as a Senator for 14 years, from 18 April 1974 to 5 June 1987.-References:...	Labor	WA	18 April 1974 – 5 June 1987 (retired)
Kathy Sullivan Kathy Sullivan (Australian politician) Kathy Sullivan , Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from 1974 to 1984, representing Queensland, and a member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Moncrieff, Queensland, from 1984 to 2001. She served longer in the Australian Parliament than any other... *	Liberal	Qld	18 May 1974 – 5 November 1984 (resigned)
Jean Melzer Jean Melzer Jean Isobelle Melzer was an Australian Senator representing the Australian Labor Party and the state of Victoria. She was elected on 18 May 1974 she served two terms, she was defeated at 1980 elections as she was placed third on the Labor ticket...	Labor	Vic	18 May 1974 – 30 June 1981 (defeated)
Susan Ryan Susan Ryan Susan Maree Ryan AO is an Australian educator who served as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory 1975–87...	Labor	ACT Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...	13 December 1975 – 29 January 1988 (resigned)
Shirley Walters Shirley Walters Mary Shirley Walters served as an Australian Senator for Tasmania from 13 December 1975. She retired from parliament on 30 June 1993. Before she entered politics she worked as a nurse. She is the daughter of Sir Eric Harrison....	Liberal	Tas 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...	13 December 1975 – 30 June 1993 (retired)
Janine Haines Janine Haines Janine Haines, AM , Australian politician, was the first female federal parliamentary leader of an Australian political party. An Australian Democrat, she was also the first member of that party to enter the federal parliament after the party's formation...	Democrats Australian Democrats The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...	SA	14 December 1977 – 30 June 1978 (retired) 1 July 1981 – 1 March 1990 (resigned)
Jean Hearn Jean Hearn Jean Margaret Hearn was an Australian Senator and trade unionist. Hearn was appointed to the Senate on 15 October 1980 as a representative from Tasmania. She retired on 30 June 1985.-References:*...	Labor	Tas	15 October 1980 –30 June 1985 (retired)
Florence Bjelke-Petersen	NCP National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... ; National National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...	Qld	12 March 1981 – 30 June 1993 (retired)
Margaret Reid Margaret Reid Margaret Elizabeth Reid AO is a former Australian politician. She was the first woman to be President of the Australian Senate.-Early years:...	Liberal	ACT	5 May 1981 – 14 February 2003 (resigned)
Patricia Giles Patricia Giles Patricia Jessie Giles AM is a women's activist and former Australian Senator. She was the President of the International Alliance of Women for three terms, the last ending in 2004....	Labor	WA	1 July 1981 – 30 June 1993 (retired)
Rosemary Crowley Rosemary Crowley Rosemary Anne Crowley was a Labor Senator for South Australia from 1983 to 2002.Before entering politics Crowley was a medical practitioner and tutor at Flinders University...	Labor	SA	5 March 1983 – 30 June 2002 (retired)
Margaret Reynolds Margaret Reynolds Margaret Reynolds served as an Australian Labor Party Senator for Queensland from 1983 to 1999.Reynolds had two ministerial appointments during her time in the Senate, serving as Minister for Local Government from September 1987 to April 1990 and as Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the...	Labor	Qld	5 March 1983 – 30 June 1999 (retired)
Olive Zakharov Olive Zakharov Alice Olive Zakharov was an Australian politician. Zakharov was elected as an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian Senate relatively late in life, in 1983....	Labor	Vic	5 March 1983 – 6 March 1995 (died)
Susan Knowles Susan Knowles Susan Christine Knowles represented Western Australia and the Liberal Party in the Australian Senate from 1 December 1984 until her retirement on 30 June 2005.-References:*...	Liberal	WA	1 December 1984 – 30 June 2005 (retired)
Amanda Vanstone Amanda Vanstone Amanda Eloise Vanstone is a former Australian politician and a former Ambassador to Italy. She was a Liberal Senator for South Australia from 1984 to 2007, and held several ministerial portfolios in the Howard Government. After her resignation from the Senate in 2007, she served as the Australian...	Liberal	SA	1 December 1984 – 26 April 2007 (retired)
