There have been 66 women in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since its establishment in 1890. Women have had the right to vote since 1899 and the right to stand as candidates since 1920.
The first successful female candidate for the Legislative Assembly was Edith Cowan, who was elected as the member for West Perth in 1921 representing the Nationalist Party of Australia. This was the first time a woman had won election anywhere in Australia. Cowan was defeated in 1924 but in 1925 May Holman was elected to the seat of Forrest in a by-election, becoming the first successful Labor woman in Australia. Holman was joined by Florence Cardell-Oliver of the Nationalist Party in 1936, who would become the first female cabinet minister. Cardell-Oliver's retirement in 1956 led to a period of absence for women, until June Craig of the Liberal Party was elected in 1974, since which time women have been continuously represented in the Assembly.
Hilda Turnbull was the first National Party woman elected to the Assembly in 1989, and only two women – Liz Constable (1991–2013) and Janet Woollard (2001–2013) – have been elected as independents. Adele Carles became the first Greens member of the Assembly in 2009, although she later quit the party. Carol Martin was the first Indigenous woman elected to the Assembly in 2001.
List of women in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Names in bold indicate women who have been appointed as Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries during their time in Parliament. Names in italics indicate women who were first elected at a by-election. An asterisk (*) indicates that the member also served in the Legislative Council.
| # | Name | Party | Electoral Division | Period of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edith Cowan | Nationalist | West Perth | 12 March 1921 – 22 March 1924 (defeated) |
| 2 | May Holman | Labor | Forrest | 3 April 1925 – 18 March 1939 (died) |
| 3 | Florence Cardell-Oliver | Nationalist/Liberal | Subiaco | 15 February 1936 – 7 April 1956 (retired) |
| 4 | June Craig | Liberal | Wellington | 30 March 1974 – 19 February 1983 (defeated) |
| 5 | Pam Beggs | Labor | Whitford | 19 February 1983 – 6 February 1993 (defeated) |
| Pam Buchanan | Labor/Independent | Pilbara Ashburton |
19 February 1983 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 3 March 1992 | |
| Yvonne Henderson | Labor | Gosnells Thornlie |
19 February 1983 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 14 December 1996 (retired) | |
| Jackie Watkins | Labor | Joondalup Wanneroo |
19 February 1983 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 6 February 1993 (defeated) | |
| 9 | Carmen Lawrence | Labor | Subiaco Glendalough |
8 February 1986 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 14 February 1994 (resigned to contest HoR) |
| Judyth Watson | Labor | Canning Kenwick |
8 February 1986 – 4 February 1989 4 February 1989 – 14 December 1996 (defeated) | |
| 11 | Cheryl Edwardes | Liberal | Kingsley | 4 February 1989 – 26 February 2005 (retired) |
| Hilda Turnbull | National | Collie | 4 February 1989 – 10 February 2001 (defeated) | |
| 13 | Judy Edwards | Labor | Maylands | 26 May 1990 – 6 September 2008 (retired) |
| 14 | Liz Constable | Independent | Floreat Churchlands |
20 July 1991 – 14 December 1996 14 December 1996 – 9 March 2013 (retired) |
| 15 | Kay Hallahan* | Labor | Armadale | 6 February 1993 – 14 December 1996 (retired) |
| June van de Klashorst | Liberal | Swan Hills | 6 February 1993 – 10 February 2001 (defeated) | |
| Diana Warnock | Labor | Perth | 6 February 1993 – 10 February 2001 (retired) | |
| 18 | Michelle Roberts | Labor | Glendalough Midland |
19 March 1994 – 14 December 1996 14 December 1996 – |
| 19 | Rhonda Parker | Liberal | Helena Ballajura |
10 September 1994 – 14 December 1996 14 December 1996 – 10 February 2001 (defeated) |
| 20 | Megan Anwyl | Labor | Kalgoorlie | 14 December 1996 – 10 February 2001 (defeated) |
| Katie Hodson-Thomas | Liberal | Carine | 14 December 1996 – 6 September 2008 (retired) | |