Jo Vallentine Jo Vallentine Josephine Vallentine is a peace activist and a former Australian Senator for Western Australia. Vallentine entered the Senate on 1 July 1985 after she had been elected as a member of the Nuclear Disarmament Party but she sat as an independent and then as a member of the Greens Western Australia...	NDP Nuclear Disarmament Party The Nuclear Disarmament Party was a political party in Australia. The party was formed in 1984 and enjoyed considerable initial success.-Foundation, the 1984 election, and the split:... ; Independent; Greens WA Greens Western Australia The Greens Western Australia is the state branch of the Australian Greens in Western Australia. The Greens WA was formed following the merger of the WA Greens and the Green Earth Alliance...	WA	1 July 1985 – 31 January 1992 (resigned)
Jocelyn Newman Jocelyn Newman Jocelyn Margaret Newman was an Australian Senator for Tasmania for 15 years.Newman was born in Melbourne and was a Barrister and solicitor before entering Parliament. She married Kevin Newman in 1961. Her son Campbell Newman is the Lord Mayor of Brisbane.Newman was appointed to the Senate on 13...	Liberal	Tas	13 March 1986 – 1 February 2002 (resigned)
Janet Powell Janet Powell Janet Frances Powell in Nhill, Victoria, is an Australian politician.She was appointed a senator for Victoria, representing the Australian Democrats, upon the resignation of the party's founder, Don Chipp, in 1986. She was elected the following year. She became the third leader of the party, from...	Democrats; Independent	Vic	26 August 1986 – 30 June 1993 (defeated)
Sue West Sue West Suzanne Margaret West was an Australian Labor Party Senator for New South Wales. She was appointed to the Senate in February 1987 following the resignation of Douglas McClelland. Defeated at election later that year, she returned to the Senate in 1990 and was re-elected in 1996. She retired prior...	Labor	NSW New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...	11 February 1987 – 5 June 1987 (defeated) 1 July 1990 – 30 June 2002 (retired)
Bronwyn Bishop Bronwyn Bishop Bronwyn Kathleen Bishop , an Australian politician, is a Member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Liberal Party representing the Division of Mackellar, New South Wales since 1994... *	Liberal	NSW	11 July 1987 – 24 February 1994 (resigned)
Jean Jenkins Jean Jenkins Jean Alice Jenkins is an Australian educator in languages and served as an Australian Democrats senator for Western Australia from 1987 to 1990. She is also noted as an originator in Western Australia of NAATI-accredited level 2 courses in translation and interpreting, and as a campaigner for...	Democrats	WA	11 July 1987 – 30 June 1990 (defeated)
Kay Patterson Kay Patterson Kay Christine Lesley Patterson is a former Australian politician. She was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from 1987 to 2008, representing the state of Victoria....	Liberal	Vic	11 July 1987 – 30 June 2008 (retired)
Irina Dunn Irina Dunn Patricia Irene Dunn is an Australian writer who served in the Australian Senate between 1988 and 1990.-Background:Dunn was born in Shanghai, China around the time of the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War, and her family, associated with Chiang Kai-Shek, fled to Hong Kong...	NDP; Independent	NSW	21 July 1988 – 30 July 1990 (defeated)
Meg Lees Meg Lees Meg Heather Lees was a member of the Australian Senate from 1990 to 2005, representing the state of South Australia. She represented the Australian Democrats from 1990 to 2002, and was an independent senator between 2002 and 2005, adopting the party designation Australian Progressive Alliance from...	Democrats; APA Australian Progressive Alliance The Australian Progressive Alliance was a minor liberal party in Australia, formed by Meg Lees, an independent senator and former leader of the Australian Democrats, in April 2003...	SA	4 April 1990 – 30 June 2005 (defeated)
Vicki Bourne Vicki Bourne Vicki Worrall Bourne is a former Australian Democrats Senator for New South Wales from 1990 to 2002.Bourne was born in Sydney; she attended the selective High School, Fort Street, and then UNSW where she obtained a BSc and MSc...	Democrats	NSW	1 July 1990 – 30 June 2002 (defeated)
Cheryl Kernot Cheryl Kernot Cheryl Kernot is an Australian politician, academic, and political activist. She was a member of the Australian Senate representing Queensland for the Australian Democrats from 1990 to 1997, and the fifth leader of the Australian Democrats from 1993 to 1997... *	Democrats	Qld	1 July 1990 – 15 October 1997 (resigned)
Karin Sowada Karin Sowada Karin Nicole Sowada is an Australian archaeologist and former politician. She served two years as an Australian Democrats senator for New South Wales between 1991 and 1993, filling the casual vacancy created by the resignation of Paul McLean...	Democrats	NSW	29 August 1991 – 30 June 1993 (defeated)
Christabel Chamarette Christabel Chamarette Christabel Marguerite Alain Chamarette, sometimes Christabel Bridge was a Greens Western Australia Senator for Western Australia from 1992 to 1996.-Personal life:...	Greens WA	WA	12 March 1992 – 30 June 1996 (defeated)
Dee Margetts Dee Margetts Diane Elizabeth Margetts was an Australian politician. She was a member of the Australian Senate from 1993 to 1999 and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 2001 to 2005, representing the Greens Western Australia....	Greens WA	WA	1 July 1993 – 30 June 1999 (defeated)
Judith Troeth Judith Troeth Judith Mary Troeth has been a Liberal member of the Australian Senate since July 1993, representing the state of Victoria. She was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and was educated at the Methodist Ladies' College, and later at the University of Melbourne, where she graduated in arts and education...	Liberal	Vic	1 July 1993 – 30 June 2011 (retired)
Kay Denman Kay Denman Kay Janet Denman , Australian politician, was a member of the Australian Senate for the state of Tasmania from 1993 to 2005, representing the Australian Labor Party....	Labor	Tas	24 August 1993 – 30 June 2005 (retired)
Belinda Neal Belinda Neal Belinda Jane Neal , a former Australian federal politician, was a Member of the House of Representatives representing the electorate of Robertson between 2007 and 2010; and representing the state of New South Wales in the Senate from 1994 to 1998, both of behalf of the Australian Labor... *	Labor	NSW	8 March 1994 – 3 September 1998 (resigned)
Jacinta Collins Jacinta Collins Jacinta Mary Ann Collins , is an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian Senate. She served from May 1995 to 2005, and again from May 2008, representing the state of Victoria....	Labor	Vic	3 May 1995 – 30 June 2005 (defeated) 8 May 2008 –
Natasha Stott Despoja Natasha Stott Despoja Natasha Jessica Stott Despoja AM is an Australian former politician and former leader of the Australian Democrats. She was a Democrats senator for South Australia from 1995 to 2008...	Democrats	SA	29 November 1995 – 30 June 2008 (retired)
Kate Lundy Kate Lundy Kate Alexandra Lundy is a member of the Australian Senate, representing the Australian Capital Territory.Born in Sydney, Lundy dropped out of Year 11 without telling her parents and went to work on a construction site...	Labor	ACT	2 March 1996 –
Sue Mackay Sue Mackay Sue Mary Mackay is an Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the Australian Senate representing the state of Tasmania. She was appointed to the Senate on 8 March 1996 and resigned on 29 July 2005....	Labor	Tas	8 March 1996 – 27 June 2005 (resigned)
Lyn Allison Lyn Allison Lynette Fay "Lyn" Allison is an Australian politician. She was a member of the Australian Senate from 1996 to 2008, representing the state of Victoria. She was the last federal parliamentary leader of the Australian Democrats....	Democrats	Vic	1 July 1996 – 30 June 2008 (defeated)
Helen Coonan Helen Coonan Helen Lloyd Coonan is a former Australian politician, who was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate representing New South Wales from July 1996 to August 2011.-Early life:...	Liberal	NSW	1 July 1996 – 22 August 2011 (resigned)
Jeannie Ferris Jeannie Ferris Jeannie Margaret Ferris was an Australian politician, lobbyist, journalist, and Liberal Senator for South Australia. She was educated at Monash University, where she graduated in agricultural economics....	Liberal	SA	1 July 1996 – 2 April 2007 (died)