| Monica Holmes | Liberal | Southern River | 14 December 1996 – 10 February 2001 (defeated) | |
| Alannah MacTiernan* | Labor | Armadale | 14 December 1996 – 19 July 2010 (resigned to contest HoR) | |
| Sheila McHale | Labor | Thornlie | 14 December 1996 – 6 September 2008 (retired) | |
| 25 | Dianne Guise | Labor | Wanneroo | 10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 (defeated) |
| Carol Martin | Labor | Kimberley | 10 February 2001 – 9 March 2013 (retired) | |
| Margaret Quirk | Labor | Girrawheen Landsdale |
10 February 2001 – 13 March 2021 13 March 2021 – | |
| Jaye Radisich | Labor | Swan Hills | 10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 (retired) | |
| Sue Walker | Liberal/Independent | Nedlands | 10 February 2001 – 6 September 2008 (defeated) | |
| Janet Woollard | Independent | Alfred Cove | 10 February 2001 – 9 March 2013 (defeated) | |
| 31 | Judy Hughes | Labor | Kingsley | 26 February 2005 – 6 September 2008 (defeated) |
| 32 | Lisa Baker | Labor | Maylands | 6 September 2008 – |
| Janine Freeman | Labor | Nollamara | 6 September 2008 – 29 January 2021 (retired) | |
| Liza Harvey | Liberal | Scarborough | 6 September 2008 – 13 March 2021 (defeated) | |
| Andrea Mitchell | Liberal | Kingsley | 6 September 2008 – 11 March 2017 (defeated) | |
| Rita Saffioti | Labor | West Swan | 6 September 2008 – | |
| 37 | Adele Carles | Greens/Independent | Fremantle | 16 May 2009 – 9 March 2013 (defeated) |
| 38 | Mia Davies* | National | Central Wheatbelt | 9 March 2013 – |
| Wendy Duncan* | National | Kalgoorlie | 9 March 2013 – 11 March 2017 (retired) | |
| Eleni Evangel | Liberal | Perth | 9 March 2013 – 11 March 2017 (defeated) | |
| Josie Farrer | Labor | Kimberley | 9 March 2013 – 29 January 2021 (retired) | |
| Glenys Godfrey | Liberal | Belmont | 9 March 2013 – 11 March 2017 (defeated) | |
| Simone McGurk | Labor | Fremantle | 9 March 2013 – | |
| 44 | Libby Mettam | Liberal | Vasse | 18 October 2014 – |
| 45 | Robyn Clarke | Labor | Murray-Wellington | 11 March 2017 – |
| Emily Hamilton | Labor | Joondalup | 11 March 2017 – | |
| Lisa O'Malley | Labor | Bicton | 11 March 2017 – | |
| Cassie Rowe | Labor | Belmont | 11 March 2017 – | |
| Amber-Jade Sanderson* | Labor | Morley | 11 March 2017 – | |
| Jessica Shaw | Labor | Swan Hills | 11 March 2017 – | |
| Jessica Stojkovski | Labor | Kingsley | 11 March 2017 – | |
| Sabine Winton | Labor | Wanneroo | 11 March 2017 – | |
| 53 | Alyssa Hayden* | Liberal | Darling Range | 23 June 2018 – 13 March 2021 (defeated) |
| 54 | Hannah Beazley | Labor | Victoria Park | 13 March 2021 – |
| Caitlin Collins | Labor | Hillarys | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Lara Dalton | Labor | Geraldton | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Divina D'Anna | Labor | Kimberley | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Kim Giddens | Labor | Bateman | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Meredith Hammat | Labor | Mirrabooka | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Jodie Hanns | Labor | Collie-Preston | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Jane Kelsbie | Labor | Warren-Blackwood | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Ali Kent | Labor | Kalgoorlie | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Lisa Munday | Labor | Dawesville | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Rebecca Stephens | Labor | Albany | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Katrina Stratton | Labor | Nedlands | 13 March 2021 – | |
| Christine Tonkin | Labor | Churchlands | 13 March 2021 – | |
| 67 | Merome Beard | National | North West Central | 17 September 2022 – |
| 68 | Magenta Marshall | Labor | Rockingham | 29 July 2023 – |
Timeline
Proportion of women in the Assembly
Numbers and proportions are as they were directly after the relevant election and do not take into account by-elections, defections or other changes in membership. The Liberal column also includes that party's predecessors, the Nationalist and United parties and the Liberal and Country League. The National column includes the various National Party splinter groups in the 1920s and 1980s.
| Term | Labor | Liberal | National | Others | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | Women | Total | % | |
| 1921–1924 | 0 | 17 | 0.0% | 1 | 10 | 10.0% | 0 | 16 | 0.0% | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 1924–1927 | 0 | 27 | 0.0% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 13 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 0 | 50 | 0.0% |
| 1927–1930 | 1 | 27 | 3.7% | 0 | 16 | 0.0% | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 1930–1933 | 1 | 23 | 4.3% | 0 | 16 | 0.0% | 0 | 10 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 1933–1936 | 1 | 30 | 3.3% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 11 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 1936–1939 | 1 | 26 | 3.8% | 1 | 8 | 12.5% | 0 | 13 | 0.0% | 0 | 3 | 0.0% | 2 | 50 | 4.0% |
| 1939–1943 | 1 | 27 | 3.7% | 1 | 7 | 14.2% | 0 | 12 | 0.0% | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 2 | 50 | 4.0% |
| 1943–1947 | 0 | 30 | 0.0% | 1 | 7 | 14.2% | 0 | 10 | 0.0% | 0 | 3 | 0.0% | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 1947–1950 | 0 | 23 | 0.0% | 1 | 13 | 7.7% | 0 | 12 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 1950–1953 | 0 | 23 | 0.0% | 1 | 15 | 6.7% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 3 | 0.0% | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 1953–1956 | 0 | 26 | 0.0% | 1 | 15 | 6.7% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 1956–1959 | 0 | 29 | 0.0% | 0 | 11 | 0.0% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0 | 50 | 0.0% |
| 1959–1962 | 0 | 23 | 0.0% | 0 | 17 | 0.0% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0 | 50 | 0.0% |
| 1962–1965 | 0 | 24 | 0.0% | 0 | 18 | 0.0% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 50 | 0.0% |
| 1965–1968 | 0 | 21 | 0.0% | 0 | 21 | 0.0% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 50 | 0.0% |
| 1968–1971 | 0 | 23 | 0.0% | 0 | 19 | 0.0% | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 51 | 0.0% |
| 1971–1974 | 0 | 26 | 0.0% | 0 | 17 | 0.0% | 0 | 8 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 51 | 0.0% |
| 1974–1977 | 0 | 22 | 0.0% | 1 | 23 | 4.3% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 51 | 2.0% |
| 1977–1980 | 0 | 22 | 0.0% | 1 | 27 | 3.7% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 55 | 1.8% |
| 1980–1983 | 0 | 23 | 0.0% | 1 | 26 | 3.8% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 55 | 1.8% |
| 1983–1986 | 4 | 32 | 12.5% | 0 | 20 | 0.0% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 4 | 57 | 7.0% |
| 1986–1989 | 6 | 32 | 18.8% | 0 | 19 | 0.0% | 0 | 6 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 6 | 57 | 10.5% |
| 1989–1993 | 6 | 31 | 19.4% | 1 | 20 | 5.0% | 1 | 6 | 16.7% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 8 | 57 | 14.0% |
| 1993–1996 | 6 | 24 | 25.0% | 2 | 26 | 7.7% | 1 | 6 | 16.7% | 1 | 1 | 100.0% | 10 | 57 | 17.5% |
| 1996–2001 | 6 | 19 | 31.6% | 5 | 29 | 17.2% | 1 | 6 | 16.7% | 1 | 3 | 33.3% | 13 | 57 | 22.8% |
| 2001–2005 | 8 | 32 | 25.0% | 3 | 16 | 18.8% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 13 | 57 | 22.8% |
| 2005–2008 | 9 | 32 | 28.1% | 2 | 18 | 11.1% | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 2 | 2 | 100.0% | 13 | 57 | 22.8% |
| 2008–2013 | 7 | 28 | 25.0% | 2 | 24 | 8.3% | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 2 | 3 | 66.7% | 11 | 59 | 18.6% |
| 2013–2017 | 7 | 21 | 33.3% | 4 | 31 | 12.9% | 2 | 7 | 28.6% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 13 | 59 | 22.0% |
| 2017–2021 | 15 | 41 | 36.6% | 2 | 13 | 15.4% | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 18 | 59 | 30.5% |
| 2021– | 26 | 53 | 49.0% | 1 | 2 | 50.0% | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 28 | 59 | 47.4% |
See also
| Women and government in Australia | |
|---|---|
| List of female heads of government in Australia | |
| Federal | |
| State | |