Brenda Gibbs Brenda Gibbs Brenda Gibbs is an Australian politician. Gibbs was elected to the Australian Senate for Queensland in 1996, representing the Australian Labor Party. Her first term began on 1 July 1996, she was not re-elected at the Australian federal election, 2001, and her term expired on 30 June...	Labor	Qld	1 July 1996 – 30 June 2002 (defeated)
Marise Payne Marise Payne Marise Ann Payne is an Australian politician. She is a Liberal Senator for the state of New South Wales. Senator Payne was appointed to the Senate on 9 April 1997, and elected in 2001 for a full term, and again in 2007.-Early life:...	Liberal	NSW	9 April 1997 –
Karen Synon Karen Synon Karen Margaret Synon was an Australian Senator for the state of Victoria. Synon was appointed to the Senate on 13 May 1997 as a result of Jim Short's resignation, however she was defeated at the 1998 election and her term ended on 30 June 1999.-References:*...	Liberal	Vic	13 May 1997 – 30 June 1999 (defeated)
Trish Crossin Trish Crossin Patricia Margaret "Trish" Crossin , Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian Senate for the Northern Territory since June 1998, representing the Australian Labor Party...	Labor	NT Northern Territory The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...	16 June 1998 –
Jan McLucas Jan McLucas Jan Elizabeth McLucas is an Australian politician, representing Queensland and the Australian Labor Party in the Australian Senate.-Biography:McLucas's parents are Ronald and Audrey McLucas...	Labor	Qld	1 July 1999 –
Linda Kirk Linda Kirk Linda Jean Kirk is an Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the Australian Senate from 2002 to 2008, representing the state of South Australia....	Labor	SA	1 July 2002 – 30 June 2008 (retired)
Claire Moore Claire Moore Claire Mary Moore is an Australian politician. Moore was elected to the Australian Senate from Queensland in July 2001, representing the Australian Labor Party. Her term began on 1 July 2002....	Labor	Qld	1 July 2002–
Kerry Nettle Kerry Nettle Kerry Michelle Nettle is a former Australian Senator and member of the Australian Greens in New South Wales. Elected at the 2001 federal election on a primary vote of 4.36 percent with One Nation and micro-party preferences, she failed to gain re-election at the 2007 federal election, despite an...	Greens Australian Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...	NSW	1 July 2002 – 30 June 2008 (defeated)
Ursula Stephens Ursula Stephens Ursula Mary Stephens is an Australian politician. She was elected to the Australian Senate for New South Wales in November 2001, representing the Australian Labor Party. She began her term on 1 July 2002....	Labor	NSW	1 July 2002 –
Ruth Webber Ruth Webber Ruth Stephanie Webber is an Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the Australian Senate from 2002 to 2008, representing the state of Western Australia....	Labor	WA	1 July 2002 – 30 June 2008 (defeated)
Penny Wong Penny Wong Penelope "Penny" Ying-yen Wong , is an Australian Labor Party senator for South Australia and the Federal Minister for Finance and Deregulation. Wong was the first Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water. Her appointment was amended on 26 February 2010, by the Prime Minister, to the...	Labor	SA	1 July 2002 –
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells Concetta Fierravanti-Wells Concetta Anna Fierravanti-Wells , Australian politician, is a member of Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales...	Liberal	NSW	5 May 2005 –
Judith Adams Judith Adams Judith Anne Adams , Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian Senate since July 2005, representing Western Australia. She was born in Picton, New Zealand, and was a trained nurse and midwife experienced in health care policy...	Liberal	WA	1 July 2005 –
Annette Hurley Annette Hurley Annette Kay Hurley is an Australian politician. Elected at the 2004 federal election, she has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2005, representing the state of South Australia...	Labor	SA	1 July 2005 – 30 June 2011 (retired)
Anne McEwen	Labor	SA	1 July 2005 –
Christine Milne Christine Milne Christine Anne Milne is an Australian Senator and deputy leader of the Australian Greens.Christine Milne first came to public attention for her role in opposing the building of the Wesley Vale pulp mill near Bass Strait in North Western Tasmania on the basis of its allegedly harmful environmental...	Greens	Tas	1 July 2005 –
Fiona Nash Fiona Nash Fiona Joy Nash , Australian politician, has been a National Party of Australia member of the Australian Senate since 1 July 2005, representing the state of New South Wales....	National	NSW	1 July 2005 –
Helen Polley Helen Polley Helen Beatrice Polley is an Australian Labor Party Senator for the state of Tasmania, since 1 July 2005.Before entering the federal government Polley was an advisor to two Labor Premiers of Tasmania; Jim Bacon and Paul Lennon. She was elected to the Senate in 2004 and her term began in...	Labor	Tas.	1 July 2005 –
Rachel Siewert Rachel Siewert Rachel Mary Siewert is an Australian Greens politician who was elected to represent Western Australia in the Australian Senate at the 2004 federal election....	Greens	WA	1 July 2005 –
Dana Wortley Dana Wortley -External links:*...	Labor	SA	1 July 2005 – 30 June 2011 (defeated)
Carol Brown	Labor	Tas.	25 August 2005 –
Sue Boyce Sue Boyce Suzanne Kay "Sue" Boyce , Australian politician, businesswoman and disability advocate, is a member of the Australian Senate for Queensland. She was selected by the Liberal Party in Queensland to replace Santo Santoro in the Senate, and endorsed by the Parliament of Queensland. She is Queensland's...	Liberal	Qld	19 April 2007 –
Mary Jo Fisher Mary Jo Fisher Mary Josephine Fisher is an Australian politician. She has been a Liberal member of the Australian Senate since 2007, representing the state of South Australia....	Liberal	SA	6 June 2007 –
Catryna Bilyk Catryna Bilyk Catryna Louise Bilyk is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of Tasmania....	Labor	Tas.	1 July 2008 –
Michaelia Cash Michaelia Cash Michaelia Clare Cash is an Australian politician. She has been a Liberal Party member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of Western Australia.Cash was first elected to parliament at the 2007 federal election...	Liberal	WA	1 July 2008 –
Sarah Hanson-Young Sarah Hanson-Young Sarah Coral Hanson-Young is an Australian politician. She has been a Greens member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of South Australia. she is the youngest person ever elected to the Australian Senate....	Greens	SA	1 July 2008 –
Helen Kroger Helen Kroger Helen Kroger is an Australian politician. She has been a Liberal member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of Victoria...	Liberal	Vic.	1 July 2008 –
Louise Pratt Louise Pratt Louise Clare Pratt is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of Western Australia. She had been assured of election at the 2007 federal election after winning the first position on the Labor ticket, defeating incumbent...	Labor	WA	1 July 2008 –
Bridget McKenzie Bridget McKenzie Bridget McKenzie is an Australian politician and National Party of Australia member of the Australian Senate for Victoria. She was elected to the Australian Senate representing Victoria at the 2010 federal election.-References:...	National	Vic.	1 July 2011 –
Lee Rhiannon Lee Rhiannon Lee Rhiannon , an Australian politician, is a Senator for New South Wales, elected at the 2010 federal election, representing the Australian Greens...	Greens	NSW	1 July 2011 –
Lisa Singh Lisa Singh Lisa Maria Singh is an Australian politician. She is currently an Australian Labor Party Senator for Tasmania. From 2006 to 2010, she was a Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, representing the division of Denison....	Labor	Tas.	1 July 2011 –
Anne Urquhart Anne Urquhart Anne Elizabeth Urquhart is an Australian politician and member of the Australian Labor Party. She was elected to the Australian Senate representing Tasmania at the 2010 Australian federal election....	Labor	Tas.	1 July 2011 –
Larissa Waters Larissa Waters Larissa Joy Waters is an Australian Greens Senator for Queensland.Waters was born in Winnipeg, Canada, grew up in Brisbane and lives in Bardon with her partner and their young daughter...	Greens	Qld	1 July 2011 –
Penny Wright Penny Wright Penelope Lesley "Penny" Wright is an Australian Greens senator for South Australia, first elected at the 2010 election.-Early life:...	Greens	SA	1 July 2011 –

History

List of women in the Australian Senate

See also